Andrej Stojakovic Isn’t the Star of the Show-But He Might Be the Key to Illinois’ Ceiling
Andrej Stojakovic didn’t walk into Champaign as just another transfer. He came in carrying the weight of a last name that echoes through NBA history, a blue-chip pedigree, and the expectations that come with being a former McDonald’s All-American. But now, midway through the season, he’s not the headline act for Illinois-and that might actually be a good thing.
Let’s start with the obvious: being the son of Peja Stojakovic comes with built-in comparisons. Peja was one of the smoothest shooters of his era, a 6-foot-10 sniper who lit up the early-2000s NBA from deep and gave the Shaq-and-Kobe Lakers all they could handle during those Kings-Lakers wars.
His 40% career mark from three wasn’t just elite-it was generational. That’s a tough act to follow.
Add in the recent success Illinois had with physical wings like Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask, and the bar for Stojakovic was set sky-high before he ever suited up. Shannon was an All-American talent whose suspension might’ve cost him even more accolades. Domask, meanwhile, brought his own brand of bully-ball to the Big Ten, putting up nearly 17 points per game by using strength and savvy more than perimeter shooting.
Andrej’s game is different, but the expectations were similar. He was seen as the next big wing to power Illinois’ offense-a downhill threat with NBA tools and a name that turned heads.
When Illinois landed him out of the portal, it was a major win for Brad Underwood and his staff, especially after striking out on several other high-profile targets. Stojakovic had a prior connection with assistant coach Orlando Antigua, who’d recruited him while at Kentucky.
That relationship helped seal the deal.
So far, he’s lived up to the hype in ways that don’t always show up in a box score.
Stojakovic is averaging around 14 points and 4.5 boards a night, while posting career bests in advanced metrics like True Shooting Percentage (.577), Effective Field Goal Percentage (.542), and Box Plus-Minus (5.2). Those are strong indicators of efficiency and impact-especially on a team that doesn’t need him to be the sole engine of the offense.
That’s partly because Illinois has weapons. Kylan Boswell has been a steadying force at point guard.
Tomislav Ivisic is developing into a reliable contributor. And freshman Keaton Wagler has burst onto the scene as an unexpected star, stealing some of the spotlight that once seemed destined for Stojakovic.
But here’s where things get interesting: Andrej doesn’t need to be the guy to be that guy. His role doesn’t require volume scoring or gaudy stat lines. It requires smart, efficient play-and he’s delivering.
Sure, the three-point shot hasn’t fallen the way he or the staff would like-he’s hitting just 22% from deep. That’s the one area that clearly needs work.
But his 62% shooting on two-pointers shows just how dangerous he is when he gets downhill. He’s using his size, touch, and feel to finish at the rim and force defenses to collapse.
And that’s where Illinois can unlock another level.
As Big Ten play heats up, the Illini have an opportunity to lean more into what makes Stojakovic special. He’s a mismatch waiting to happen, especially when surrounded by shooters.
A four-around-one setup with Andrej as the primary attacker could open up driving lanes and create chaos for opposing defenses. He has the handle and the physicality to get to his spots, and if the staff puts him in more of those positions, his impact could spike.
Even if he’s not putting up 20 a night, Stojakovic has been exactly what Illinois needed-a high-upside, efficient piece in a deep and balanced rotation. And if the shot starts falling? Watch out.
He may not be the face of this team right now, but don’t be surprised if he becomes the X-factor that determines how far Illinois can go.