Andrej Stojakovic and David Mirkovic are critical to the Fighting Illini's success in 2026-27.
Expectations are high for Illinois men's basketball this season. Coming off the program's first Final Four berth in over two decades, Brad Underwood's group is widely perceived as one of the best in the nation entering the 2026-27 campaign and could very well make a run at the title.
The Fighting Illini have a strong class of incoming freshmen coming in, headlined by five-star guard Quentin Coleman, but Illinois' success this winter will hinge on whether or not its veterans can take the leap.
Forward David Mirkovic is returning to Champaign for his sophomore season, and guard Andrej Stojakovic withdrew from the NBA Draft to play his senior season at Illinois. Both are expected to be two of the top collegiate players in the country this season, and the weight of the program sits largely on their shoulders.
The offseason has been off to a slow start for Stojakovic, though. Underwood told reporters last month that the rising senior had his knee scoped following the season and was not yet practicing with the team.
On Monday, Underwood gave some news that is sure to have Illinois fans excited about the state of their team. The Fighting Illini head coach revealed that Stojakovic is healthy after his offseason procedure and that his team just completed its second week with all players in attendance.
Mar 28, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guardAndrejStojakovic(2) controls the ball against Iowa Hawkeyes guard Tate Sage (24) in the first half during an Elite Eight game of the South Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Stojakovic played in 34 of Illinois' 37 games last season and made 21 starts. The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game on 50.0% shooting overall, although he struggled with a three-point clip of just 24.4%.
The Carmichael, Calif., native began his career at Stanford as a four-star recruit in the Class of 2023, ranked No. 19 nationally. Stojakovic transferred to California as a sophomore, where he averaged a career-best 17.9 points to lead the Golden Bears.
He proved to be a valuable player for the Fighting Illini in 2025-26, helping lead Illinois to a 25-9 record and a trip to college basketball's final weekend. In the Round of 32 against VCU, Stojakovic scored a team-high 21 points off the bench to help power the Illini to a rousing 21-point victory.
Despite initially exploring the NBA Draft, Stojakovic opted to return to Champaign for his final season of collegiate eligibility.
Stojakovic's father, Peja, played 13 seasons in the NBA between 1998 and 2011. Most of his professional career came with the Sacramento Kings, where he was a three-time All-Star and landed on the All-NBA Second Team in 2004.
