Why Nikola Kusturica Signing Cronin’s Final Prayer at UCLA

It was reported that UCLA signed Serbian wing Nikola Kusturica to an NIL contract worth potentially eight figures to bring him to Westwood. This could be head coach Mick Cronin’s final lifeline to keeping his job.

Cronin has 162 wins and 76 losses and 94 wins and 43 losses in conference games in seven seasons at UCLA. The Bruins are 47-23 overall and have had 13 wins and seven losses in each of their first two seasons in the Big 10. UCLA has regressed in the NCAA Tournament under Cronin.

UCLA NCAA Tournament History Under Mick Cronin

After the 2020 NCAA Tournament was canceled, Cronin led UCLA from the First Four to the Final Four in his inaugural postseason with the Bruins in 2021. UCLA reached the regional semifinals in the 2022 and 2023 NCAA Tournaments. The Bruins were eliminated in the second round in each of the last two NCAA Tournaments.

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Cronin is fifth in UCLA history, coaching in 238 games, fifth with 162 wins, sixth with 176 losses, and ninth with a .681 winning percentage. The 2023 PAC-12 regular-season title is the only conference championship for UCLA under Cronin. Cronin is fifth in UCLA history with five NCAA Tournament appearances and one of six Bruins’ head coaches with a Final Four appearance.

Schools UCLA Outbid To Sign Kusturica

Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo! Sports reported that UCLA outbid programs including Gonzaga, Kentucky, and defending National Champion Michigan to sign Kusturica. The bidding war began when Kusturica’s representatives indicated a few months ago that the Serbian was open to playing college basketball in the United States.

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Kusturica is expected to remain at UCLA for two seasons, as he is not eligible for the NBA Draft until 2028. The 5-star prospect did not turn 17 until April 30. NBA scouts consider Kusturica to be one of several early contenders to be the first pick in the 2028 NBA Draft if his development continues at the same pace, per Eisenberg.

How Kusturica Fits With UCLA

Most projections expect Kusturica to be…

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Publish date : 2026-07-13 13:44:00

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