UCLA’s international pipeline may be adding another name soon, and this one comes with plenty of buzz.
The Bruins have been active this offseason under Mick Cronin, building around players who can help right away. After last year’s all-transfer approach, UCLA took a more balanced route this time, adding four players from the portal in Azavier Robinson from Butler, Jaylen Petty from Texas Tech, Sergej Macura from Mississippi State, and Filip Jovic from Auburn. That group ranked 28th overall in 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings.
Cronin also put together a solid high school class, led by 4-star forward Joe Philon, plus 3-star forward Javonte Floyd and international prospect Gunars Grinvalds from Real Madrid.
Now UCLA appears to be closing in on another international addition. The Bruins have been in the lead for Nikola Kusturica, a forward from FC Barcelona, and 247Sports’ Travis Branham recently placed a crystal ball for UCLA to land him.
Kusturica is from Serbia, and that connection matters. UCLA has already tapped into the country with Jovic and Macura, who played together in the Serbian league for KK Mega Basket before joining the Bruins through the portal. Those ties have helped make UCLA a more natural fit for Kusturica.
At 6-7 and 180 pounds, Kusturica has the kind of frame that can fool you. He’s slender, but he plays with more toughness than his build suggests. His game is built on length, versatility, shot-making, and ball skills, and that combination stands out for a player his age.
He also brings a strong motor and has shown real value on the glass. Beyond that, he already flashes as a playmaker and defender, which is why he’s viewed as a player with major upside. The source projects him as a top player for the 2028 NBA Draft, noting that he won’t be eligible for the 2027 draft because of his age.
Kusturica is currently competing at the FIBA U17 World Cup, where he just delivered a huge performance in Serbia’s 121-91 Round of 16 win over New Zealand. He scored 27 points to help send Serbia into the quarterfinals in Turkey, shooting 11-17 from the field and 4-8 from three-point range while also adding six rebounds and four assists.
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