Whether or not you like the recent advents in college basketball, namely the transfer portal and NIL influence, it’s impossible to deny the massive effect they’ve had on the sport. Many players seem to land at new schools each year and that’s the case again with Andrej Stojakovic, a gifted young guard who’s found his third home with Illinois, committing to Brad Underwood’s school early this week.
The son of a former NBA player and executive, Stojakovic is a 6-7 guard from Carmichael, California who considered a Top 25 recruit in 2023’s recruiting class. This talented and highly regarded weapon stayed close to home, committing to Stanford for his freshman season before bouncing to rival Cal for year two, though his junior year will clearly take him out of the West Coast.
— Andrej Stojaković (@AndrejSto2) April 28, 2025
Illinois lands California transfer Andrej Stojakovic
That freshman season showed promise, as Stojakovic averaged 7.8 points and 3.4 rebounds largely as a role player and part-time starter for the Cardinal. He did play decent minutes as a true freshman but Stanford struggled in what would be coach Jerod Haase’s final campaign in Palo Alto. After the coaching change, Stojakovic entered the transfer portal for the first time.
He didn’t have to look far to find a new home, heading over to Berkeley while becoming a major factor with California. While the Golden Bears didn’t exactly excel this past season, they did have a difficult task in adjusting to life in the ACC. Stojakovic showed few signs of struggle, as he took that advertised sophomore leap.
He put up 17.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, becoming one of the best young scorers in the entire ACC. He finished the season 6th in points per game and 11th in blocks per game, making his impact felt around the court for the Golden Bears. In a season where there wasn’t a ton to celebrate, Stojakovic did have several notable performances, though he saved his best for last.
While he had several inconsistent efforts during conference play, Stojakovic saved his best for the ACC Tournament. In a double overtime upset over Virginia Tech, he had a career day with 29 points in the unexpected win. However, he’d outdo himself less than 24 hours later, dropping a career-high 37 points in a season-ending loss to rival and former team Stanford.
When Stojakovic entered the transfer portal, it was those last couple of performances that really stood out to teams interested in his services. We already knew he had the raw talent as a former Top 25 recruit, but he’s starting to put it together on a more consistent basis. He missed the back half of January with an injury but clearly came on strong when it mattered most despite playing in a lost season for the Golden Bears.
Now he joins an Illinois team that has much higher aspirations for the coming season. Underwood’s squad once again has a lot of moving pieces in the offseason, but Stojakovic instantly elevates this program and secures a major role next year. He’ll slot in nicely beside returners Kylan Boswell and Ty Rodgers while continuing to add a foreign flair to the Fighting Illini, who’ll lean heavily on the Ivisic brothers and a few other international prospects.
Whether or not you agree with his choice of Illinois, Stojakovic lands in a tenable situation where he can impact the game and continue to showcase his abilities. This time he’ll be doing it on a team we’ve seen regularly in the Top 25 and the Big Dance in recent years. Can Stojakovic handle these new surroundings and become a major difference maker? Will his addition help stem the tide after Illinois loses Kasparas Jakucionis and other talent?