Dušan Alimpijević's Assistant Denies: Kusturica Didn't Get $12 Million, It Was Fabricated by Those Who Failed to Sign Him

Pulse Sports Team 20:32 - 23 September 2026

Nemanja Jogi Jovanović, a member of the coaching staff at the prestigious American college UCLA and the Serbian senior national basketball team, has refuted media reports claiming Nikola Kusturica signed a $12 million contract with the aforementioned university.

Jovanović, who serves as the offensive coordinator at UCLA, emphasized that such information was spread by universities that failed to recruit the former Barcelona player, one of Serbia's most promising young basketball talents.

"The alleged sum was publicized by those who lost the battle for Nikola, and they tried to explain to their fans that he was too expensive. The most important thing was his vision and belief that he could develop into an NBA player here; he wanted to be a starter from the very beginning." - Nemanja Jovanović

Kusturica, only 17 years old, was named MVP of the Euroleague Junior Tournament earlier this summer. He led Barcelona to the title in the final against Real Madrid with a double-double performance of 20 points and 10 rebounds.

He also had an outstanding performance at the U17 World Championship, scoring 37 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the final match against the United States. In fact, Kusturica played phenomenally throughout the entire tournament, and he was one of the most instrumental players in securing the silver medal for the "Young Eagles."

The young Novi Sad native made his debut for Barcelona's senior team in the Euroleague last season, playing one minute in a victory against Paris. He accumulated significantly more playing time in the Spanish ACB League, delivering his best performance against Manresa, where he recorded seven points and six rebounds in 16 minutes on the court.

Following his phenomenal World Championship, Kusturica received offers from several colleges, but ultimately chose UCLA, where Nemanja Jovanović also works.