The basketball public in Serbia is following the career development of Andrej Stojaković, son of the legendary Peđa Stojaković, with great attention, and the young guard has now made a decision that could significantly affect his future path to the NBA league.
Although he applied for the 2026 NBA draft and participated in the pre-draft process, Andrej decided to withdraw his candidacy and return to the University of Illinois, where he will play another season in the NCAA league.
This decision did not surprise everyone who follows his development, since during the NBA Draft Combine he repeatedly emphasized how much he believes in the Illinois project and the possibility of attacking a placement in the final tournament of the NCAA championship with the team next year.
“That’s the goal – to go back to the Final Four, and then to attack the national title. What we have at Illinois is truly special, and I just have to make the right decision,” Stojaković said during the week the Combine was held.
Stojaković left behind a solid season in the Illinois jersey, where after arriving from California he averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He showed that he can play in multiple positions in the backcourt, but it is clear that there is room for additional progress, primarily when it comes to three-point shooting.
Precisely because of this, many American analysts believe that another year in college will help him further raise his value ahead of the 2027 NBA draft. In most projections for this year’s draft, he was in the second round, while a serious step forward next season could bring him closer to being selected among the top 30 picks.
“Another year of proving what I can do, and then coming back even more ready next year if I decide to declare for the draft. This season I showed that I can adapt to a different role and leave an impact on the game even when the ball is not constantly in my hands, as I am used to,” Stojaković said.
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