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Former Utah guard Lazar Stefanovic announces he’s transferring to UCLA

Lazar Stefanovic controls the ball during a game between Utah and Colorado last month.
Lazar Stefanovic controls the ball during a game between Utah and Colorado last month. The guard announced Saturday he’s transferring to UCLA.
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
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While waiting to see who’s leaving, UCLA added a transfer known for one thing the Bruins desperately need.

Shooting.

Lazar Stefanovic, a former All-Pac-12 freshman from Utah who has two seasons of remaining eligibility, announced Saturday on social media that he had committed to the Bruins.

As a sophomore last season, the 6-foot-7 shooting guard made 35.9% of his three-pointers, a better percentage than all but two UCLA players who took more than 10 shots from beyond the arc. His percentage was a significant increase from his freshman season, when he made 30.1% of his three-pointers.

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UCLA star Jaime Jaquez Jr. announces he will forgo his extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic and will enter the 2023 NBA draft.

Stefanovic should help offset the loss of senior guard David Singleton, who exhausted his eligibility after making a team-best 42.4% of his three-pointers last season.

A part-time starter last season, Stefanovic averaged 10.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists while making 86.8% of his free throws. He becomes the third incoming transfer of the Mick Cronin era, joining Johnny Juzang and Myles Johnson.

UCLA could still have as many as four roster spots to fill while waiting on the decisions of redshirt senior point guard Tyger Campbell, junior guard Jaylen Clark and freshmen Adem Bona and Amari Bailey.

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Clark (lower leg) and Bona (shoulder) are recovering from significant injuries that could impact their decisions. Clark has declared for the NBA draft while retaining an NCAA-certified agent in the event he wants to return to use his remaining eligibility.

Charisma Osborne and Camryn Brown announce they will be returning to the UCLA women’s basketball team after indicating they would be turning pro.

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