UCLA's Nikola Kusturica named Big Ten Freshman of the Week

UCLA freshman Nikola Kusturica is the Big Ten men's basketball Freshman of the Week, the conference announced Monday. The 6-foot-9 guard/forward from Novi Sad, Serbia, is the first UCLA freshman to win the weekly award since the Bruins joined the Big Ten, according to the school.

The award covers his first two college games, Nov. 2-8. UCLA credits him with 19.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.5 assists per game, on 13-of-23 shooting, 4-of-11 from three and 9-of-10 at the line.

Most of that came on Friday night. Kusturica scored a team-high 29 points in 23 minutes of a 114-63 win over North Florida at Pauley Pavilion, going 10-of-12 from the field and 4-of-6 from three, per the ESPN box score. UCLA says he scored 26 of the 29 in the first half and made each of his first nine shots, including his first four threes. The school says he is the first Bruins freshman to score at least 29 in a game since TJ Leaf put up 32 at Washington State on Feb. 1, 2017.

His debut was rougher. In the season opener against No. 5 Arizona at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, he played 39 minutes and shot 3-of-11 with five rebounds and three blocks as UCLA won 84-75. He still played 39 of the 40 minutes against a top-five opponent.

The 2-0 start lifted UCLA to No. 9 in this week's AP poll. The school says it is the Bruins' first top-10 ranking since the end of the 2022-23 season.

North Florida was overmatched, and the Arizona box score is the fairer read on where his shot stands. Still, a 6-foot-9 freshman who handles guard and forward duties is starting for a top-10 team. If his shooting against good teams moves toward Friday's numbers, Kusturica becomes one of the more important freshmen in the Big Ten.

Next up is Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 6 p.m. PT, streaming on Peacock. The bigger test comes later, when UCLA's Big Ten schedule starts and he has to produce like that against conference defenses.