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National hype earns Illinois basketball player a misguided spot in top 50

Illinois basketball is entering 2026-27 with so much attention, but the hype for Andrej Stojakovic might be a little out of hand.
ByRees Woodcock|
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Dec 9, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts to a call during the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Dec 9, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts to a call during the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Illinois basketball team has a chance to do something pretty special in 2026-27 with so much talent returning.

Sure, losing two future NBA Draft picks, one a consensus top 10 pick, is going to sting a little. There will be some growing pains with the players who filled their roles. The Illini should be able to overcome those bumps in the road.

Over the past month, Andrej Stojakovic has been in the headlines for his decision, or lack thereof. He finally pulled out of the NBA Draft with just hours remaining, and he made the decision to come back to Illinois. That national hype of the decision-making process has elevated his profile this offseason.

In a recent list of the top 50 returning players in college basketball, produced by The Field of 68, they had Stojakovic as the No. 16-ranked returning player for the 2026-27 season.

Now, it is fun to see Illinois players on any list that is positive like this. I don’t want to be a negative Nelly here, but I think it is fair to ask the question, is Stojakovic ranked that high because of the national attention of his decision?

I love Stojakovic and am so glad he is back with the Illini. With that being said, he is not the No. 16 returning player in college basketball.

Just right off the bat, I see a big glaring issue. Stojakovic is ranked ahead of David Mirkovic.

Mirkovic is on the list at No. 23. Honestly, there isn’t a debate on who is the better player. Mirkovic is a better shooter, defender, rebounder, and distributor. Stojakovic can create his own shot better than Mirkovic, but that might be the only thing I would put ahead of the returning sophomore.

Andrej Stojakovic could turn into one of the best players in college basketball with some key improvements

I don’t want this article to sound like I don’t like Stojakovic. He is perfect for Illinois. But he just flatly isn’t the No. 16 returning player this season.

Pryce Sandfort is behind Stojakovic, and he averaged 18.1 points and shot 41.6% from three-point range last season. Silas Demary Jr. put up 10.1 points, 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in 2025-26. He is also behind Stojakovic.

The list is flawed, but that doesn’t mean Stojakovic can’t become one of the best players in the country next season. There are some obvious things he needs to work on before the 2026-27 campaign starts.

Stojakovic was one of the worst defenders on the floor for Illinois. While his defense improved later in the year, he still has a ton of work on that side of the court.

I need to see his three-point shooting improve. Stojakovic has the confidence of Steph Curry, but his ability doesn’t match. His 24.4% from three-point range needs to see a 10% bump.

So, sure, this list is flawed, but Stojakovic has the framework for being great. Improvements this offseason can get him there.

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