Nikola Đurišić

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Nikola Đurišić

| image = Nikola Đurišić 55 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Đurišić in 2023

| position = Small forward

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 8

| weight_lb = 214

| league = NBA G League

| team = College Park Skyhawks

| number = 7

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|2|23|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Ghent, Belgium

| nationality = Serbian

| draft_year = 2024

| draft_round = 2

| draft_pick = 43

| draft_team = Miami Heat

| career_start = 2020

| years1 = 2020–2024

| team1 = Mega Basket

| years2 = 2020–2021

| team2 = →OKK Beograd

| years3 = 2024–present

| team3 = College Park Skyhawks

| highlights =

ABA League Top Prospect (2023)
Euroleague NGT champion (2022)
2× Junior ABA League champion (2021, 2022)
Euroleague NGT MVP (2022)
Junior ABA League Ideal Starting Five (2021)

}}

Nikola Đurišić ({{lang-sr-cyr|Никола Ђуришић}}; born 23 February 2004) is a Serbian professional basketball player for the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League.

Early life and career

Đurišić was born in Ghent, Belgium, as his father was playing football professionally. His father is Duško Đurišić, a Montenegrin former professional footballer, and his mother is Vesna Čitaković, a Serbian former professional volleyball player who helped the Serbia national team to win a silver medal at the 2007 European Championship and a bronze at the 2006 World Championship.{{cite web |title=Novi NBA projekat Mege je sin naše čuvene odbojkašice: Upoznajte jednog od najvećih talenata Srbije |url=https://www.telegraf.rs/sport/kosarka/3325961-nikola-djurisic-intervju-junior-mega-vesna-citakovic |website=telegraf.rs |date=12 April 2021 |access-date=12 September 2021}}{{cite web |title=It's all in the family for young talents at ANGT Finals |url=https://www.adidasngt.com/u18/news/latest/i/bkut9jt96xda4byd/it-s-all-in-the-family-for-young-talents-at-angt-finals |website=adidasngt.com |access-date=12 September 2021}} He spent his early childhood in Belgium, Italy, Turkey, and Germany with his mother as she was playing volleyball, before he moved to Belgrade, Serbia when he was 8. His uncle, Perica Đurišić, a basketball coach, introduced him to the game.{{cite web |title=TANDEM ZA BUDUĆNOST NAŠE KOŠARKE Jedan je novi Nikola Jokić, drugi je debitovao sa 16 godina u ABA ligi, a obojica su Megini zlatni juniori |url=https://sport.blic.rs/kosarka/domaca-kosarka-i-aba/kk-mega-bemaks-najnovije-juniori-nikola-jovic-nikola-djurisic/6znpvgy |website=sport.blic.rs |access-date=12 September 2021}}

Đurišić was playing basketball for the KK Banjica youth system before he joined the Mega Basket youth system in 2017.{{cite web |title=Nikola Đurišić #45 Bek |url=https://www.bcmegabasket.net/player/nikola-djurisic/ |website=bcmegabasket.net |access-date=12 September 2021}} At the 2020–21 Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament, he averaged 16.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, and won the All-Tournament Team selection.{{cite web |title=DJURISIC, NIKOLA U18 Mega SoccerBet Belgrade 7 Guard |url=https://www.adidasngt.com/u18/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=010262&seasoncode=JTF420 |website=adidasngt.com |access-date=12 September 2021}}{{cite web |title=ANGT Finals Valencia: Best 5 |url=https://www.adidasngt.com/u18/photos/2020-21/i/bkx4pxlb6kskll64/angt-finals-valencia-best-5 |website=adidasngt.com |access-date=12 September 2021}}

In May 2022, was named the Euroleague NGT Finals MVP and honored with Euroleague NGT All-Tournament Team, after his team won the Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament for the 2021–22 season.{{cite web |title=Djurisic named ANGT Finals MVP after helping Mega to title |url=https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/news/djurisic-named-angt-finals-mvp-after-helping-mega-to-title/ |website=euroleaguebasketball.net |access-date=12 August 2022}}{{cite web |title=Pretty in pink: Mega beat NGS celebrate first ANGT crown |url=https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/news/pretty-in-pink-mega-beat-ngs-celebrate-first-angt-crown/?pageTitle=Homepage&historyUrl=/ngt/ |website=euroleaguebasketball.net |access-date=12 August 2022}}{{cite web |title=U18 Mega Mozzart Belgrade 82 61 U18 Next Generation Select Team |url=https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/2021-22-belgrade-finals/u18-mega-mozzart-belgrade-u18-next-generation-select-team/JTF21/13/#roster |website=euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt |access-date=12 August 2022}}

Professional career

=Mega Basket (2020–2024)=

In September 2020, Mega Basket loaned Đurišić to OKK Beograd for the 2020–21 Basketball League of Serbia. Over 29 regular season games, he averaged 16.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and three assists per game.{{cite web |title=Nikola Đurišić, OKK Beograd |url=https://www.kls.rs/igrac.php?playerId=6352559&seasonId=119747 |website=kls.rs |access-date=12 September 2021}}

Đurišić made his senior debut in the ABA League for Mega Basket on 11 April 2021 in a 84–76 loss to FMP making only 17 seconds of playing time.{{cite web |title=Mega Basket Beograd 76-84 FMP Beograd |url=https://www.aba-liga.com/match/172/20/1/Boxscore/q1/1/home/mega-basket-fmp/ |website=aba-liga.com |access-date=12 September 2021}} On his 18th birthday, 23 February 2022, Đurišić signed his first professional contract with Mega Basket.{{cite web |title=Poklon za 18. rođendan Nikole Đurišića: Prvi profesionalni ugovor sa Megom Mozzart |url=https://mozzartsport.com/kosarka/vesti/poklon-za-18-roendan-nikole-urisica-prvi-profesionalni-ugovor-sa-megom-mozzart/412936 |website=mozzartsport.com |access-date=24 February 2022}} In 2022–23 season, Đurišić became one of the team leaders, averaging 13.1 points, 3.7 assists and 3 rebounds over 24 ABA League games. During the 2023–24 season, Đurišić averaged 15.4 points, 3.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds on 46.3% shooting from the field, in 30 ABA League games with Mega.

=College Park Skyhawks (2024–present)=

On 26 October 2024, Đurišić signed with the College Park Skyhawks.{{cite web|title=College Park Skyhawks Finalize Training Camp Schedule and Roster|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/college-park-skyhawks-finalize-training-camp-schedule-and-roster/n-6159937|website=OurSportsCentral.com|date=26 October 2024|access-date=27 October 2024}}

=NBA rights=

On 27 June 2024, Đurišić was selected with the 43rd overall pick by the Miami Heat in the 2024 NBA draft, however, immediately on draft night, he was traded along with cash to the Atlanta Hawks via a three-way trade with the Houston Rockets.{{cite web|title=Atlanta Hawks Acquire Draft Rights to Nikola Djurisic|url=https://www.nba.com/hawks/news/atlanta-hawks-acquire-draft-rights-to-nikola-djurisic|website=NBA.com|date=27 June 2024|access-date=28 June 2024}}

National team career

Đurišić was a member of the Serbia U16 national team that participated at the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship in Udine, Italy. Over seven tournament games, he averaged 4.7 points, three rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.{{cite web |title=2019 U16 Serbia Nikola DJURISIC Forward |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/europe/u16/2019/player/Nikola-Djurisic |website=fiba.basketball |access-date=12 September 2021}} He was a member of the Serbia U19 national team at the 2021 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup. Over three tournament games, he averaged 7.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.{{cite web |title=Nikola Đurišić, F, 2021 World Cup |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/world/u19/2021/player/Nikola-Djurisic |website=fiba.basketball |access-date=12 September 2021}}

On 25 February 2022, Đurišić made his debut for the Serbia national team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, just two days after his 18th birthday. In a 75–63 win over Slovakia, he recorded 7 points, 4 rebounds, one assist, and 3 steals in 20 minutes of playing time.{{cite web |title=Serbia 1st Round Group A Final Score 75 63 Belgrade (SRB) Slovakia |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/european-qualifiers/game/2502/Serbia-Slovakia#tab=boxscore |website=fiba.basketball |access-date=12 April 2022}}{{cite web |title=Đurišić: Fenomenalan debi - nisam mogao bolje da zamislim; Ristić: Po novu pobedu u Slovačkoj |url=https://www.rtv.rs/sr_lat/sport/kosarka/djurisic-fenomenalan-debi-nisam-mogao-bolje-da-zamislim_1317881.html |website=rtv.rs |access-date=12 April 2022}}{{cite web |title=Srpski biser nakon debija za reprezentaciju: Adekvatan poklon za 18. rođendan |url=https://nova.rs/sport/kosarka/nikola-djurisic-mega/ |website=nova.rs |date=26 February 2022 |access-date=12 April 2022}}

Career statistics

=Adriatic League=

==Regular season==

class="wikitable sortable"

!Year

!Team

!GP

!MPG

!FG%

!3P%

!FT%

!RPG

!APG

!SPG

!BPG

!PPG

!PIR

2020-21

| rowspan="4" |Mega Basket

|14.0

|.670

|.000

|.800

|2.0

|0.0

|8.0

|4.0

2021-22

|19

|18.6

|.390

|.500

|.790

|2.1

|1.9

|0.6

|0.0

|6.1

|5.1

2022-23

|22

|28.3

|.410

|.220

|.700

|3.0

|3.7

|1.1

|0.1

|13.3

|12.1

2023-24

|26

|30.7

|.450

|.330

|.740

|2.7

|3.4

|1.0

|0.4

|14.4

|14.2

== Playoffs ==

class="wikitable sortable"

!Year

!Team

!GP

!MPG

!FG%

!3P%

!FT%

!RPG

!APG

!SPG

!BPG

!PPG

!PIR

2022-23

| rowspan="2" |Mega Basket

|26.9

|.440

|.400

|.500

|2.5

|3.5

|0.5

|11.0

|9.5

2023–24

|33.8

|.510

|.380

|.760

|3.8

|4.5

|2.0

|0.8

|22.3

|23.5

References

External links

[https://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=010262&seasoncode=JTB19 Profile] at euroleague.net
[https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Nikola-Durisic/Summary/152577 Profile] at realgm.com
[https://basketball.eurobasket.com/player/Nikola-Djurisic/Serbia/Mega-SoccerBet-Beograd-U18-team/524627 Profile] at eurobasket.com
[https://www.aba-liga.com/player/3548/21/1/nikola-dzurisic/ Profile] at aba-liga.com

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Category:2004 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Serbian sportsmen

Category:ABA League players

Category:Basketball League of Serbia players

Category:Basketball players from Belgrade

Category:Basketball players from Ghent

Category:College Park Skyhawks players

Category:KK Mega Basket players

Category:Miami Heat draft picks

Category:OKK Beograd players

Category:Serbian expatriates in Belgium

Category:Serbian men's basketball players

Category:Serbian people of Montenegrin descent

Category:Small forwards