California Basketball: Why Andrej Stojakovic is the most important team transfer for 2024-25

These have not been the golden days for California basketball, though second-year head coach Mark Madsen is certainly hoping to turn things around in Berkeley. The Golden Bears have been a complete afterthought in the Pac-12 for much of the last eight years and now face a significant transition into the ACC. Can a new-look squad actually contend in their new conference?

Last place’s 6th place finish was a solid step forward, albeit in the last year of the Pac-12, but basically that entire team is gone. Immense production from Fardaws Aimaq and Jaylon Tyson will be sorely missed, while a long list of players like Devin Askew and Jalen Celestine opted to transfer in the offseason as well. Having nobody come back isn’t disaster for Madsen and his staff due solely to their activity in the Transfer Portal.

Transfers galore join a decent group of freshman and junior college players in refilling this rotation. Former Air Force forward Rytis Petraitis adds a scoring touch, while North Dakota forward BJ Omot is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign. Former mid-major point guards DJ Campbell and Christian Tucker bolster the backcourt while former Michigan State center Mady Sissoko is another notable addition to the frontcourt.

Quite possibly the best of the bunch is Andrej Stojakovic. A Top 25 prospect from last season, the California native spent his freshman season at rival Stanford before deciding to transfer. He showed potential with 7.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game as a freshman with the Cardinal but clearly has room for growth.

Comparing the raw stats might not point to Stojakovic as the vital transfer, but the sky is the limit for him with the Golden Bears. It’s not just that Madsen lured him away from Cal’s rival, it’s his potential for greatness. He wasn’t a top-rated prospect for no reason; his shot-making, rebounding, and athleticism making him a total package for this frontcourt. It’s all a matter of how he puts his game together, especially on a brand new lineup in a tougher league.

It’s clearly going to take more than just Stojakovic for California to contend in the ACC this year. Any team completely replacing every aspect of production will have growing pains and the Golden Bears are going to need those other names like Petraitis and Sissoko to be productive and play smart basketball. If everything does come together, Stojakovic will be the best of the bunch and this might be the place where he blossoms into that potential star.

A sophomore surge for Stojakovic could mean excellent things for the Golden Bears, though what exactly can a lineup thrown together achieve as newbies in the ACC? We have a lot to learn about this roster and how they work and thrive with each other, let alone how Madsen will utilize all of this talent. One thing we do know is that Stojakovic has the makings of a great forward; but will he make those strides as a sophomore at California?