Illinois guard Andrej Stojakovic is withdrawing his name from the 2026 NBA Draft and will return to the school for his senior season, the team announced Wednesday.
Wednesday is the deadline for prospects to withdraw their name from the draft pool to maintain college eligibility.
Stojakovic initially announced in April that he would play for the Fighting Illini next season but later decided to enter the draft and participate in the NBA combine. He led all prospects at the combine in the max vertical test, posting a 41.5-inch jump.
"I love Illinois," Stojakovic said at the combine earlier in May, according to Jeremy Werner of 247Sports. "I loved it this year, and if I do go back, I'm looking forward to making hopefully more history with the team.
"For my peace of mind, obviously (the NBA) is a dream of mine. But understanding there is a chance that I'm going to go back, I'm looking forward to participating in another Final Four, hopefully."
The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and one assist while shooting 50% from the field across 34 games last season. He was a key cog in Illinois' run to the Final Four. Stojakovic dropped a team-high 21 points in a second-round victory over VCU.
Illinois is now set to return five of its top eight scorers from the 2025-26 campaign, including David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Jake Davis. The Fighting Illini's 28 wins last season were the fourth most in program history.
Stojakovic is the son of Peja Stojakovic, who became a three-time All-Star during his 13-year NBA career.
