(Photo Courtesy of Andrej Stojakovic/Instagram)
Class of 2023 Forward Andrej Stojakovic Earns Offer From UCLA Men's Basketball
The Bruins are headed back to their Compton Magic pipeline, now looking to add the son of an NBA legend.
Class of 2023 forward Andrej Stojakovic picked up a scholarship offer from UCLA men's basketball on Wednesday, his AAU team announced on Twitter. Stojakovic is the son of Peja Stojakovic, a three-time NBA All-Star with the Sacramento Kings and 2011 NBA Champion with the Dallas Mavericks.
The younger Stojakovic has made a major push to get out from under his father's shadow, though, as he performed well enough at the early evaluation periods to kickstart his recruiting this month.
Stojakovic already had offers from Cal Poly, St. Mary's, UC Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Louisville by the start of his junior year at Jesuit (CA), and he picked one up from Minnesota midseason. Just since the start of April, though, USC, Stanford, Washington State, Indiana, Tennessee, UConn, Kansas, Florida, Texas, Oregon, Kentucky and Georgia Tech have all offered Stojakovic.
That recent surge of offers for Stojakovic lines up with the start of the spring AAU season. Stojakovic scored 27 points in the Real Deal Championship to end March, leading the Compton Magic to the victory to open the season.
Stojakovic and the Magic then went to Indianapolis for the adidas 3SSB Showcase, where he stood out to multiple national scouts and outlets as one of the top performers. Stojakovic scored 18.8 points per game that weekend playing alongside several other UCLA targets and offerrees, notably class of 2025 small forward Koa Peat.
The Magic have been a breeding ground for Bruins in the past, with Johnny Juzang, Jaylen Hands, Jaylen Clark, Jules Bernard, Dylan Andrews, Jalen Hill, Ike Anigbogu and TJ Leaf coming from the local AAU program. Crosstown rival USC has poached some Magic Boys in recent years, though, namely Evan and Isaiah Mobley and Onyeka Okungwu.
Stojakovic averaged 17.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game as a sophomore at Jesuit, then bumped those numbers up to 25.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game as a junior. In his high school career, Stojakovic is shooting 49% from the field, 40% from deep and 80% from the free throw line.
At 6-foot-7, Stojakovic has the body of a forward but boasts the footwork, quickness and skills of a more dynamic wing.
Stojakovic is a four-star recruit, according to both the 247Sports Composite and Rivals. The 247Sports Composite has Stojakovic pegged as the No. 8 player in California, No. 16 small forward in the country and No. 73 prospect in his class.
UCLA is set to face some major roster turnover next season, with Jaime Jaquez Jr., Tyger Campbell and Jules Bernard all projected to be gone and Amari Bailey likely going one-and-done. Stojakovic boasts a similar physical profile to Jaquez, so coach Mick Cronin could target the in-state prospect to make sure he still has an all-around wing who can play inside and outside.
No class of 2023 recruits have committed to the Bruins, but Stojakovic is one of 10 uncommitted prospects who have an offer from Cronin's staff. With the early signing period just over six months away, it's only a matter of time before Cronin starts reeling in the commitments, and Stojakovic could figure to be one of them.
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