Kusturica Won't Be the Only Serbian at UCLA: American Media Raves About His Teammate
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Nikola Kusturica grabbed the spotlight among college basketball scouts before eventually making the high-profile switch from Barcelona to UCLA.
His commitment sparked plenty of buzz, with Kusturica widely viewed as one of the most intriguing prospects in the NCAA. Interestingly, he will not be the only Serbian player in Westwood this season.
Joining him this summer is Filip Jović, a former Mega standout who arrived via Auburn. Jović has already caught the eye of Sports Illustrated, which tabbed the forward from Republika Srpska as UCLA's projected sixth man.
"The sixth man spot in the UCLA Bruins' rotation has been an open question for a while, but we may finally have an answer to who will be the first player off the bench after much speculation. Auburn transfer Filip Jović will most likely step into that role, which makes a lot of sense looking at how the roster is constructed," wrote Sports Illustrated.
The publication also broke down what he brings to the floor.
"Standing at 'only' 6-foot-9, Jović is a bit undersized to serve as a traditional center behind Booker. Fortunately, Jović won't be a conventional sixth man tied to subbing in for just one specific player. In fact, he gives head coach Mick Cronin the flexibility to deploy him across different positions and in various roles. If Booker needs a breather, Jović can soak up those minutes, and if Cronin wants an extra physical presence inside, he can easily play them together," Sports Illustrated noted.
Finally, the report highlights that Cronin will be able to rely heavily on Jović in high-leverage closing moments.
"UCLA doesn't need Jović to come off the bench and score 15 points per game; they need him to provide steady two-way production and be someone Mick Cronin can trust in crunch time," Sports Illustrated concluded.
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