California had some difficulty moving to the ACC but performed better than some expected. However, one of their stars in the transfer portal has officially ruled out a return to Cal. With his transfer decision looming, Andrej Stojakovic, a sophomore forward, slimmed his list down to three potential schools for next year: Illinois, North Carolina, and Stanford. Two of these schools are expected, but the Stanford option may come as a surprise to many. Stojakovic began his career at Stanford before transferring to their rivals. So, what are the positives and negatives of each option? Where will Stojakovic decide to go? Let’s dive in.
Source: Cal transfer Andrej Stojakovic has cut his list to the following programs.
Illinois
North Carolina
StanfordA final decision is expected this week.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 27, 2025
The Fighting Illini are also in competition for Florida State forward Jamir Watkins. They have been a hotbed of international talent recently, including sending two prospects to the NBA draft this past season. Stojakovic, whose father played for Yugoslavia, fits the mold perfectly. It has been a quiet offseason for Illinois thus far, but being in play for two of the best transfers left is important. Stojakovic’s transfer decision will likely come down to his ability to make a run at playing in the NBA. Illinois has the recent pedigree to help Stojakovic obtain that dream.
With a lot of outgoing talent and a lack of incoming talent, Stojakovic would be one of the primary options on an NCAA Tournament team. He would join a winning team and improve his NBA draft chances compared to Cal and the ACC in general.
The Tar Heels rely more on their program’s pedigree than recent success. Hubert Davis appears to be safe after barely squeaking into the NCAA Tournament. However, they need a jump soon if Davis hopes to be the long-term replacement for Roy Williams. Stojakovic would be one of the best players on a perennial national contender, so that will always be in the mix. North Carolina has been a strong program for years and will have great financial backing, along with incredible overall support.
The problem with North Carolina has been its recent NBA success. North Carolina hasn’t had a first-round pick since 2021. Some of their best prospects, like Ian Jackson and Elliot Cadeau, have transferred out to improve their NBA draft stock. Hubert Davis hasn’t had a first-round selection yet, so that may affect Stojakovic’s transfer decision.
Stojakovic began his career at Stanford. He transferred out of there for a reason, likely playing time. However, after starring at Cal, a return to Stanford remains a possibility. One question remains: why? The amazing education is the most obvious reason, but otherwise, only playing time stands out. He could have an affinity with the coaching staff, while Stanford is much closer to his home in California than the other options. If Stojakovic wants to go into the NBA, Stanford doesn’t have a great reputation there. They won’t compete for an ACC title unless a lot changes, but they were fairly competitive. Anything is possible, but Stanford is the clear outsider in this, so I would guess that non-basketball factors could be driving this option.
It all depends on what factors Stojakovic weighs most heavily, but Illinois seems like the early favorite and the most logical choice. They’ve had the most success and NBA prospects recently, and they have open spots for playing time. If Stojakovic cares the most about his basketball future, it appears that Illinois is the heavy favorite in his transfer decision. However, as always, outside factors will always have more sway on a person than what we see from the outside. North Carolina and Stanford are clearly in play for some reason. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been included at all.
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