After going through a crazy NBA Offseason and playing for a depleted Orlando Magic squad, Nikola Vucevic has still risen to the occasion, earning his second career All-Star appearance. Vucevic is one of the Eastern Conference’s seven reserves, along with Jaylen Brown, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Julius Randle, Ben Simmons, and Domantas Sabonis. Vucevic has lived up to the All-Star hype this season, averaging 24.1 PPG (20th in NBA), 11.7 RPG (5th in NBA), and 3.6 APG (Tied-3rd among Centers) in 33 games. Vucevic’s shooting numbers have also been off the charts, especially for a Center, at 48.0% from the field, 40.0% from the three-point line, and 83.7% from the free-throw line. Vucevic has been a reliable source of offense and defense for the Magic and has many of us thinking this won’t be the last time we see the seven-foot center in the All-Star Game.
Vucevic makes rare company with Penny Hardaway and Tracy McGrady
As Vucevic earned his second career All-Star Game nod, he nows joins Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway, Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, and Dwight Howard as the only players to be named an NBA All-Star multiple times while wearing a Magic uniform. Vucevic’s massive leap is mainly due to HC Steve Clifford. Vucevic has been named to the All-Star game twice in Clifford’s three-year tenure.
“He’s been huge in the steps I’ve been able to take in the last two-and-a-half seasons he’s been here,’ Vucevic said of Clifford’s role in his maturation. “Mainly the thing that he’s been able to help me with is my approach to the game, my mentality, my confidence. He told me ‘you’re one of the best big men in the NBA, you can be a multiple-time All-Star, there’s so much room for you to grow.’”
Vuecvic’s Growth to an NBA Superstar
Vucevic’s confidence also seemed to grow during the Magic’s five-game series against the one-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Bubble. During those five games, Vucevic averaged 28.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG, and 4.0 APG, and propelled the Magic to a game one victory. Vucevic even became the fourth Magic player ever to score 30-plus points three times in one postseason series, and this began to propel Vucevic’s growth from a solid center to a multiple-time All-Star. The best part about this, is that Vucevic still believes he has some All-Star caliber seasons left in the tank. For now, Vucevic and the Magic will enjoy what may be their high point in the 2020-2021 season.
“Each milestone is always special. I always like to set certain things for myself and try to achieve them. It gives you that extra little motivation as the year goes on. You hear even the guys that made it 10, 15 times, even for them it’s always special to make it… Hopefully, it’s not the last one. Hopefully I can continue and get to a third one and fourth one and so on. For now, I’ll enjoy this one.”