What's the Solution to Illinois' Mihailo Petrovic Problem

Back in April, when Illinois initially landed Serbian guard Mihailo Petrovic, the optimism and anticipation surrounding a Kylan Boswell-Petrovic backcourt was almost tangible in Champaign.

An Adriatic League MVP candidate at the time, Petrovic was going to walk into Champaign as the surefire starter, expertly orchestrating the offense for the Illini from the lead guard position in the 2025-26 season – or so we thought.

But a late arrival to campus, a lingering hamstring injury and the unexpected – for everyone not named Brad Underwood – emergence of freshman Keaton Wagler threw a wrench into those plans. The reality that has followed looks nothing like the best hopes of just a couple months ago.

With Mihailo Petrovic struggling, how can Illinois turn him around?

Now, 11 games into the campaign, Petrovic has played in just six outings, averaging 10.2 minutes per appearance. In his short stints, Petrovic is scoring 3.5 points per game and registering 1.8 assists while shooting 38.1 percent from the field and turning the ball over 1.5 times.

The on-paper stat line is clearly not ideal. Yet Petrovic’s impact, based purely on the eye test, is still quite apparent. The assist numbers may not reflect it, but Petrovic is hands-down the best creator on Illinois’ roster.

#Illini play of the day through one half:

Mihailo Petrovic threads the needle for Andrej Stojakovic for a transition slam. pic.twitter.com/6vM8LlWrGI
— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) November 25, 2025

Boswell and Wagler are both gifted facilitators, but neither can match Petrovic’s ability to get into the paint, collapse a defense and consistently make the right read. And that doesn't account for Petrovic's superior knack for making plays in the open floor.

At the same time, Petrovic, who is constantly playing at a near-disastrous pace, is prone to bonehead turnovers. A lost dribble here, an ill-advised pass there. Defensively, his lack of size has been a problem – although his effort can’t be questioned. On the glass, however, he is always a beat late, further exacerbating his inherent physical disadvantages.

That said, the Illini can live with so-so defense and rebounding from the position – if Petrovic can consistently make things happen on the other end. For his part, Petrovic has done just that. He is always making something happen – it’s just not often enough a positive result.

It can’t be overstated: Petrovic lives in the paint – which is a godsend for any coach and team. Yet the threat of his scoring has dwindled with each game, making it even more difficult for him to be an impact facilitator. He is getting to the basket and creating open looks that appear to be comfortable shots for him, yet everything just barely falls off the rim.

Does he just need more time to adjust? Is it a lack of composure? Or are the length, athleticism and sheer physical differences in the transition from Europe to college basketball too much for Petrovic to handle? Very likely, it’s what's behind Door No. 1. Petrovic is an extremely gifted hooper who, seemingly, has spent the majority of his basketball career as the player running the show for his crew.

Walking into a new situation where he didn’t get a full offseason to mesh with his teammates and adjust to a new game and a new system, Petrovic is positioned a bit behind the 8-ball. Unfortunately, in the thick of the season, it’s difficult to incorporate Petrovic in the capacity Underwood surely would like to.

At this point in the campaign, the Illini are no longer working the kinks out. It’s go time. Those sigh-inducing turnovers are no longer learning moments; they’re inexcusable and automatically lead to a seat on the bench.

It’s a precarious situation. Underwood’s task of extracting every ounce of value out of Petrovic and helping the 6-foot-2 guard become the best version of himself, all while ensuring Illinois continues to win games in the short run, is a high-wire act.

There’s no clear-cut answer. But with Petrovic’s talent, and given his unique ability to walk onto the floor and dictate the flow of a game, it would be in Illinois’ best interest to find a way to work him back into the lineup – even as the team stumbles through defensive woes that will likely be further hampered by increased minutes from Petrovic. At his best, after Petrovic puts it all together and adjusts to college hoops, his impact on offense should grow so immensely that any defensive shortcomings will seem trivial by comparison.