Overview
- Multiple outlets reported between July 4 and July 6 that UCLA offered 17-year-old Nikola Kusturica a two-year, $12 million NIL package to bring him from FC Barcelona to play in Westwood.
- The reports say the deal is structured as roughly $6 million per season and would keep Kusturica in college through the 2026–27 and 2027–28 seasons before he becomes NBA-draft eligible in 2028.
- Neither UCLA, FC Barcelona, nor Kusturica’s representatives have publicly confirmed the offer, and the coverage cites MeridianSports and recruiting social accounts as primary sources.
- Coverage highlights a reported recruiting link through UCLA assistant Nemanja Jovanovic, who also serves on the Serbian national team staff and could give the Bruins a relationship advantage.
- If true, the package would signal a major escalation in the NIL market, increase transatlantic competition for young pros, and could prompt other programs to pursue multi-year marketing deals for elite international prospects.