Real Madrid guard Jan Vide commits to UCLA men’s basketball
Real Madrid guard Jan Vide drives into the lane. The Slovenian guard committed to UCLA men’s basketball on Monday evening, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. (Courtesy of FIBA)
By Sam Settleman
May 22, 2023 7:35 p.m.
This post was updated May 23 at 11:31 p.m.
The Bruins are adding another top European guard to their incoming freshman class.
Slovenian guard Jan Vide committed to UCLA men’s basketball Monday evening, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. The 6-foot-7, 18-year-old guard most recently played for Real Madrid in the EuroLeague and is set to join the Bruins in the summer.
Vide is one of now three potential international freshman recruits for UCLA heading into the 2023 season. The Bruins are suspected to be involved with 7-foot-3 Spanish center Aday Mara and have already received a commitment in April from 6-foot-6 French wing Ilane Fibleuil.
The combo guard is known for his offensive prowess and is considered one of the top European prospects, according to Givony. At the Adidas Next Generation Tournament finals last week, Vide averaged 21.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4 assists as he won tournament MVP and led Real Madrid to a championship. Vide also averaged over 20 points per game at the 2022 FIBA U-17 World Cup.
After an amazing #AdidasNGT showing, Jan Vide is your MVP of the Tournament!
He averaged 21.2 Points, 4 Assists and a PIR of 21 🔥
Presented by @skweektv pic.twitter.com/X6allqhGJN
— Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) May 21, 2023
The Bruins have been active in the international recruiting scene since the addition of assistant coach Ivo Simović a season ago. Italian guard/forward Abramo Canka joined the program as a freshman a year ago but transferred to Wake Forest last week.
UCLA’s roster continues to develop as the 2023 NBA Draft withdrawal deadline approaches. Junior guard Jaylen Clark and freshman forward Adem Bona are set to decide their professional statuses by May 31.
Should Clark and Bona opt not to return, UCLA would have just three returning scholarship players. But the Bruins have already added a transfer in former Utah guard Lazar Stefanovic and are expected to add at least five freshmen to the fold with the commitment of Vide.
