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Social Media Reacts to Andrej Stojakovic Returning to Illinois Basketball

The Illini officially retained Stojakovic on Friday and, as expected, social media had plenty to say about the news
Pranav Hegde|
Apr 2, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) during open locker room at the Final Four. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Apr 2, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) during open locker room at the Final Four. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting Illini

It has been an elite offseason for Illinois so far, and Andrej Stojakovic made it even better.

Sure, the Illini have only landed one transfer so far, which in today’s college basketball world might not exactly scream “offseason champ” at first glance, but the truth is, Illinois may still be one of the biggest winners of the offseason anyway.

Why? Because head coach Brad Underwood and his staff have done the hardest thing to do in the portal era: keep great players from leaving.

That reality became even clearer on Friday when Andrej Stojakovic announced he will return to Illinois.

With Stojakovic back in the fold, the Illini have now retained five of their top eight scorers from last season’s Final Four team. In a sport where rosters can be flipped overnight, and continuity is becoming harder and harder to find, that is massive. Illinois is not spending the offseason trying to replace an entire identity. It is bringing back the core of one of the best teams in the country.

And Stojakovic is a huge part of that.

Although he arrived in Champaign last offseason with plenty of hype, it was in March when his importance to the team really came into focus.

As the games got bigger and the pressure got tighter, Stojakovic kept showing why he mattered so much. He gave Illinois another player who could create offense when a possession broke down, another scorer who could punish mismatches, and another confident veteran presence on the wing when the stakes were at their highest.

Every team in the country is looking for players like that this time of year. Illinois already had one, and now it gets to keep him.

That is what makes this offseason so impressive. Yes, portal additions matter. Yes, recruiting still matters. But retaining proven, high-level players who already fit the system may matter more than anything else. Illinois has done that at an incredibly high level this spring. David Mirkovic is back. Jake Davis is back. Tomislav Ivisic is back. Zvonimir Ivisic is back. And now Stojakovic is back too.

That is not just a nice foundation. That is the kind of continuity that can keep a championship window wide open.

More than anything, Stojakovic’s return is a reminder that Illinois is not starting over after last season’s Final Four run. The Illini are reloading without really having to rebuild, which is about the best place any program can be in modern college basketball.

And as expected, social media was ecstatic about Stojakovic’s return, with Illinois fans immediately celebrating the fact that one of the biggest pieces of last season’s Final Four team is officially back in Champaign.

#TheRetention at Illinois is done

This 2026-2027 Illini team is LOADED

Is this the Golden Age of Illinois sports?

Most fun team in the country

Stojakovic will be unstoppable

The Illini coaches are excited

Cruising into next season

Reloading.....

Take a bow, Brad Underwood

Preseason National Champs?

One piece away.....

Tell 'em, Jon

And now the fun part begins - looking ahead to what should be one of the greatest basketball teams and seasons in Illinois history.

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Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.

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