Fighting Illini basketball received a major boost Friday when star guard Andrej Stojakovic confirmed he will remain with the program for the 2026-27 campaign.
The announcement came via Stojakovic’s Instagram account with a playful post that began with the question “Did I make you nervous?” The accompanying video showed him dramatically lowering a newspaper, then his sunglasses, before declaring “I’m back.”
Stojakovic’s decision to stay represents a significant victory for Illinois, which made an impressive run to the Final Four before falling to UConn. The Fighting Illini compiled a 28-9 record this past season and are expected to enter next year’s preseason rankings among the nation’s top five programs, though final positioning will depend on transfer portal activity and NBA draft decisions across college basketball.
The 6-foot-7 player contributed 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game across 34 contests this season, despite missing some action due to an ankle injury that sidelined him temporarily.
This marked Stojakovic’s inaugural campaign with Illinois following previous stops at Stanford during the 2023-24 season and Cal in 2024-25. During his time with the Golden Bears, he posted impressive numbers with 17.9 points per game before making the decision to transfer once again.
Throughout his collegiate career spanning 95 games with 59 starts, Stojakovic has maintained averages of 12.9 points and 4.2 rebounds. His shooting statistics include 95 successful three-point attempts, while also recording 53 blocked shots and 49 steals on the defensive end.
