17-Year-Old Nikola Kosturica Signs $12 Million Deal to Play College Basketball at UCLA

Nikola Kosturica, a 17-year-old basketball prodigy currently playing for Barcelona, has agreed to a lucrative two-year contract worth $12 million to join UCLA's college basketball program. Kosturica recently made history by becoming the youngest player to appear for Barcelona in the Spanish league, surpassing Ricky Rubio's record, and scored 11 points in a senior-level game against Manresa in February. He has also excelled in the EuroLeague Next Generation tournament, earning the title of the tournament's best player in the finals.

A distant relative of renowned filmmaker Emir Kosturica, Nikola led Serbia to victory in the European Cadet Championship and reached the final of the Under-17 World Championship, where he is expected to be named the tournament's most valuable player. In the Under-17 World Championship, he averaged 22 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Despite his youth, he may face college opponents up to seven years older than him.

Several top college programs, including Kentucky, have shown interest in Kosturica, while Barcelona might seek a transfer fee for the young forward. His upcoming move to college basketball is set to make him one of the highest-paid players at that level, marking a significant milestone in his promising career.