Why Andrej Stojakovic should return to Illinois for a senior season

It just makes sense for Andrej Stojakovic to come back for another run. 

There’s a difference between getting drafted… and getting paid what you’re worth.

Right now, Andrej Stojaković is living in that gap. And until he officially pulls his name out of the draft, Illinois fans are going to be nervous—refreshing their phones and waiting for that final decision. Nine days after saying he’d return to Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball, he entered the draft—smartly keeping his eligibility—because the feedback matters.

And the feedback is starting to come in.

At the NBA Draft Combine, Stojaković confirmed what everyone already knew: the athleticism pops. But the shooting numbers told the real story. He went 11-of-25 (44%) on spot-up threes (16th of 26), 20-of-30 (66.6%) off the dribble (8th of 26), but struggled from deep in the three-point star drill—just 9-of-25 (36%), ranking 23rd of 26. Add in 7-of-10 free throws (70%) and 14-of-29 (48.3%) in side-mid-side drills. Remember, during the 2025/2026 season, he shot just 24% from deep.

The picture is clear. It’s a flashing arrow. And it points straight back to Champaign.

Let’s also read between the lines. If Brad Underwood and his staff felt this was over, the roster would reflect it. It doesn’t. That tells you the conversations have happened and there’s a real belief internally that Stojaković is coming back.

If he does, everything shifts.

He’s the centerpiece of this retention. And financially… with NIL and a featured role, he could realistically make double what a late second-round outcome offers right now.

Fix the shot. Raise the stock. Chase a title.

The NBA isn’t going anywhere.

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