The young Serbian basketball player Nikola Kusturica has said goodbye to Barcelona and is going to an American college. He is speculated to transfer to UCLA for $12 million over two years. Such a contract would be a historic milestone in payments in American college basketball
Young Serbian basketball player Nikola Kusturica (17) leaves Barcelona, he announced on social networks. He is expected to transfer to the American college UCLA where he will earn 12 million dollars in two years.
In his farewell speech from Barcelona, Kusturica expressed his gratitude to the club that gave him the first big opportunity in his career, stressing that he is leaving more mature both as a player and as a person.
The young basketball player led Serbia to silver in Turkey at the recently concluded world championship for players under the age of 17. He was selected to the ideal team of the tournament, and in the final against the United States of America, he scored 37 points.
Even during the championship for cadets, the Spanish media wrote about the transfer of Kusturica to UCLA for 12 million dollars in two years.
He works as an assistant at UCLA College Nemanja Jovanović, coach of the youth national team of Serbia and Dusan Alimpijević's assistant in the senior selection.
The mentioned college has won the NCAA league title 11 times so far. NBA stars K. passed through this collegearim Abdul-Jabbar, Russell Westbrook, Bill Walton, Reggie Miller and Kevin Love.
Kusturica has offers from some other universities, and in the coming days he will make a final decision, he reports Mozart sport.
American colleges have long given money to young basketball players illegally, but in 2021 the NCAA, under pressure from the law, introduced the NIL rule (name, image, likeness). This officially abolished amateurism, and students were allowed to earn money.
A complete reversal occurred in the 2025/26 season when universities were officially allowed to share revenue directly with athletes. A cap of about $22 million per school was introduced, making colleges direct employers of young athletes. The huge amount of money from media rights and sold-out arenas is now largely going to the players' accounts.
The example of Kusturica shows the problem that European basketball is in. The Euroleague can no longer match the financial power of even the NCAA, let alone the NBA. The Euroleague is thus in an existential problem because it can no longer retain young talented players.
Sources: Sportklub, Mozzartsport
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