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Colorado’s Tad Boyle on UCLA incoming freshmen Jan Vide and Berke Buyuktuncel: “They’re the real deal”

UCLA’s mystery recruiting class filled with international prospects is starting to crystallize.

Just ask Colorado’s Tad Boyle.

Speaking Monday on the College Hoops Today Podcast, Boyle raved about two of the Bruins’ incoming freshmen — Jan Vide (Slovenia) and Berke Buyuktuncel (Turkey) — and their potential for the upcoming season. Boyle is familiar with both prospects after serving as head coach for Team USA in the FIBA U19 World Cup in Hungary earlier in the summer.

“They’re the real deal,” Boyle said of Vide and Buyuktuncel. “They both can really, really play basketball. The kid from Slovenia — Vide — he can get in the lane and has a great mid-range game. He’s tough and strong. And the other one (Buyuktuncel) is a shooter who has great size. Those two kids are legit.”

The 6-6 Vide averaged 17.9 points during the FIBA U19 World Cup and was the third-leading scorer in the event while the 6-9 Buyuktuncel averaged 11.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists.

Mick Cronin said last Friday on the Petros and Money show in Los Angeles that UCLA is expected to officially announce the signings of two international freshmen this week. The two players are expected to be Buyuktuncel and 7-3 big man Aday Mara (Spain). Both Vide and french wing Ilane Fiblueil have been officially announced as members of the Bruins’ 2023 recruiting class.

UCLA was ranked FOURTH in this week’s Pac-12 Offseason Breakdown.

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