Jusuf Nurkić isn’t just putting up numbers - he’s etching his name into Jazz history with performances that blend grit, vision, and a whole lot of heart. On Tuesday night, he became just the 11th player in franchise history to notch a regular-season triple-double, and only the second to do it since 2008. Then, two nights later, he did it again.
Back-to-back triple-doubles don’t come easy - especially not in Utah. In fact, it hadn’t happened in over 50 years.
The last time a Jazz player pulled it off? You’d have to go all the way back to January 1975, when the legendary ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich put up triple-doubles on the 17th and 19th.
That’s the kind of company Nurkić is keeping right now.
And here’s the kicker: Nurkić wasn’t even supposed to play Thursday. He woke up feeling awful - sick, nauseous, completely drained.
But the Jazz were preparing to face Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, and they needed Nurkić’s size, toughness, and skill set. He was a central part of the game plan, especially as a facilitator who could help pull Wembanyama away from the rim.
“I didn’t want to be the guy that was supposed to play and then not show up,” Nurkić said. So he suited up. And he showed out.
Despite battling illness, Nurkić delivered 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists - the most assists ever recorded in a single game by a Jazz center. That’s not just a solid stat line; it’s a reflection of how vital he’s become to this team’s identity on both ends of the floor.
“He screens his (butt) off, he talks, he’s tough on the defensive end, he’s gonna rebound, gonna do all the dirty work for us,” rookie guard Keyonte George said. “So just to see the skill come out - the passing ability, making shots, touch around the basket - I think that’s big time for Nurk. Obviously I felt like he was comfortable, but now he’s getting to a whole another level."
There’s a toughness to what Nurkić did Thursday night that goes beyond the box score. At halftime, while most players were regrouping and adjusting, he was in the back throwing up.
After the game, he was headed straight for I.V. fluids. Pale, sweating, with dark circles under his eyes, he brushed off the historic nature of his performance.
“It doesn’t really matter,” he said. “We lost the game.”
That’s classic Nurkić - always his own toughest critic. But while he might not be ready to celebrate his own milestones, his teammates, coaches, and fans are more than willing to do it for him.
“He deserves it,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said. “Earlier in the year, we talked about Nurk probably being one of the unsung guys on our team, because no one drives home talking about screening.
But he’s getting some praise that he deserves, and it’s great to see him have two games like that back-to-back. He’s helping our offense function in an unbelievable way.”
Hardy’s right - the Jazz offense flows differently when Nurkić is out there. His ability to read the floor, initiate from the top, and make the right play is giving Utah a whole new dimension. And the fans are taking notice.
“It’s good to see the fans embrace Nurk,” Hardy added. “He loves it here.
We love him. He deserves the love.”
Triple-doubles are rare. Doing it twice in a row while battling illness?
That’s something special. And while Nurkić might not be shouting it from the rooftops, the rest of us should be.
Because this stretch - these performances - are the kind that stick in the memory. Not just for the numbers, but for the heart behind them.