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# Two Serbian Players Could Help Fill Holes on Gonzaga’s Roster
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/two-serbian-players-fill-holes-gonzaga-bulldogs-roster/
- Published: 2026-06-13T21:50:38.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T06:14:27.000Z
- Author: Corbin Smith
- Tags: Recruiting, Analysis, Gonzaga Men's Basketball, Nikola Kusturica, Savo Drezgić

With four spots still open on its roster for the 2026-27 season, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are continuing to fire darts down a familiar path.

Serbian teenagers Nikola Kusturica and Savo Drezgić are names to watch as new Zags additions, potentially filling roles as a versatile wing and a secondary ball-handler, respectively. They each have played professionally overseas, with the latter having already logged time in the NCAA.

No stranger to the international scene, GU will run out Mario Saint-Supéry and Massamba Diop in its starting lineup this fall, with Izan Almansa possibly coming off the bench. And for about six months, they had a commitment from German guard Jack Kayil. As is the case for Almansa and many other foreign prospects going forward, there will be eligibility questions with both Kustrurica and Drezgić, not even factoring in the obstacle of outbidding other high-profile programs, but landing these two players would bolster the Bulldogs’ depth and ceiling next season.

Kusturica features as the more intriguing story, standing at 6-9 with considerable NBA buzz at just 17 years old. Currently competing with FC Barcelona of Liga ACB, Kusturica is being pursued by Gonzaga, Kentucky, and UCLA. Even at his size, he hasn’t had any difficulty creating his own shot at varying levels. He averaged 11.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 steals in 34 games for Barcelona, even appearing in 11 contests for the club’s highest level. Setting records because of the freshness of his birth certificate, Kusturica became the youngest player to play for Barcelona in several different circuits and the youngest to ever score for the club in Liga ACB.

During the U18 Adidas NextGen Finals championship, Kusturica scored 20 points and grabbed 10 boards during Barcelona’s 85-77 win over Real Madrid in the title game. In the six games overall, he averaged 16.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. Last summer, Kusturica took home MVP honors of the FIBA U16 EuroBasket tournament, totaling 20.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per game on 49.5% shooting as Serbia collected a gold medal.

Over his larger sample size in the U22 circuit, Kusturica’s total efficiency numbers are being dampened by his shooting struggles from the outside. On five attempts per game, he knocked down just 24.5% of his three-point tries. There wasn’t much difference in that mark during the Adidas tournament. But when Kusturica does step inside the arc, his production is boosted as a guard/wing hybrid that can dribble, get a shot off after putting the ball on the floor, and has sneaky speed with the quality length and size traits.

Due to his youth and the all-but-finalized starting five for GU, Kusturica would likely come off the bench with the Zags, but he has the experience and ability to make an immediate impact despite not being a legal adult in America yet.

As for Drezgić, bringing someone with his unique track record and skillset would do wonders for a program that was recently spurned by one of its intended offensive creators for next season. The 6-4 point guard is seeking a potential return to college basketball after playing for Mega Superbet Beograd this past year. Attending high school in Daytona Beach, Florida, and suiting up with Georgia for a season, Drezgić is pretty well-traveled for a 19-year-old and could take pressure off of Saint-Supéry in running the Zags’ offense if he were to commit to coming to Spokane.

Gonzaga is rumored to have interest in him, as well as Kentucky, Arizona State, and California, with NBA Draft scout Esin Demir reporting that five to six teams that finished last season within the top 25 in NET rating reached out to Drezgić’s agency.

In the ABA League, Drezgić averaged 15.4 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per contest while making 34.4% of his attempts from three-point range. With UGA, he appeared in only eight games, totaling 2.9 points and 1.1 rebounds across scarce playing time throughout his freshman campaign.

Checking plenty of different boxes in his game, Drezgić can stuff the stat sheet with his physicality on the perimeter and the glass while displaying strong offensive instincts on the other end. He would slot in as the lead facilitator for Gonzaga’s second unit, and his several high-level basketball stops would breed confidence in his ability to keep the train moving when Saint-Supéry comes off the court.