Nikola Vucevic waves to fans after receiving a warm ovation in Orlando on Friday night.
Nikola Vucevic made a triumphant return to Orlando on Friday, helping the Chicago Bulls to a 123-108 victory over his former team.
Playing in Orlando for the first time after nine seasons with the Magic, the Chicago center added 16 points and eight rebounds to a game that turned into a rout.
Thank you Orlando for 9 great years! A place I will always call home! Very special night for me! Appreciate the warm welcome!
Love forever 💙💙💙! https://t.co/tClO0bpFZj— Nikola Vucevic (@NikolaVucevic) November 27, 2021
“It’s a special place for me and it’s always special to come back,” said Vucevic, who was playing in only his second game after missing seven games due to COVID.
“I’m still not 100%, which is expected. As much as I enjoyed laying on my couch for 10 days, it’s not easy to come back to it,” added Vucevic, who played 29 minutes and got a scoreboard video tribute during a timeout. “That was the toughest time for me to manage my emotions because it brought back all those memories.”
“Vooch is the kind of guy who keeps it kind of chill,” said Coby White, who came off the Chicago bench with 20 points. “But it was good to see him come back here and get a win, and I think he got excited for sure.”
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
