Apr 6, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) stands on the court during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-Imagn Images Nell Redmond-Imagn Images

Bulls Star Makes Big Decision Before Crucial NBA Season

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 10:14 AM ET

Nikola Vucevic made an important career decision this week by confirming that he will soon retire from national team play. Some reports have caused confusion, suggesting that the Chicago Bulls center has called it a career altogether.

However, that’s not the case. Vucevic has wrapped up his final run at EuroBasket before putting all of his focus on the upcoming NBA season, which is set to be a crucial one for the veteran.

“It sucks for me to finish this way,” Vucevic told reporters this week.

“It would have been great to get to the next round and play in Riga, but it is what it is. In the end, I want to thank everyone, my teammates, the coaches, the federation, and of course, the fans. I will miss playing for the national team; it’s a great honor to play. I wish I could finish it differently; however, now it’s time for the next generation to leave their mark”.

Nikola Vucevic announced his retirement from Montenegro national team after #EuroBasket 2025

More details: https://t.co/UHD12jwyD5 pic.twitter.com/PFusKzg6Nw
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) September 3, 2025

Representing Montenegro on the EuroBasket stage, Vucevic had a chance to play in five final games in the group phase this summer. Over that time, he averaged 33.9 minutes of play.

The Bulls’ veteran made 56.2 percent of his shots from the field. He accounted for 11.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 20.8 points per game throughout the tournament.

Vucevic goes out with an unfortunate ending from a team outlook, but on a personal level, he proved that he’s still got a lot of gas left in the tank ahead of an important NBA season.

Season six with the Bulls is approaching. Back in 2020-2021, Vucevic was traded to Chicago by the Orlando Magic. He ended up playing four full seasons with the Bulls, being the last man standing from Chicago’s championship hunt, which was formed with the additions of DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball years ago.

A STRONG showing by Nikola Vučević

31 points
11 boards
7 dimes
12-18 shooting

He finished with game highs in scoring and on the glass!

Watch all the @EuroBasket action live on @courtside1891: https://t.co/fPC0xWpW1P pic.twitter.com/5wTyDnGgP9
— NBA (@NBA) September 3, 2025

There’s a good chance Vucevic spends another NBA season viewed as a potential trade candidate out of Chicago. Since the Bulls are still a long way from contention, the 34-year-old veteran could find a desirable fit on a more competitive roster.

The Switzerland-born center has made it clear he would like to continue competing for the Bulls next season. Ultimately, the decision will come down to the front office.

Last year, Vucevic appeared in 73 games. He produced 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. From the field, he averaged a career-high 53 percent and shot 40 percent from three.

Vucevic’s national team career might be finished, but expectations for his NBA run remain high as he’s still got plenty of time to go.