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Illinois’ Andrej Stojakovic isn’t just back, he’s better
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- Illinois’ Andrej Stojakovic isn’t just back, he’s better
If the hair wasn't enough for you, Andrej Stojakovic's play definitely will be.
You weren't alone if you glanced away from the TV Monday against FDU, looked back, and saw him already sitting on 20 points.
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Before someone says, "it's just FDU," I hear you. The Knights lost 120-45 and shot just 28%. But It was clear how comfortable he felt.
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20 points (9-of-11 from the field)
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4 assists
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7 rebounds
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1 turnover
Could this be a sign of the type of year we should expect from him? Just a game into the season, I believe he can be one of the best players in the country.
But did anyone else feel like he was a little overlooked this offseason?
This is a player who took over stretches of games last season, got honest feedback from NBA scouts this spring, and is now, for the first time in his college career, playing a second year in the same program.
Not only that, but he has stepped seamlessly into the veteran role that Illinois needs. He was deemed "intoxicated with winning" by the coaching staff and when asked how he wants to end his college career: "Become a national champion. Pretty easy."
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The pieces are perfectly in place for him to have a massive senior year leap. It's even more clear when you see how Illinois utilizes him.
The fit
In my opinion, no one fits the offensive scheme Illinois runs better than Andrej Stojakovic.
The Illini have one of the quickest offenses in college basketball, constantly keeping opponents on their heels. This starts by running the floor, rebounding at a high level, and pushing the ball down the court. It just happens that these may be Stojakovic's biggest strengths.
In an era where Illinois has had some of the most elite transition players in college basketball, he may just be the best.
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At 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, he has the strength to body defenders at the rim. However, his craftiness is where he's truly stood out. He's able to finish with either hand, bump a defender or spin off a double team. You name it and he can do it. Pair that with the tempo Illinois plays with and he can average 15 points with his eyes closed.
Away from scoring, he has taken leaps in his playmaking ability from years prior. His assist total vs. FDU matches his career high at Illinois.
There were times last year where you could sense his tunnel vision for scoring. In turn, this would make the ball stick in his hands, making a chunk of his game predictable for opposing defenses.
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So far, this hasn't been the case. He's been able to drive and kickout to open defenders and push the ball up the court more successfully. Opening up these opportunities not only allows Illinois to feed all the mouths involved, but clears up more ability for Stojakovic to create his own shot.
We saw plenty of opportunities open up for him in the exhibition vs Cincinnati as well as he went on to lead the game in scoring.
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24 points (8-of-15)
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8-of-8 on free throws
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28 minutes
Another efficient night for the senior.
Three-point shooting
I'll take my rose colored lenses off for a second. The perimeter shooting needs to improve, but this was clearly an area that was worked on this offseason with Stojakovic.
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Does he need to be a shooter? In my opinion, no.
Does he need to shoot better than 24%? Yes.
Through three games this year, he has shot 2-of-6, almost 10% better than his previous year. After all, Stojakovic is not a player who is going to have to rely on his jumpshot to score. While he doesn't need to shoot multiple threes a night, giving the defense something to worry about when you're behind the line could never hurt
We saw last year how one-dimensional his game got at points, so widening that skillset could be just the difference he needs.
A bigger role
Here's the part we should talk about.Jake Davis is out indefinitely after shoulder surgery, and even Brad Underwood said there's no replacement for him. David Mirkovic, is still recovering from foot surgery and an emergency appendectomy. That's two starters down before November begins.
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However, we've seen how Stojakovic handles this. When Kylan Boswell broke his hand last January, Underwood leaned on him, and he answered with 30 points, nine rebounds and two blocks against Maryland. This is that, but much bigger.
Through the few times we've seen Andrej Stojakovic in 2026, he's been a different player. His skillset has grown and his hunger for winning has only increased after being in a Final Four just a few months ago.
I'll say it again: I know it's early.I know FDU isn't the Big Ten. But the Illini have some of the best players in college basketball, and the best of that bunch may be Andrej Stojakovic
If the trajectory he's on continues, there is no reason why he can't lead this team in scoring and be a first-round NBA Draft pick.
