UCLA Basketball: Elite Freshman Forward Surprisingly Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

This is a stunner.

Feb 24, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard Isaiah Collier (1) is fouled by UCLA. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA Bruins combo forward Berke Buyuktuncel is apparently entering the NCAA transfer portal, on the last day that such a move is possible, per Tracy Pierson of Bruin Report Online.

A four-star recruit out of Turkey, Buyuktuncel was seen as a potential one-and-done first round draft pick in 2024. Instead, he struggled to earn major minutes off Mick Cronin's bench.

Across 26 contests (and just eight starts) with the Blue and Gold, the 6-foot-9 big man averaged a meager 4.5 points on .385/.297/.628 shooting splits and 2.5 rebounds across 16.3 minutes per game.

Buyuktuncel always seemed tantalizing, thanks to his theoretical combination of size and shooting, and he had performed well abroad both with the pro club Tofaş with the Turkish national team at the U19 World Cup in Hungary in 2023. He helped guide the club to a bronze medal that year, and helped lead program to a silver medal at the FIBA U18 European Championship the world before.

His abilities didn't quite translate at the NCAA level, as he just seemed more raw than expected, and too much of a defensive liability to see the floor enough for Cronin.

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