Andrej Stojakovic’s time to raise his ceiling arrives with Illinois

Illinois fans are looking for continuity, and right now the clearest barometer inside the program is junior wing Andrej Stojakovic. A season ago, his production and rhythm came in stretches rather than as a steady baseline, especially once Big Ten play began. Yahoo Sports frames it as an up-and-down year that featured real high points early, then slowed down during conference games, setting up the natural question: can the next version of Stojakovic look more consistent for a full calendar.

In the account, the change in the flow of his season is tied to two things, first a noticeable dip during conference play, and second an ankle injury that arrived midway through that stretch. That combination matters because, for wings, late-season bounces and wing-ball timing are often as dependent on movement and confidence as on raw skill. When the body and the role both feel unstable, even productive players can look less reliable to their teams, and harder for coaches to design around.

But the story arc does not end in the slump. By the time the NCAA tournament arrived, the publication suggests the worst of that period had passed. That detail is important for how Illinois might evaluate Stojakovic internally. A late-season recovery can be more than an anecdote, it can show that the injury did not permanently alter his effectiveness, and that he can still operate when the pace tightens and scouting reports get thinner but more targeted.

From a basketball standpoint, a “second-year leap” is not just about scoring more, it is about decision-making becoming automatic. For a wing, that includes knowing when to attack closeouts, how to space without drifting, and when to be a connector in transition rather than a passenger in the half court. Illinois, like most programs, depends on wings to hold the floor together across lineups, and consistency is the difference between a good game and a reliable night.

The bigger picture for Illinois is the way the team uses its rotation. If Stojakovic is closer to the form he showed by the NCAA tournament, he can become a stabilizing piece rather than a conditional one, which changes how the coaching staff can distribute minutes and defensive assignments. It also affects how quickly Illinois can turn in-game adjustments into offense, since a wing who is confident attacking from his spots tends to generate advantages not only for himself but also for the playmakers around him.

Still, the upcoming season question is really about translation: whether late improvement becomes a starting point. The year described by Yahoo Sports included strong moments, a slowdown once Big Ten play began, and then an ankle interruption before the NCAA tournament. Illinois will want to see that pattern reversed, where the early season is not the highest peak and the late season is not the only time he looks fully settled.

For what to watch next, the simplest checklist is whether Stojakovic can keep his movement and timing intact through conference play, and whether his role stays broad instead of narrowed when matchups get tougher. If he answers that, Illinois gets more than a better individual season, it gets a wing who can anchor game plans in both halves of the schedule. If he does not, the program will likely look for other ways to cover variability in its perimeter production.