UCLA Basketball: New Bruin Reflects On Career-High Metric

UCLA Bruins men's basketball junior transfer wing Lazar Stefanovic pulled down a career-best 13 rebounds during the club's narrow 61-60 victory over the California Golden Bears on Saturday.

Per UCLA Communications, the 6'7" small forward/shooting guard offered up a fairly modest reaction to his big night when media members probed him.

“I’m happy we won, that’s the most important thing," Stefanovic allowed. "I’ll try to help the team as much as possible, and getting the win is the most important thing.”

During his first year as a Bruin (he spent his first two seasons of NCAA eligibility with the Utah Utes, with whom he was a Pac-12 All-Freshman honoree in 2021-22), Stefanovic is averaging 11 points on a .367/.356/.882 slash line, 6.3 rebounds, 1.6 boards on the season. 

A native of Belgrade, Serbia, Stefanovic has been on a particularly scorching heater during an ascendant 7-1 UCLA tear across the program's last eight bouts, averaging 14.9 points on .443/.462/.939 shooting splits, 7.9 boards, 1.5 dimes, and 1.1 steals a night.

Stefanovic's 13-11 Bruins, winners of five straight games and the aforementioned seven of their last eight contests overall, will next suit up in just one hour, against the 16-8 Colorado Buffaloes.