After crashing out in the second round of March Madness, the UCLA Bruins have looked to strengthen their roster for the upcoming season. Head coach Mick Cronin has signed two Class of 2026 prospects who will feature for the program this season.
However, it looks like the Bruins are not yet done. According to a report from Meridian Sports on Saturday, 17-year-old Serbian talent Nikola Kusturica, a 6-foot-7 small forward, is set to leave FC Barcelona to join Mick Cronin’s team for the upcoming college basketball campaign. The Bruins are reportedly offering Kusturica $12 million in NIL money to acquire his services over the next two seasons.
This news has naturally garnered a lot of chatter online, with some fans criticizing the NCAA and the college basketball circuit as a whole over this potential record transfer.
While it remains to be seen if the Kusturica-UCLA deal goes through, it’s safe to say a lucrative contract like this could very well change the course of the collegiate basketball pay structure in the years to come.
Philon, Floyd Headline UCLA’s Class of 2026 Recruits
With the UCLA Bruins set to tip off their 2026-27 regular season later this November, two Class of 2026 prospects have bolstered an already stacked roster.
Standing 6-foot-8 and 185 pounds, four-star PF Joe Philon ranks eighth on ESPN SC Next’s top 100 power forwards list with an overall grade of 87.
Meanwhile, another towering 6-9 prospect, Javonte Floyd, could very well become a key starter for head coach Mick Cronin in the upcoming campaign.
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