​Top international recruit Nikola Kusturica has signed with UCLA basketball on Thursday, July 9, marking a move that has elevated coach Mick Cronin’s program amid buzz that Kusturica could emerge as one of the top prospects of the 2028 NBA Draft. Hailing from Serbia, the 17-year-old is committed to collegiate basketball for at least two years, as he sits two years away from NBA draft eligibility. At 6-foot-9, he is the youngest player to have ever appeared for FC Barcelona’s senior squad.
Kusturica chose the Bruins over several prestigious programs, including Kentucky, Michigan and Gonzaga, according to reports. “Nikola is an elite prospect with great size, skill and a competitive fire that is hard to find,” Cronin said in UCLA’s announcement. “As a 6-foot-9 guard, he can play all over the floor. He impacts the game as a scorer, playmaker and shot blocker. For a young player, Nik has already built a decorated resume with the Serbian national team and his club in Barcelona.” UCLA also acknowledged the backing of his international team and his club for their ongoing cooperation and development of Nikola.
In competition, Kusturica has displayed standout versatility. He averaged 24.6 points and 6.9 rebounds per game for Serbia at the FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Turkey from June 27 to July 5, 2023, earning Best Defensive Player honors with averages of 2.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game. He recorded a 37-point performance in the gold-medal game, a narrow loss to the United States. Earlier, he earned the MVP honors at the 2025 FIBA Under-16 Eurobasket in Tbilisi, Georgia, after posting 20 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, leading Serbia to its first title at the tournament since 2007. In the championship game, he contributed 18 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists and five steals.
As one of the youngest players in college basketball, Kusturica is expected to play a significant role for the Bruins from his first season. UCLA has recently been active in incorporating European talent, signing a pair of international players this offseason: Mississippi State transfer Sergej Macura and Auburn transfer Filip Jovic. The program also announced the arrival of fellow incoming freshman Gunārs Grīnvalds from Latvia and Real Madrid’s contributing players in its broader recruitment efforts.
Kusturica’s 37-point performance against the United States in the FIBA Under-17 World Cup remains a highlight reel moment and a strong indicator of the impact he could have in college and beyond. This signing underscores UCLA’s ongoing strategy of adding high-impact, internationally developed players to its roster while Cronin continues to leverage global connections to build a competitive, versatile team for the coming seasons.