UCLA Senior Guard Sends Heartfelt Sendoff

Two-year UCLA Bruins guard Lazar Stefanovic just played his last season in Westwood and sent out a heartfelt sendoff as a part of a Daily Bruin 'Senior Sendoff' series. Below are some quotes from what he wrote for the campus newspaper.

"I had never once in my life thought about coming to the United States to study and play basketball," Stefanovic wrote. "Yet now, I am a few weeks away from graduating from UCLA. It feels amazing to be here, and I am very grateful for every opportunity that I have received.

"I spent two amazing years [in Utah], and I absolutely enjoyed every minute, but I was ready for change after my sophomore season. This is why I decided to commit to UCLA. I am very grateful to coach Mick Cronin and the rest of the staff for giving me an opportunity to represent the best college basketball program in history.

"My time here has been incredible, and it is hard to put into words some of the things I experienced – the love and support that I received from the fans in Westwood has been nothing short of amazing, and it is something that will stay with me forever.

"People at this school care a lot about the basketball program and the players representing it, and I was fortunate enough to feel that firsthand. I’ve met so many wonderful people here and built many connections that I truly believe will last well beyond my time here."

Stefanovic in his two season in Westwood played in 67 games and averaged 8.1 points and 4.0 rebounds on 39.1/36.6/88/5 shooting splits in 25.4 minutes per game. In his two seasons with UCLA, he was named a NCAA Division I Academic All-District Selection.

"My family is extremely important to me, and I am thankful they were able to be a part of some of my experiences at UCLA," Stefanovic added. "It is hard to believe that my time as a student-athlete is coming to an end, as it seems like yesterday I was a 19-year-old kid flying from Serbia to the US for the first time, looking for new opportunities.

"I want to thank everybody who was there for me and who supported me throughout this whole process. There are no words to describe the feeling of gratefulness and love that I have for this community for accepting me so well and giving me the opportunity to wear the UCLA jersey and represent the university. Thank you, and go Bruins!"