How Indiana Basketball Landed 'Baby Jokic,' High-Ceiling Center Andrej Acimovic

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Modern college basketball often encourages teams to find quick, one-year solutions. Andrej Acimovic, the final addition to Indiana men's basketball's 2025-26 roster, contradicts the model. He may be worth the wait.

After a recruiting effort led by head coach Darian DeVries and assistant coach Drew Adams, Indiana finalized the signing of Acimovic, a 6-foot-11 center, on Monday. Acimovic committed to the Hoosiers over several interested high-major programs, including in-state rival Purdue and both national championship competitors in Florida and Houston.

Acimovic comes with a warning label: The Bijeljina, Bosnia, native is a work-in-progress. But his tools are tantalizing — so much that Acimovic's agent, Miljan Veskovic of Sport Connect, said he's often compared to three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic.

"Here, they call him, 'Baby Jokic,'" Veskovic told Indiana Hoosiers On SI in a phone call Tuesday. "He's still a late bloomer. He still needs to work on his body, and I thought the right place, from that point of view, is the (United) States. Basketball-wise, he can play back to the basket, he can pass, he can shoot.

"In the right environment and with a bit of patience, he will make a name for himself."

The Hoosiers' process to land Acimovic started in April. The two sides worked and talked throughout the summer, though Indiana recruited different players and Acimovic spoke with other programs as conversations unfolded.

Acimovic traveled to America for a week during the summer to work out in front of coaches and get a feel for United States culture. He held an open gym in Crown Point, Indiana, three hours north of Bloomington, and impressed.

But Acimovic wasn't allowed to take any official visits because he was still in school. His educational restrictions, combined with on-court summer commitments in Bosnia, kept him away from campuses.

Still, Indiana — with its illustrious history, expansive alumni base and new coaches with successful track records — stood out.

"It was awesome," Veskovic said. "Really open communication. They basically introduced us to the whole Indiana program. Obviously, I knew Coach DeVries, the things he was doing with previous programs. Not just Coach DeVries, the whole history of Indiana and all the big guys playing at Indiana.

"It was a great impression."

The Hoosiers ultimately did enough to get Acimovic stateside this year, which wasn't a guarantee. Acimovic finished high school earlier this year and still had the opportunity to play another year of significant minutes in the ABA League, the highest-level of professional basketball in Bosnia.

Veskovic said Acimovic was interested if "something really good opened up" in America, such as a good program capable of developing the 19-year-old's skill set and frame. But Acimovic didn't enter the summer with a college-or-bust mindset. Rather, it was merely "flirtation," Veskovic said.

Yet as DeVries and Adams expressed their affinity toward his skill set, Acimovic's intrigue grew to a palpable level of mutual interest.

"When we started talking about it, he was really thrilled," Veskovic said. "Then, when we finalized everything, he was really, really happy about it. No second thoughts about it."

When DeVries arrived at Indiana in March, he outlined plans to build the program through recruiting and development. His first year, he admitted, required seeking quick-fix roster solutions through the transfer portal, but his ideal strategy remains rooted in long-term player retention.

DeVries' approach fits Acimovic, and the two sides are committed to a broader development arc — one that likely won't net immediate returns but has a chance to bring considerable profit in future seasons.

"My opinion was that Andrej needs still to develop, and that he needs a place where he can really (grow from) an athletic, physical and obviously basketball point of view," Veskovic said. "Indiana could be a great spot to start; be there, work on his body, work on his basketball development and fight for minutes.

"So, basically, this is the plan."

Acimovic has a nine-foot standing reach, which would've ranked second at the 2025 NBA Combine. He has a 7-foot-2 1/4-inch wingspan.

In four games this past season in the U-19 ABA League, Acimovic averaged 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. In a senior-level Bosnian league, he tallied 17.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 65.3% from the field and 39% from distance.

Traits aren't an issue for Acimovic — hence the Jokic comparison. But Veskovic said he needs a support structure that can get him bigger, faster and more physical, and closely follow his nutrition and development each day. Indiana provides such resources.

The Hoosiers also give Acimovic the chance for a low-stress freshman year. His 2025-26 season should be used fully on development, Veskovic said, and he may redshirt while adapting to American culture. Acimovic enjoyed the college atmosphere and iconic nature of Indiana's program, Veskovic said, but hasn't spent much time in the United States.

Acimovic hasn't yet arrived in Bloomington for summer workouts or practice, as he's still awaiting clearance on a visa. Veskovic said the timing depends on the U.S. Embassy, and he's hopeful Acimovic will receive his visa sooner than later.

Extensive, development-based work awaits Acimovic on the other side of his visa. Acimovic is ready to work, and Indiana is willing to wait — and if "baby Jokic" lives up to his nickname, patience will certainly be a virtue.

"It's amazing for Andrej to get to feel that and be part of it," Veskovic said about Acimovic's future in Bloomington. "It's really big. I'm thrilled, and he is too."

Related stories on Indiana basketball