Andrej Stojakovic, one of the top available players in the transfer portal and son of former NBA star Peja Stojakovic, has committed to Illinois over North Carolina and Stanford, he told ESPN on Monday.
The 6-foot-7 sophomore averaged 17.9 points and 4.7 rebounds last season at California, where he transferred after his freshman year at Stanford. Stojakovic finished strong, averaging 33.0 points in two ACC tournament games while shooting 7-for-13 from 3-point range.
“I think the main reasons were pretty clear to my inner circle as a basketball fit,” Stojakovic said. “Coach [Brad] Underwood has been very aggressive recruiting me from the start and constantly reiterating how much I’m wanted and needed as a basketball player there. They really believe I’m the missing piece to what they think is a national championship team.”
Stojakovic cited Illinois’ track record with larger playmakers as influential in his decision, mentioning Ayo Dosunmu, T.J. Shannon, Marcus Domask, Will Riley, and Kasparas Jakucionis as examples.
“I’m looking forward to being part of a team where I can bring the ball up and have shooters all around,” he added.
After losing Jakucionis and Riley early to the NBA draft, Underwood needed to rebuild his perimeter, creating an immediate opportunity for Stojakovic. He becomes the fifth player with Balkan heritage on Illinois’ roster, joining Serbian teammates Mihailo Petrovic and David Mirkovic along with Croatian brothers Zvonimir and Tomislav Ivisic.
“I’m confident we can become one of the best offensive teams in the country, but it’s going to take a lot defensively,” Stojakovic said. “We have to hone in on the little stuff. It’s going to start with the guards, [we] have to set a tone that’s going to maybe be surprising to some people.”
The former McDonald’s All-American and top-25 high school recruit brings significant offensive firepower to an Illinois squad that should contend for both Big Ten and national honors next season.
