vBulls center Nikola Vucevic spent the summer representing his home country, Montenegro, in the EuroBasket tournament. He had a good showing, averaging around 21 points and 11 rebounds per game, but his nation was unable to advance out of the group stage.
He has now announced his retirement from international competition, and this could be a sign of his upcoming NBA future, too.
Nikola Vucevic: Seasoned veteran at every level
Vucevic has been playing for the Montenegro national team for almost 15 years, going back to his first appearance at the 2011 edition of EuroBasket. He led them to their only FIBA World Cup appearances in 2019 and 2023.
Vooch is widely regarded as the greatest player in the history of Montenegrin basketball. He has elevated the national team to levels they have never experienced before his time. European players, especially those from small countries like Montenegro, often have a ton of national pride, so it’s a big deal for him to call it quits on that front.
Vucevic is certainly getting up there in age. He’s set to turn 35 before the beginning of the season and is one of the oldest players in the league. His retirement from his national team could be a foreshadowing of his professional retirement as well.
Of course, his contract situation with the Bulls makes it unlikely that Vucevic will retire before or during next season. He’ll be making $21.4 million next season, and it’s likely to be his last big payday regardless of whether or not he sticks around in the NBA.
Neither the Bulls nor other teams will be keen to offer Vucevic another contract with remotely similar value. The upcoming season could very well be his last one for the Bulls and the NBA in general.
He’s remained remarkably healthy for his age and consistent as a scorer since coming to Chicago. But his age-related decline has been more obvious in his defense over the years.
He’s never really returned to the heights he reached during his last season in Orlando, despite a 3-point resurgence last season. Unfortunately, his playstyle has never translated to anything more than play-in appearances for the Bulls. He is now the last bastion of an era of mediocrity for the Bulls.
Vucevic has become a sad reminder for Bulls fans of years wasted by the front office. But those same fans can anticipate his time with the team coming to an end soon, officially closing the book on a disappointing chapter of Bulls history.
