Young Serb Makes FC Barcelona History at Just 16 Years Old
Nikola Kusturica etched his name into club history at the Palau Blaugrana. During FC Barcelone’s 97–60 rout of Manresa, the 6-foot-8 Serbian forward became the youngest player ever to score for the club in Liga Endesa, at just 16 years, 9 months and 15 days.
That milestone pushes past the previous record held by Lithuanian guard Kasparas Jakucionis, who got on the board on April 12, 2023 at 16 years, 10 months and 18 days. Rounding out that ultra-exclusive list: Sayon Keita (17 years and one day) and Jordi Soler (17 years and 14 days).
El serbi Nikola Kusturica, amb 16 anys, 9 mesos i 15 dies, s’ha convetit en el jugador més jove de la història del Barca en anotar una cistella en un partit de la Lliga ACB. En 15 minuts, el jove de 2,02 d’alcada, ha fet 7 punts i ha agafat 6 rebots. pic.twitter.com/FqgxGd08sT
— Joan Carles Calbet (@jccalbet) February 15, 2026
A Meteoric Rise from La Masía
This performance is not an isolated flash of brilliance. Kusturica has been accumulating early records since the start of the 2025-2026 season. He had already made history on October 12 by becoming Barça’s youngest player to feature in an ACB match, at 16 years, 5 months and 12 days. The club – dealing with injuries before the Copa del Rey – can also boast of having fielded the youngest Blaugrana to debut in EuroLeague.
Living his third season at La Masía, the young prodigy confirmed his potential on the international stage last summer by winning the U16 European Championship with Serbia, while earning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
With the game well in hand against Manresa, head coach Xavi Pascual had the luxury of emptying the bench and giving Barcelona’s academy prospects real run. Kusturica made the most of it, flashing the poise and feel that suggest he’s comfortable at this level already.
His historic basket came the old-fashioned way — an and-one through contact — a sequence that will live in the club’s archives. And he didn’t stop there. In just under 16 minutes, he put up 7 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, productive, efficient work in a small but meaningful sample.
This latest performance naturally sparks a real question among Barça fans: how long before this kid is a full-time part of the senior rotation? At just 16, Nikola Kusturica already looks like someone knocking on that door — and not quietly.
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