Nikola Kusturica

[Matt Dillon]

Said he is still confident. Not sure that means any more than the weather mans perdiction.

https://x.com/MeManBoy0/status/2071304418406912296

Agree.

[Matt Dillon]

It sounds as if we may be out of the running.
A frontrunner has emerged for Serbian star Nikola Kusturica

[bucsrule8872]

Sounds like UCLA.

Makes sense, I believe a couple of Cronin’s assistant coaches are coaches on the Serbian National team.

Well, at least he didn’t go to a contender.

[Bluehausen]

One minute it's Kentucky, then Michigan, then UCLA, then back to Kentucky, then back to UCLA... Do any of these so called recruiting reporters know what's going on anymore? (just trying to throw some humor in here as if it were a Dean Martin/Comedy Central roast before anyone slays me hahaha ?)

BTW, I do tend to believe the UCLA reports due to the aforementioned assistants being on the Serbian team.

[bucsrule8872]

I would love to have him, especially for the 27-28 season.

This season, I really don’t see him as a necessity. We have a lot of 6’8 or bigger guys at the 3 and 4 with Momcilovic, Kam, Hawthorne, McBride, and N’Diaye all battling for minutes.

You take him of course if he wants to come here and let them all fight for minutes, but he is not a season making or breaking type recruit, IMHO. At least not for the upcoming season.

[Los Gatos]

Per reports UCLA is offering 12M for two years.

https://uclawire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/ucla/mens-basketball/2026/07/04/ucla-is-reportedly-offering-nikola-kusturica-6-million-per-year-college-basketball-ucla/90804481007/

[Los Gatos]

Well, maybe not:

https://x.com/TravisBranham_/status/2073472494049378404

[Pobilly]

Nikola committed to UCLA today.

[WeWant9]

Two year deals don't mean anything in this current landscape. Sucks to lose out on him, but circle back next summer when he's tired of playing for Cronin.

[bucsrule8872]

Shame we missed on him, but to be expected with their assistant coach being from Serbia and on the Serbian national team coaching staff. That connection trumped us. It happens.

Still have one more spot to fill. There have been a couple of big men mentioned (Backo, Sypalo) recently that Pope has watched/contacted. I think there are concerns about Kepnang’s health. If Kepnang is unreliable, we are down to Potter as the backup Center. That’s not ideal. It doesn’t sound like N’Diaye could play at the 5. The 15th spot might be best spent on another post player. Backo is 7’0, 260-ish. That’s a hoss for an 18 year old. Sypalo is a little older (will be 21 in August), but not as big (6’10-11), but could also
be serviceable.

If we don’t add another big, then we have to hope that Moreno stays healthy and can give us 30 minutes a game every game and Kepnang is healthy enough to give us the other 10 or so minutes a game in relief. If not, small ball might be on the menu a lot next season.