Portland Trail Blazers Fans Crowdfund Over $10,000 for Billboard Love Note to Injured Player Jusuf Nurkic

In a day and a half, the crowdfunding campaign met its goal.

Trail Blazers face the Detroit Pistons on March 23, 2019 at the Moda Center. Bruce Ely / Trail Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers fans just donated to say they love Nurk.

Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic suffered a season-ending injury during a game on Monday, March 25, breaking his tibia and fibula during the second overtime.

In a GoFundMe campaign started the next day, Al Nelson, a local Blazers fan, began an effort to raise $8,000 to place billboard that reads "We Love You Nurkic" near the Rose Garden.

"Our big fella gives his whole heart to Rip City night in, night out," Nelson writes. "We Blazer fans want to show him that same love as he starts the healing process after a devastating injury."

Nelson continues: "Nurk is a vital part of Portland and deserves a thank you card as big as what he means to us!"

In a day and a half, the crowdfunding campaign met its goal. Three days in, it's raised $10,548.

Related: Why we love Jusuf Nurkic in Portland.

Dozens of contributors have commented on the GoFundMe page offering words of encouragement like, "Get well soon Beast," and "Did you know you're our hero?"

Nelson tells WW in an email that the design and placement of the billboard are still being decided.

"I just spoke with a large billboard company in town who's getting a quote to me today and doing everything they can for us to maximize the visibility-to-cost ratio," Nelson says, "especially understanding any money they can save us will go straight to the Boys and Girls Club."

Nurkic, who is still in the hospital, reportedly joined his teammates in a pre-game huddle via FaceTime last night.

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