Muslim NBA star Jusuf Nurkic surprisingly claims to ‘feel so much better’ while fasting for Ramadan

Jusuf Nurkic is among the few Muslim NBA players observing the Ramadan fast.

Muslim NBA star Jusuf Nurkic surprisingly claims to ‘feel so much better’ while fasting for Ramadan

Phoenix Suns’ center Jusuf Nurkic

Jusuf Nurkic is one of the few players in the NBA who is Muslim by religion and observes the Ramadan fast. He, like other believers worldwide, has had to readjust to observe the teachings and tenets of their faith entirely while being an athlete.

The Phoenix Suns’ big man, like every athlete, needs to be at an optimal level nutrition-wise to meet up with the strict demands of a league as intense as the NBA. However, he recently shared how he has been coping where he disclosed that he wakes up at 5 am to get breakfast before sunrise.

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He wants people to realize that he’s used to it as he started taking part in the fast at 16. At 29, it’s safe to say he’s a veteran, and it has now become a culture where he cannot feel the physiological effects of staying away from food for long periods.

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As far as the effect, I feel so much better…As far as the game, it’s not really big difference,It’s a challenge for people who have never done it. They think it’s the end of the world, but nah, it’s really exciting, really happy.
Nurkic shared with Duane Rankin before the game against the Boston Celtics

Nurkic has put the Draymond Green incident behind him and has played a vital role for the Phoenix Suns this season. He averaged a remarkable 8.5 PPG and 14 RPG in his first two games during Ramadan.

Jusuf Nurkic makes history in loss to Boston Celtics

The Phoenix Suns visited the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, to battle the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed on Friday night. And although they came back home with their tails behind their back, as they lost 127-112, history was broken.

Jusuf Nurkic, albeit fasting, broke a three-decade-old record held by the legend Charles Barkley, the “Round Mound of Rebound” himself. He ended the night with eight points, 20 rebounds, and six assists. This indicated the fourth time that he reached the 20-rebound mark. It also placed him as the first player in the Suns’ history to have a stat line of 15 or more rebounds and five or more assists six times. 

The center has been a force for the Suns all season, as he is currently averaging 11.5 PPG, 11.0 RPG, and 3.8 APG. Furthermore, he has been transformed into a double-double machine as he has managed 22 double-doubles for the Phoenix Suns this season. 

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