Sources: Nikola Kusturica, possible No. 1 NBA draft pick, chooses UCLAJeff BorzelloJul 9, 2026, 11:15 AM ETClose
- Basketball recruiting insider.
- Joined ESPN in 2014.
- Graduate of University of Delaware.
Serbian forward Nikola Kusturica has reached a multiyear agreement to play for UCLA, sources told ESPN, giving the Bruins arguably the best European prospect in his age group and an early contender for the No. 1 pick in the 2028 NBA draft.
Kusturica only turned 17 years old in April and is two years from being eligible for the NBA.
His commitment ends a recruitment that took several twists over the last month, with Kentucky briefly considered the leader and Michigan generating momentum before Dusty May left for the Dallas Mavericks.
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Gonzaga also was involved.
Kusturica, who is 6-foot-8, was a standout performer at the recent FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Türkiye, earning a spot on the tournament’s All-Star Five team after averaging 24.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in seven games. He also won the Best Defensive Player award, adding 2.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.
Kusturica had 37 points and nine rebounds in Serbia’s loss to the United States in the gold medal game.
It was the second consecutive summer in which Kusturica established himself as one of the best international prospects in the world, as he won MVP honors last August at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket. In seven games, he averaged 20.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists en route to a gold medal for Serbia.
Kusturica has been in the FC Barcelona system since 2023, becoming the youngest player ever to play for the club’s first team when he made his competitive debut in September 2025.
Despite his age, Kusturica is expected to make an immediate impact for Mick Cronin at UCLA. The Bruins return three starters from last year’s 24-12 team and welcome four transfers from other power-conference programs — including fellow Europeans Filip Jovic and Sergej Macura.
