Andrej Stojakovic Had His Pick in the Transfer Portal: Here's Why He Chose Illinois

Stojakovic, a Cal transfer, could've gone just about anywhere in the country, yet he chose Champaign. He explains why here:

Mar 11, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; California Golden Bears guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) grabs a rebound in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The reasoning behind Illinois seeking out Andrej Stojakovic this offseason is self-explanatory. A former high school McDonald’s All-American who averaged 17.9 points last year as a sophomore at Cal, Stojakovic made a decision in the offseason to transfer.

His size, length, athleticism and overall skill set – an elite combination of slashing and shooting – don't exactly grow on trees. Plus, especially on the defensive end, Stojakovic likely hasn’t even reached his peak. 

An unbelievably productive player who has yet to tap out his potential, Stojakovic would have been a dream addition for any squad, and Illinois was fortunate to be the program to land him. 

Why did Andrej Stojakovic pick Illinois?

Mar 11, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; California Golden Bears guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) drives to the basket against Virginia Tech Hokies guard Jaydon Young (3) during OT at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

On the flip side, though, we had yet to hear what drew Stojakovic to Champaign – until Thursday. He essentially had his pick of schools when he entered the transfer portal in the spring, and the race reportedly came down to North Carolina, Stanford and Illinois. 

So what exactly put Illinois over the top? Well, unsurprisingly, one man appears to have played a massive role in Stojakovic’s decision: head coach Brad Underwood. 

“The specific coaching style that coach Underwood provides here,” said Stojakovic when describing what attracted him to Illinois. "Him and his staff members do a really good job of motivating us, but also criticizing us to the point where we know what to do the next time that situation comes around. And I think I’m just very grateful. The coaching I’ve received in the summer and in the fall, also while I’ve been out watching film with the staff, it’s been super-helpful for my development."

The other key? Simple: winning.

“That was the No. 1 thing: to produce on a winning team,” Stojakovic said of how important a factor it was to find a proven program during his transfer search. “Coach Underwood really believes I can do that, and I think I have the relationship with him where my skill set just adds onto the team, and we mesh very well together.”

Along with Stojakovic, the Illini brought in Arkansas transfer forward/center Zvonimir Ivisic and international recruits Mihailo Petrovic (guard) and David Mirkovic (forward). Freshman guard Keaton Wagler is also expected to contribute, while big man Tomislav Ivisic (Zvonimir's twin brother), veteran guard Kylan Boswell and forward Ben Humrichous lead the way among the returners.

🟠Newcomer First Look🔵
Andrej Stojakovic
Carmichael, Calif. pic.twitter.com/V80neLF7zF

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) July 15, 2025

Consistent with the thought process of Stojakovic – who, notably, has yet to appear in an NCAA Tournament – Illinois is expected to be a preseason top-25 team in 2025-26 and have one of the highest ceilings in all of college basketball.