UCLA Basketball: Bruins Appear On Verge Of Adding New International Commit

Our fingers are crossed.

Even despite former UCLA assistant coach Ivo Simovic, generally considered to be the team's best international recruiter of late, having ditched UCLA to serve as an assistant coach for the NBA's Toronto Raptors, it looks like your Bruins are on the cusp of acquiring a fresh international commit.

Sources inform Tracy Pierson of 247Sports that stretch four Berke Buyuktuncel, currently a pro with Turkish club Tofaş Spor Kulübü, is primed to join UCLA this season. Pierson reveals that the Bruins have been in the mix to add Buyuktuncel for around a year.

In 2022-23, the 6'9" power forward averaged 5.8 points on a .477/.310/.703 slash line, 2.7 rebounds, 0.6 blocks and 0.6 assists with Tofaş.

Buyuktuncel served on the FIBA U-19 World Cup All-Five club. He helped his Turkish team best the U.S. to a third-place finish this year. The wing posted averages of 11.4 points (including on 34.8% shooting from long range), 8.3 boards, 3.7 dimes, 1.6 blocks and 1.3 steals across seven contests in the competition.

Pierson notes that the southpaw boasts a nice, crafty game, a solid rebounder and a tactical passer, and sees him as a potential replacement for the since-departed Jaime Jaquez Jr., who was drafted by the Miami Heat with the No. 18 pick in this year's draft.