NCAA's Andy Katz Labels Illinois' Andrej Stojakovic a Breakout Candidate

Andrej Stojakovic, a former high school McDonald’s All-American and a 17.9-points-per-game scorer at the high-major level, should be a household name. But he isn't.

That’s due almost entirely to the fact that his college production came on a relatively subpar squad in the Pac-12. But if he performs in a manner that even somewhat resembles his sophomore season – this time on a team that actually wins games – then Stojakovic will immediately jump from a known entity strictly in the college basketball community to a nationally recognized name.

And he has the opportunity to do just that in Champaign this year. Stojakovic’s squad debuted at No. 17 in the AP poll, and the Illini appear to have the pieces to climb much higher than that as the season progresses. That said, his ability to deliver elite production while being surrounded by high-level talent will be a key aspect in determining just how far Illinois can rise.

Andy Katz envisions Andrej Stojakovic as a breakout candidate

In the judgment of at least one man, Stojakovic is set to do all of that – and perhaps more. The NCAA’s Andy Katz picked 10 breakout players for the 2025-2026 campaign, and he ranked Stojakovic at No. 4. (Interestingly, Stojakovic was the only Big Ten player on Katz’s list.)

Ready for a big impact 💥@TheAndyKatz ranks his top 10 breakout candidates for 25-26 👀 pic.twitter.com/k3Oc63YyEB
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) October 13, 2025

Although you could argue Stojakovic is already proven enough that he can’t exactly be considered a true “breakout” candidate, there's a world of difference between putting up big numbers for an also-ran and, say, truly leading a Big Ten contender.

In fact, in both of his college seasons, Stojakovic’s teams have finished under .500. As a freshman at Stanford, the Cardinal went 14-18, and a year later the Golden Bears finished 14-19.

No one questions Stojakovic’s ability – especially as a scorer. What remains to be seen is how he’ll fit and function alongside equally skilled (or roughly so) running mates.

Some Andrej Stojakovic highlights from last year at Cal

(Video: ESPN) pic.twitter.com/44QJiGpFZV
— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) April 28, 2025

Last year, we saw how difficult it was for freshman guard Kasparas Jakucionis – who had been the main attraction on just about every team he’s ever suited up for – to adjust to life with more-than-just-capable teammates.

Obviously, Stojakovic already has college experience – something Jakucionis couldn’t say entering last season – but will he also struggle to mesh with a loaded Illini roster?

We'll have to wait and see. But it’s safe to say, if he manages to effectively gel with his teammates, Stojakovic will have a breakout year and Illinois should have legitimate Final Four aspirations.