There had been swirling discussions for weeks. Ever since Cal transfer wing Andrej Stojakovic entered the transfer portal, it appeared Illinois and coach Brad Underwood were the frontrunners. But in today’s era of college basketball, nothing is guaranteed.
On Monday morning, however, the deal was sealed as Stojakovic announced his commitment to the Illini.
After averaging 17.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists last season as a sophomore at Cal – where Stojakovic played after spending his freshman campaign at Stanford – the 6-foot-7 wing will join an Illinois squad that appears well-positioned to offer him his first taste of winning basketball at the college level.
But even if Stojakovic will no longer be forced to carry such a heavy load for his team, much of his new squad’s success will still depend on his individual contributions. Here’s what to expect from Stojakovic in 2025-26:
A lengthy, wiry-strong 6-foot-7 guard, Stojakovic offers positional size and solid vertical athleticism. Although his father – NBA star Peja Stojakovic – is widely known as one of the greatest frontcourt shooters the game has seen, the younger Stojakovic’s shot hasn’t yet come all the way around: Although he knocked down 1.4 threes per game last season, he shot just 31.8 percent from deep.
That number figures to climb next season with better looks available playing alongside excellent passers (Mihailo Petrovic, Kylan Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic, to name a few). But Stojakovic – crafty at getting to the rim, with a unique finishing package aided by his length and size – actually does much of his damage offensively by getting downhill. His scoring in the paint is enhanced by his ability to draw contact (5.7 free throws per game last season, which ranked fourth in the ACC).
Andrej Stojakovic puts up a career-high against Stanford:
37 PTS | 13-22 FG | 4-7 3PT | 5 REB pic.twitter.com/ODtk96csQx
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 13, 2025
Stojakovic isn’t the quickest or most nimble athlete, but he anticipates well enough and averaged 2.0 stocks per game (steals + blocks) as sophomore. Altnough not quite a defensive standout – at least for the time being – Stojakovic can hold his own, and may have the ability to grow into a plus defender.
With Petrovic expected to play point guard for the Illini, Stojakovic should flourish in an off-ball role, reaping the benefits of the passing abilities of Petrovic (7.3 assists per game in the Adriatic League last season) and Ivisic (2.3 assists last season) – an excellent high-post passer.
Whether it’s as a spot-up shooter, a cutter or even, occasionally, as a pick-and-pop screener/shooter, Stojakovic should get quality looks on a night-to-night basis to supplement his own offensive creation. Expect him to lead the Illini in scoring while shooting at a more efficient clip than we’ve seen from him yet.
