Andrej Stojakovic withdrawing from draft, returning to Illinois – The News-Gazette

CHAMPAIGN — Andrej Stojakovic’s last month going through the pre-draft process turned out to be a simple flirtation.

The Illinois guard is returning to Champaign for the 2026-27 season. Stojakovic’s decision came Wednesday evening hours ahead of the 10:59 p.m. deadline for early entrants to withdrawal from the 2026 NBA draft and maintain their college eligibility.

“Last season changed my life,” Stojakovic said in the video announcing his return. “At the University of Illinois, I found more than a team. I found brothers. Coaches who believed in me. Fans who gave us everything. A program that showed me what it really means to compete for something bigger than yourself — and win.

“Making a Final Four run, those are moments I’ll carry forever, but deep down, all of us know the job isn’t finished. I’m grateful for everything I gained from the draft process and combine. It pushed me and gave me perspective for the future. This was a very difficult decision, but, in the end, my heart led me back to Illinois. What we’re building here is special. I believe in this locker room, and I know we have what it takes to win a national championship. So, let’s turn the page and run it back.”

Stojakovic declared for the draft on April 26 — nine days after announcing he would return to Illinois for the 2026-27 season. The latter included a cheeky social media post of Stojakovic on the court at Ubben Basketball Complex, lowering his sunglasses and delivering the line, “I’m back.”

The pre-draft process included an invitation to the NBA draft combine in Chicago earlier this month and multiple workouts with NBA organizations both before and after the combine. The Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies were among the first teams to work out the Illinois guard, but his best mock draft projections never moved beyond the late second round.

“No matter the outside noise, my group and I are very pleased with the feedback I’ve gotten,” Stojakovic said at the combine. “I also understand what I have coming back is very special, as well. … Going back to school is also a really, really good option for me.”

Stojakovic’s return locks in a core group of returning players for Illinois following the team’s run to the Final Four this past season. Those five players, including David Mirkovic, Jake Davis, Tomislav Ivisic and Zvonimir Ivisic and Stojakovic, combined to start 116 games for the Illini in the 2025-26 season.

That group of returning players — buoyed by Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks and incoming freshmen like Quentin Coleman and Lucas Morillo — positions Illinois to land in the preseason top 10 in this fall’s Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Retention hit a level in Champaign few programs nationally can match. Illinois went 28-9 last season and reached the program’s first Final Four in more than two decades. Stojakovic played an important role in that run, averaging 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds while developing into more of a two-way threat with his well-known offensive skills rounded out by improvements on the defensive end.

“That’s the goal — go back to the Final Four and strive for a national championship,” Stojakovic said in Chicago. “What we have back at Illinois is extremely special.”