Why Gonzaga should target Serbian guard Mihailo Petrovic out of transfer portal

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs have once again built a roster littered with talented players from all over the world.

Mario Saint-Supery (Spain) and Jack Kayil (Germany) are expected to start in the backcourt for the Zags in 2026-27, while newcomer Massamba Diop (Senegal) becomes the team's latest international-born big man after committing to Gonzaga earlier in the week.

Gonzaga's international pipeline allows them to land players directly from overseas and - in the case of Diop - helps them bring in guys via the transfer portal as well.

Adding an international player who already has college basketball experience comes with the added bonus of eliminating the culture shock that often accompanies first-year players from overseas.

Gonzaga still has five open roster spots, and while most of the rotation appears set - assuming Kayil and Houston transfer Isiah Harwell withdraw from the NBA draft - the Zags still have room to make an addition or two in the backcourt.

One name that is worth keeping an eye on for the Zags is Serbian guard Mihailo Petrovic, who spent his first season stateside playing for Brad Underwood at Illinois.

Who is Mihailo Petrovic?

Petrovic was one of many high-profile international players on the Illini roster this past season, alongside forward David Mirkovic and the Ivisic brothers, Tomislav and Zvonimir.

Many felt Petrovic would be a Day 1 starter for Illinois, thanks to the prolific numbers he posted in Serbia prior to his arrival.

Petrovic first played in the KLS - Serbia's top league - as an 18-year-old in 2021 with Donav. He truly broke out in 2023-24 with OKK Beograd, appearing in 25 games as a 20-year-old and averaging 21.2 points and 6.8 assists per game.

The next year, he played in the ABA - one of the best non-NBA leagues on the planet - and averaged 14.3 points and 7.3 assists in 28 games for Mega Mozzart ... where he was teammates with Gonzaga commit Jack Kayil.

Petrovic came stateside to join the Illini ahead of the 2025-26 season, and his elite passing and advanced age had many projecting him as an instant contributor in the Big Ten.

However, the 6'3 guard was unable to carve out a consistent role with Illinois. An injury cost him the first four games of the season, which allowed freshman Keaton Wagler to blossom right away. When Wagler proved he was one of the best players in the entire country, Petrovic began to fall further and further out of the rotation.

Petrovic played 12+ minutes three total times last year, all coming within his first four games. He had three points, five assists, and one turnover against Alabama on Nov. 19, his college debut, and posted 12 points and four assists on 4-5 shooting against UTRGV.

Playing time became nearly non-existent by the time the calendar flipped to 2026, with the 22-year-old appearing in 11 games and playing a total of 36 minutes from that point on, scoring six points with eight rebounds, six assists, and one turnover while shooting 3-12 from the field.

It was not at all a surprise when Petrovic plopped his name in the transfer portal, and now he becomes one of the more intriguing names still on the market. The tantalizing upside he showed prior to his season at Illinois should land him somewhere solid, and there's plenty of reason why Gonzaga is the right fit.

Fit at Gonzaga

Gonzaga already has a pair of international guards projected to play a big role in 2026-27 in Spanish point guard Mario Saint-Supery and German guard Jack Kayil, Petrovic's teammate in 2024-25 with Mega Mozzart.

However, the depth behind those two is rather thin at the moment, with Houston transfer Isiah Harwell the other big piece of the rotation. Gonzaga is connected to Stetson transfer Ethan Copeland due to his prolific three-point shooting, but with five open roster spots, they have room to bring in more depth across the board.

Due to his age Petrovic has just two years of eligibility remaining, and the opportunity to play for a Gonzaga program with a rich history of developing international talent and putting players in the NBA should appeal to the 6'3 guard.

Right now Saint-Supery is the team's lone pure point guard, with Kayil more of a scorer than a facilitator. Petrovic would become Gonzaga's third-string point guard and would push Kayil for minutes at the one behind Saint-Supery.

By all accounts, Petrovic was a great teammate while at Illinois, and his veteran experience, facilitation skills, and the potential for a breakout - now that he has a year of college under his belt - make this an intriguing option for Gonzaga to pursue out of the portal.

Add us as a preferred source on Google