A new school is now battling Kentucky for Nikola Kusturica
· Yahoo Sports
Just a few days ago, Travis Branham of 247Sports predicted that international recruit Nikola Kusturica would become the final member of the 2026-27 Kentucky Wildcats. However, things change quickly in the world of recruiting, and Branham pulled his prediction just a day later.
A new prediction hasn't been made, but a new team has entered the race, complicating things for Kentucky. The Michigan Wolverines are fresh off a national championship, and are looking to lure Kusturica away from Lexington and the Wildcats.
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Kusturica is widely considered a future lottery pick, but he won't be eligible until the 2028 NBA draft. Multiple teams have been in contact, hoping to add that kind of talent to their current rosters. He is an accomplished scorer, who also rebounds it well, and is a developing three-point shooter. He recently recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds in a Barcelona win in the Adidas NextGen Finals championship game, and he was the MVP of the 2025 FIBA U16 Eurobasket Tournament, averaging 20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals per game.
With the season approaching, a decision will be made sooner rather than later. A return to Barcelona is also still an option, though less likely than choosing college. Mark Pope has had some recent success recruiting, and would love to get another big win with Kusturica. He'll have to beat out a championship coach to do it now, though.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky basketball has new foe in recruitment for Nikola Kusturica