UCLA Pursues Historic Barcelona Forward Nikola Kusturica for Final Roster Spot

The UCLA Bruins have been showing interest in another overseas talent this offseason as they look to fill out their last available roster spot.

UCLA has been in touch with FC Barcelona forward Nikola Kusturica. The 6-foot-8 wing has heard from a handful of colleges including UCLA, and recently he became the youngest player ever to score and debut for FC Barcelona's senior team. In 11 appearances with the big boys, he averaged 1.9 points per contest in just 4.8 minutes of action.

Kusturica's Career

Kusturica has a profound resume overseas up to this point. He won the 2025 FIBA U16 EuroBasket MVP as he led Serbia to a gold medal on the back of 20 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

He also helped Barcelona notch an Adidas NextGen Finals title earlier this year after he averaged 16.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in the tournament. In the decisive championship game, Kusturica had a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double.

If he chooses UCLA, Kusturica would give the Bruins some added juice on the wings, as his size and skillset would be a much-welcomed addition for head coach Mick Cronin and his staff. The Bruins saw the loss of important forwards such as Skyy Clark and Tyler Bilodeau this offseason, so Kusturica would fit a potential need.

Also, whichever school lands him would likely have his services for two seasons, as, given his age, he wouldn't be draft eligible until the 2028 NBA Draft. As such, if the Bruins were able to snag him, they'd be able to lock down a key position for at least the next two seasons, most likely.

UCLA's Competitors

Kusturica has also heard from competitors such as Gonzaga, and Kentucky despite the interest from the Bruins. As of right now, Gonzaga appears to be the frontrunner for his services next season, but that could always change as we've seen with many players in the past, as nothing is guaranteed in the NIL era of college athletics.

The Bruins boast a roster that has a solid mix of impact transfers, such as Jaylen Petty from Texas Tech, along with returning stars such as Trent Perry, Xavier Booker, and Eric Dailey. The last few seasons have ended in disappointing fashion for the Bruins, so they'll hope that Kusturica chooses them, and they can soon compete for a Big Ten title next season along with a deep NCAA Tournament run.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as UCLA Pursues Historic Barcelona Forward Nikola Kusturica for Final Roster Spot.

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This story was originally published June 13, 2026 at 11:00 AM.