Andrej Stojakovic has until 11:59 p.m. ET tonight to decide whether he will stay at Illinois or stay in the 2026 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-7 wing, who remains undecided, is weighing a return to Champaign for his senior season against the chance to turn pro now.
That choice carries more weight because Stojakovic was central to Illinois' Final Four run this past season. He averaged 13.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in the regular season, then raised that production to 13.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament, where he earned All-South Region Team honors. For a player with one year of college eligibility left, the deadline forces a clean decision between one more season in college and an immediate leap to the next level.
The path to this point has not been straightforward. About a month ago, Stojakovic announced that he intended to return to Champaign for his senior year. A few days later, he entered the NBA Draft, leaving his next move unsettled as the clock moved toward the NCAA withdrawal deadline. His status matters to Illinois because he was one of the players who helped carry the program through March, and it matters today because the roster decision must be made before midnight Eastern time.
The uncertainty also reaches beyond Champaign. Indiana and Illinois are scheduled to meet in Bloomington next season, giving the Hoosiers a direct stake in whether Stojakovic comes back. He missed the rivalry game this past season because of an ankle injury, and his return would add another proven scorer to a matchup that already carries meaning for both programs.
What happens by midnight will tell the story: Illinois either gets back a 6-foot-7 scorer who helped push it to the Final Four, or Stojakovic closes his college chapter and begins the next one with his draft decision intact.
