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Nikola Vucevic takes pride in securing 500th double-double of his career

It's an incredible feat for the veteran big man.

Stephen Beslic

© Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
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Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic has been a picture of consistency for most of his 13-year NBA career. On Sunday, the 6-foot-10 center ticked off a milestone that only a select few have achieved in the league: recording 500 double-doubles.

Vucevic, acquired by the Bulls in a blockbuster trade with the Orlando Magic in 2021, notched his 500th double-double by registering 22 points and 13 rebounds in Chicago’s 114-106 road win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

A nice achievement

Although Vooch remains far off from the league’s all-time leader in double-doubles, Tim Duncan, who produced 841 in his storied career, the Bulls’ All-Star is proud of what he has accomplished. 

After all, in a league filled with remarkable athletes and physically gifted players, not everyone has the ability to produce double-digit points and rebounds consistently on a nightly basis.

“It’s a nice achievement for sure," Vucevic said.

“It speaks about the work I put in and being consistent, and it’s something I take a lot of pride in, mainly because of the rebounding. As a big man, it’s a big part of our job.”

Going to need more from Vooch

As the Bulls try to secure a spot in the postseason, more will be asked of Vucevic. With his consistent scoring and rebounding skills, Vucevic has been a force on both ends of the court for the Bulls. But as the stakes get higher, he knows that he will need to step up even more for his team.

The Bulls sit in ninth place with a 27-30 record, four-and-a-half games behind the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat. With Chicago no longer having All-Star Zach LaVine and Patrick Williams, both of whom have been lost for the remainder of the season, as well as reliable “3-and-D” forward Torrey Craig, who recently suffered a knee sprain, Vucevic will need to continue carrying the load for his team.

Scrappy Chicago Bulls pull off a huge win over the New Orleans Pelicans

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Stephen Beslic
STEPHEN BESLIC

Stephen Beslic is a writer on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. Stephen played basketball from the age of 10 and graduated from Faculty of Economic and Business in Zagreb, Croatia, majoring in Marketing.

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