“Bosnian Beast” Jusuf Nurkić enters Miami Heat turf with penthouse purchase

The “Bosnian Beast” is picking up a piece of Miami real estate.

Jusuf Nurkić of the Portland Trail Blazers is buying a penthouse at the planned E11even Residences Beyond tower in downtown Miami, joining other celebrities and athletes at the future project, The Real Deal has learned.

Nurkić, a Bosnia and Herzegovina native who has played for his home country’s men’s national basketball team in Europe, has been a center for the Trail Blazers since 2016. After battling injuries for several seasons, Nurkić is working to help the Trail Blazers make a 2022 playoff run, according to published reports. The Trail Blazers lost to the Miami Heat on Wednesday evening.

Jusuf Nurkić (Seth Browarnik/Worldredeye.com)

Nurkić told TRD he plans to use the unit, priced between $15 million and $18 million, for his visits to Miami. Nurkić declined to disclose his purchase price, which will depend on finishes and amenities.

“This is my plan — to spend more and more time in Miami,” he said.

The 65-story, 461-unit building will mark the second phase of E11even Hotel & Residences. E11even Partners and Property Markets Group are developing the buildings, which will connect at the ground level and via a sky bridge.

Nurkić completed a virtual reality tour of the building earlier this week and returned to meet with developer Marc Roberts, a former sports agent, to sign his purchase contract on Thursday, Roberts said. Nurkić did not receive a discount or incentive, Roberts added.

YouTubers and wrestlers Jake and Logan Paul are also reportedly buying penthouses at the building after completing the same Yupix VR tour.

“It’s amazing how they set up everything,” Nurkić said. “You want to stay in the virtual reality.”

Nurkić had already bought a smaller two-bedroom, 977-square-foot unit at the first tower priced at about $1 million, Roberts said. The two have known each other for years, they said.

The developers broke ground on phase one, a 65-story, 375-unit hotel and condo tower, in November. Roberts and Michael Simkins, the owners of E11even, a 24/7 nightclub, teamed up with PMG to soft-launch sales of the first building at the start of the year. Buyers there include WNBA player Candace Parker, ESPN co-host Sage Steele and MMA fighter Luke Rockhold.

Phase one is sold out, and is expected to be completed in 2023, the developers have said. They plan to break ground on the second building later this year.

Units at E11even Residences Beyond, at 29 Northeast 11th Street in the Park West neighborhood in downtown Miami, start in the mid-$300,000s, with sizes starting at 318 square feet for studios. The developers are accepting cryptocurrencies at both buildings.

The first tower will house the amenities for the entire project, including a casino-style sports lounge, a rooftop, a spa and wellness center by Dr. Deepak Chopra, and a number of chef-driven restaurants.