Cronin Plans 'Baby Steps' for UCLA's Kusturica
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- Nikola Kusturica, a 6-foot-8 Serbian forward, committed to UCLA over Michigan and Kentucky last month and is a top contender for the No. 1 pick in the 2028 NBA Draft.
- Kusturica scored 37 points against Team USA in the FIBA U17 World Cup championship game and must play two college seasons due to the NBA's age requirement.
- Coach Mick Cronin told CBS Sports he'll take "baby steps" with Kusturica, saying he wants to "protect him" because "the minute you don't have a great game, they're going to pick you apart."
- Cronin said Kusturica's passing is his biggest weapon, calling the 6-8 wing's ability to find teammates over the top "a huge weapon" — not his scoring.
- UCLA retained five players from last season including Xavier Booker, Trent Perry, and Eric Dailey Jr. through the transfer portal after missing on targets like Tounde Yessfou, who committed to St. John's.
- UCLA jumped from unranked to No. 17 in Gary Parrish's Top 25 and 1 after landing Kusturica, and Cronin said it is the Bruins' best roster since joining the Big Ten in 2024.
Why it matters: UCLA jumped from unranked to No. 17 in Gary Parrish's Top 25 and 1 after landing Kusturica, giving Cronin the highest-ceiling roster since the Bruins joined the Big Ten in 2024. Cronin said he wants to "protect" the freshman from the scrutiny that follows a potential No. 1 pick after back-to-back 13-7 league finishes.
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