Exclusive | How UCLAs Mick Cronin stretched Bruins bucks: Couldnt be happier

Funny what a little money can do.UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin told the California Post that his team’s financial resources put it in the top half of the Big Ten but not among the conference’s top five teams.And yet …The Bruins snagged an emerging 17-year-old superstar in Nikola Kusturica.They brought in a dynamic playmaking guard in Jaylen Petty.

They landed another guard in Azavier “Stink” Robinson, who might be the best on-ball defender Cronin has coached.The team appears to have addressed deficiencies in rebounding and defense — particularly when it comes to stopping others on the perimeter — while also retaining a significant chunk of its core from last season.It’s made the famously fussy Cronin … gleeful?“I thought we did an excellent job given our situation financially,” Cronin told The Post.“Actually, couldn’t be happier.”Did Cronin have enough to do what needed to be done as part of his latest roster reconstruction? California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.

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Never miss a story “Hey, you got to do the best you can with what you have,” Cronin said.“You know, I think we’ve done a great job with that.”There were sufficient funds to give a two-year deal to Kusturica, the Serbian Salvation who might just become a worldwide sensation.

He’s widely projected as one of the top picks in the 2028 NBA Draft — thankfully for Bruins fans, he’s too young to be drafted in 2027 — after shredding a loaded U.S.team for 37 points this summer in the gold medal game of the FIBA Under-17 World Cup.“He’s got a desire to be great — not good, he wants to be great, he wants to be coached,” Cronin said of the 6-foot-9 wing player who also was selected the best defensive player of the World Cup after averaging 2.3 steals and 1.7 blocks...