Illinois takes a step forward in landing a massive transfer portal target

The recruiting front has been quiet for the Illinois basketball program, but we had a good day on Sunday.

Brad Underwood is trying to tie up some loose ends when it comes to the transfer portal. There are a few big targets left out there for the Illini in the market, and one of them progressed his recruitment over the weekend.

On Sunday, Cal transfer Andrej Stojakovic officially announced that he was entering the transfer portal. In a letter pinned to the Cal faithful, Stojakovic broke the news.

In addition to his announcement, Joe Tipton of On3.com reported that Stojakovic is down to just three programs. The three programs he is deciding between are North Carolina, Stanford, and Illinois.

Honestly, Stanford is the weird program out of the three. Stojakovic started his career with the Cardinal, so to go back there would be a unique move.

I am a bit worried about the Tar Heels swooping in and dropping a bag on Stojakovic’s lap. That would be unfortunate for the Illini, but with the football program getting more attention, maybe North Carolina’s pockets aren’t as deep as usual.

Illinois basketball could transform Andrej Stojakovic into an NBA-level wing in 2025-26

It would be amazing if the Illini could land Stojakovic. If you just go off his name, you know he has NBA blood in him. I am very intrigued by Stojakovic’s potential, too.

Illinois’ offense is conducive to lighting up the scoreboard. If you have an inkling of potential, Underwood will pull it out of you. I also believe Illinois runs a pro-style offense, which will put Stojakovic front and center when it comes to scouting.

At the end of the day, Stojakovic won’t have all of the attention on the court. In the two stops he has made thus far, he has been the man. Now, he can fire up shots and rebound without getting all of the focus. Illinois needs to be the landing spot for this talented kid with a boatload of potential.