Nikola Djurisic ramping up for unique journey with Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks may have selected Nikola Djurisic with the 43rd pick in this year’s draft, but the Serbian rookie has a unique road ahead of him in Atlanta. Instead of beginning his career on the Hawks’ main roster, Djurisic will suit up for the College Park Skyhawks as a draft-and-stash player on a G League contract. 

The 20-year-old suffered an unfortunate left foot fracture during Summer League in Las Vegas, which still has him sidelined and rehabbing ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. Despite Djurisic’s injury, the Hawks viewed him as important enough to their future to keep him within the organization via their G League affiliate.

At Skyhawks Media Day on Oct. 27, Djurisic offered an encouraging update on his recovery process.

"It’s been going great,” Djurisic told Jameelah Johnson of atlhawksfans. “I've been lifting a lot of weights and working on my body to prepare for the season. I've started doing the on-court stuff but no contact. 1-on-0." 

When he returns to the court, Djurisic will catch the attention of Hawks fans right away. The 6-foot-8 wing possesses a versatile skill set, bringing point-forward potential as a playmaker and some sneaky athleticism he already flashed in his Summer League debut.

Nikola Djurisic has the makings of a fan favorite

During his Media Day press conference, Djurisic wasn’t afraid to be himself. He treated his presser more like a friendly conversation with the media, going back and forth with reporters and offering hilarious insight into his personal life. Similar to his countryman Nikola Jokic in his interviews, Djurisic was unapologetically honest from start to finish.

Djurisic has gotten along with his College Park teammates so far, but he doesn’t know them very well yet. He talked to Soaring Down South about his relationship with his new squad and made some fun of himself in the process.

“I’m good with all of them honestly,” Djurisic said. “We finish practice, we go home. Some of those guys have families. I have no one, so I’m all alone right now. My girl is back at home … I just come home and sleep, that’s it.

Djurisic may not have his girlfriend with him right now, but he still has his humor. As he continues to work his way back to full health, his easygoing disposition will only help him keep a positive mindset.

When asked about his last three months on the sidelines, Djurisic revealed what most of his free time has looked like off the court. Naturally, he bantered back and forth with the media about some of his favorite new hobbies and interests. From cooking steaks to playing Call of Duty, Djurisic left nothing to the imagination.

“It was just practice and recovery,” Djurisic told Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com. “I would get early to the gym, leave late. I started cooking, I learned how to cook … I was watching the NBA preseason, playing video games, reading books.”

With Skyhawks training camp well underway, Djurisic simply hopes to play basketball again as soon as possible. College Park boasted the top-ranked defense in the G League last season, and new head coach Steve Klei will look to maintain that defensive-minded culture moving forward. Assuming Djurisic buys into that culture, he could reap the rewards in a big way.

College Park’s emphasis on defensive grit and toughness could help Djurisic develop his game faster than expected. The draft-and-stash rookie has already flashed sky-high potential. Now it’s time for him to put that potential to the test.