Jusuf Nurkic slammed for calling his former head coach an ‘alcohol addict’

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Jusuf Nurkic slammed for calling his former head coach an ‘alcohol addict’

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Rex Villas | Last updated Jun 2, 2026 12:57 PM ET

Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic had a telling revelation about his former head coach during his time with the Phoenix Suns.

During a recent appearance on the X&Os Chat with Edin Avdic, the veteran NBA big man issued a blunt critique of how things went with the Suns under head coach Mike Budenholzer, whom he also called an “alcohol addict.”

“The situation we were in, the environment, we were in. And then you find out, well, I don’t know if I should say this. But the guy was an alcohol addict,” Nurkic said of Budenholzer. “He was really having a problem with it.”

"Mike Budenholzer? He was explaining to Kevin Durant how to score a basket. It was absurd.

Then, at the end, you find out he was struggling with alcohol addiction…"

Jusuf Nurkic, now a member of the Utah Jazz, shared strong criticism of the Phoenix Suns system under head… pic.twitter.com/ys2yrwdKac
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) June 1, 2026

Maybe Nurkic should have just avoided making those comments about Budenholzer, as people have called him out for that particular remark about the two-time NBA Coach of the Year Award winner.

I disliked Budenholzer but Nurk acting like he didn’t rob the Suns of millions playing worse than a garbage can is pretty funny
— Arizona Sports Hype (@HypeArizona) June 1, 2026

This is incredibly disrespectful. Talking about your former coach like this is crazy
— spanish pistons fan (@spanishdetf4n) June 1, 2026

if I had to watch that guy fail to rebound and convert easy baskets I'd be an alcoholic too
— Inside Agitator (@AbsolutelyMalc1) June 2, 2026

Sounds like Nurk would have a problem with any coach
— RB (@RJB242) June 2, 2026

Some things you keep to yourself, you could cost him a job in the future
— Beauski (@_beauski) June 1, 2026

Others also pointed out that Nurkic should have been more sensitive in talking about Budenholzer, considering that the latter lost his brother in a car crash while still coaching the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023.

Budenholzer was hired by the Suns in 2024, but he didn’t last very long with the team. After Phoenix missed the 2025 NBA Playoffs with just a 36-46 record despite a star-studded lineup that featured Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the Suns fired Budenholzer.

H/T Basketball Sphere

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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