Donovan Dent’s early retirement left a hole in UCLA’s backcourt. Mick Cronin filled it with a pair of international signings. One of them might end up being the best player in his draft class.
The Bruins officially added Gunārs Grīnvalds and Nikola Kusturica on Thursday, both signing grant-in-aid agreements to join the program. Kusturica is the headliner here. The 6-foot-9 guard from Serbia just put up 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game at the FIBA U17 World Cup in Istanbul. He walked away with tournament MVP honors and the best defensive player award.
“Nikola is an elite prospect with great size, skill and a competitive fire which is hard to find,” Cronin said in a school release. “As a 6-foot-9 guard, he can play all over the floor. He impacts the game as a scorer, playmaker and shot blocker.”
That size at the guard spot is what has NBA scouts already circling. Kusturica is drawing early buzz as a potential top pick in the 2028 draft. His game is built on slashing and physical defense, but the shooting numbers are there too. He hit a team-leading mark in Istanbul and his highlights from the championship game — a win over the U.S. — are already getting attention online.
Grīnvalds is a different kind of addition. The Latvian wing gives Cronin another floor spacer who can shoot it at a high level. “Gunārs can really shoot the ball at an elite level,” Cronin said. “We like that he has good size at his position, and we are excited that he has chosen to join us at UCLA.”
These two become the third and fourth newcomers to UCLA’s 2026-27 roster. The Bruins have been busy on the roster front beyond Dent’s departure. Guard Skyy Clark entered the transfer portal and tested the NBA draft waters but went unselected. He’s applying for a waiver to get an extra year of eligibility.
For now, the big news is that Cronin went overseas and came back with two players who could reshape how UCLA plays next season. Kusturica especially looks like the kind of versatile, rangy playmaker that fits the modern college game. The question is how quickly he can adjust to the Big Ten. If his World Cup performance is any indicator, Cronin might not have to wait long.
Leave a Comment