On Sunday afternoon, it was announced that Cal transfer guard Andrej Stojakovic had cut his list to three: Illinois, Stanford and North Carolina, according to Joe Tipton of On3.
Cal transfer guard Andrej Stojaković is down to three schools, source told @On3sports:
North Carolina
Illinois
StanfordStojaković began his career at Stanford. https://t.co/i8dfR4lf5X
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) April 27, 2025
A 6-foot-7, silky-smooth wing who scored at a high clip as a sophomore last season (17.9 points per game), Stojakovic had suitors across the country lining up for a chance to harness his talents.
His abilities have been well-documented, but a new question arises as Stojakovic narrows down his list and prepares to make his decision in the coming days:
Which program is the best fit for him?
Although each of the trio of options offers opportunity for the junior-to-be, let’s take a deep dive into which program is best-positioned to give Stojakovic his best experience.
Fit level: Medium-low
Stanford, seemingly an outlier in the Stojakovic sweepstakes, can’t offer nearly what Illinois and North Carolina can – at least in a basketball side. Although the Cardinal put together a solid season last year (21-14, 11-9 ACC), they lost their two best players and haven’t made much noise in the portal.
Stojakovic would theoretically walk through the door at Stanford as the team’s best player by far – but to what end? Although he would be given full rein to display his skill set, Stojakovic would likely be spinning his wheels. Another high-producing effort on a mediocre ACC team would be a repeat of his sophomore campaign – and, in a strange way, a step back. Stojakovic spent his freshman season at Stanford (which didn’t go especially well for him), though it’s the only school remaining on his list that would allow him to remain in his native Central California.
Fit level: Medium-high
Offering a fast-paced, high-scoring offense and a premium college basketball platform, North Carolina and coach Hubert Davis can put together a pretty enticing pitch to anyone. And in this specific case, a free-flowing halfcourt offense and a system that has been favorable to three-point shooters would allow Stojakovic to stay aggressive from deep (4.4 attempts per game last season) while pressing his advantages in getting downhill.
Yet the Tar Heels are otherwise offering a basketball situation that isn’t much different than that at Stanford. Stojakovic would be the best player on a Tar Heels roster facing massive turnover. After (dubiously) sneaking into the NCAA Tournament last season, North Carolina doesn’t seem to have the pieces for a significant turnaround. An opportunity to lead a middle-of-the-road ACC squad – just one on the opposite coast – doesn’t sound like much of an opportunity at all given his status.
Fit level: High
With a pro-style, up-tempo offense that flows freely – quite like North Carolina’s – Illinois would give Stojakovic a platform to show off his abilities while surrounded by a talented roster that would ensure that he finds plenty of space on the floor and doesn’t have to carry the entire load himself. And because perhaps no coach in college basketball is more encouraging of his players shooting the three than Illinois’ Brad Underwood, Stojakovic would get plenty of chances without a great deal of pressure to address a relative weakness.
Illinois’ leg up in the pursuit of Stojakovic is the best opportunity to keep playing in (and past) March of the remaining teams on his list. Playing alongside a gifted quartet of European players at Illinois (Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic, Mihailo Petrovic and David Mirkovic) could add a layer of comfort and familiarity for Stojakovic, whose game is well-suited for the European style and whose father (former NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic) was born in Croatia.
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