By Alex Molina / info@eurohoops.net
The reported $12 million deal that supposedly brought Serbian prospect Nikola Kusturica to UCLA is not accurate, according to Nemanja Jovanovic Jogi, the Bruins’ offensive coordinator and international recruiting specialist.
Multiple reports had claimed that the 17-year-old prospect had agreed to an NIL package worth $12 million over two years, or approximately $6 million per season, making Kusturica one of the highest-paid players in college basketball. But speaking to SB Nation, Jovanovic directly disputed those figures, arguing that the number was generated by programs that failed to recruit the Serbian teenager.
“The figure being reported came from universities that lost the battle for Nikola and then had to explain to their fan bases that this was what it cost them,” Jovanovic told SB Nation.
The UCLA official did not reveal the actual value of Kusturica’s agreement, meaning the $12 million figure should not be considered a confirmed contract amount. Instead, Jovanovic emphasized that the financial terms were only one element of a much broader recruitment. “Nikola’s vision for how he can develop into an NBA player at UCLA was important, as were all the other factors we mentioned,” he said, adding that the opportunity at Kusturica’s position was also significant because “he wanted to be a starter from the beginning.”
According to Jovanovic, UCLA had been monitoring Kusturica since last year through his relationship with the player’s Serbian agent, Bojan Sormaz. The recruitment accelerated in April, when Kusturica decided to finish high school early and enter the college process a year earlier than initially expected. “I started following Kusturica more closely last year. Before that, I knew about him through my relationship with his Serbian agent, Bojan Sormaz. We talked about staying in touch if Nikola decided to go to college,” Jovanovic said. “Around April, the idea came up. Nikola was finishing high school early, so we entered the recruiting process this year rather than next year, as originally planned.”
UCLA eventually won a recruiting battle that involved several major programs by presenting Kusturica with what Jovanovic described as a complete package covering academics, basketball and development. “We presented him with a package that covered both the academic and athletic sides, together with our head coach, Mick Cronin,” he said.
The environment around the program was another factor. Kusturica wanted to be surrounded by people from the Balkans, and UCLA offered that possibility through players such as Filip Jovic and Sergej Macura, while Los Angeles’ Serbian community provided an additional connection to home. But Jovanovic insists the central element was Kusturica’s NBA plan. “His decision was a mix of all those factors. He trusts Mick Cronin and his work over the next two years, with the idea of developing into a top pick in the 2028 NBA Draft, as well as having the opportunity to win a championship with UCLA,” he told SB Nation.
Kusturica’s arrival has therefore become a story about much more than a reported NIL figure. The 17-year-old has already won a gold medal with Serbia at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket, developed in Barcelona’s youth system and attracted international attention with his performances at the FIBA U17 World Cup.
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