Nikola Kosturica, one of the biggest talents in European basketball, is in the midst of a dream week that could prove historic. As he nears a world title at the under-17 level, reports across Europe indicate he has agreed to a massive deal with UCLA: no less than $12 million over two years.

Who is Nikola Kosturica?

He is a versatile forward who joined Barcelona's youth academy in 2025 and already made club history. Last season he became the youngest player ever to appear for the senior team, at just 16 years and four months old. After that game he said: "I feel very good and happy to be with the first team in preseason. It is a big experience for me. I want to thank the coach and the entire staff for their trust. Now I need to keep working."

The teenager was named MVP of the 2024 European under-16 championship, led Barcelona to the Adidas NextGen title with 20 points and 10 rebounds in the final against Real Madrid, and continues to impress at the under-17 world championship. Last night in a 101-78 rout of Lithuania he posted 30 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks to guide his team to its first semifinal since 2014. Next up is Turkey.

"My teammates calmed me down. I was a bit nervous, I will not lie, but that is exactly why we are such a good team. Now we must keep going. Not celebrate too much, but prepare for tomorrow and play the same way," said the youngster who is averaging 22 points (51.9 percent from the field, 80.8 percent on twos), 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.4 steals and 2 blocks per game, possibly on his way to tournament MVP honors.

Serbia coach Stevan Mijovic also heaped praise on his star: "What more can you say about Nikola? He is the greatest talent Serbia has had in the last 20 years."

Last year he appeared in 11 league games for Barcelona's senior side (1.9 points and 1.4 rebounds per game). The club hoped to keep him for another season, but like other European teams it cannot match the huge offers from American colleges. Before UCLA, Kentucky and Gonzaga also pursued him. In the club's junior team he averaged 16.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

Professionally, Kosturica is viewed as an especially exciting NBA prospect for the 2028 draft. Scouts who have followed him for years do not hide their enthusiasm. John Chepkevich of Draft Express wrote that Kosturica possesses "a promising physical frame at 6-foot-8, with long limbs, big hands and huge feet," adding that he "looks like one of the best NBA prospects in Europe, regardless of age."

International scout Alec Kitchian went even further, labeling him a "projected top-5 player in the 2027 class" and someone who "could be a franchise-altering prospect if given two years to develop." Arman Jovic highlighted his complete skill set: "The combination of length, versatility, shot creation and ball-handling is among the best at his age."

"There are not many players his age and size with this blend of movement, versatility, finishing, creation, shooting and passing," read a report from KJ Scouting, while FIBA's Ignacio Risotto concluded: "It is still early, but with the unique mix of size, shooting from all ranges and defensive production he showed at the European under-16 championship, it is hard not to envision a very fruitful career for him with the Serbian national team and eventually in the NBA."

Historic Contract

If those figures materialize, the 17-year-old will break the all-time college record. Last season, for example, AJ Dybantsa (who will become the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft) earned $4.2 million at BYU, while Cameron Boozer earned exactly $2.2 million. Note that these are gross figures, unlike the EuroLeague where reported salaries are usually net. For instance, Hapoel Tel Aviv last year gave Vassilis Micić the highest contract in the competition, reportedly close to five million euros per season. Kendrick Nunn reportedly earns a bit more than four million euros per season and Sasha Vezenkov around 3.7 million euros per season.

In the NBA the reported figures are also gross. That means Kosturica is set to earn more next season than Tari Eason ($5.6 million), Nicolas Batum ($5.6 million), Gerson Yabusele ($5.5 million), Chris Dunn ($5.4 million), Marcus Smart ($5.1 million), Andre Drummond ($5 million), Walker Kessler ($4.8 million), Jose Alvarado ($4.5 million) and many others earned last year.

Ben Saraf, for those wondering, will earn $3.1 million next season, almost half of what the Serbian wonderkid will make. Danny Wolf is slated to earn $3 million in the coming season.