In February of 2017, the Portland Trail Blazers reached a deal with the Denver Nuggets to acquire center Jusuf Nurkic and a 2018 second-rounder (via Memphis) in exchange for Mason Plumlee and a 2017 first-round pick

Nurkic quickly evolved into a quality big man for the Blazers. In two and a half seasons with the team, the Bosnian Beast has averaged 15.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 50.7 percent from the floor and playing just 27.2 minutes a contest.

“The day I got a phone call from my agent and he said “you're going to Portland.” … as soon as I hung up, basically the first thing I did was go to my calendar and see when I'm playing them (Nuggets),” Jusuf Nurkic said in an interview, per NBC Sports Northwest.

Unfortunately, a compound fracture of his tibia suffered last March has forced the 25-year-old Blazers center to miss the entire 2019-20 season as he recovers.

“That was the first thing I did. Marked the calendar, whatever and I was just waiting for that day. And of course, you've got all the things in life going on with the travel and now you've got to switch teams and focus mentally and physically. It was just like, even now, just made me nervous for a second like with how much was going on. It was cool, it was just like “this is another date. Let's get it,” Nurkic said.

In his first game facing off against Denver as a member of the Blazers, the big seven-footer had a career night with 33 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks while shooting 12 of 15 from the field and 9 for 11 from the line.