How Andrej Stojakovic’s Shooting at NBA Draft Combine Impacts His Decision

Traits and terms associated with Illinois wing Andrej Stojakovic: explosive, physical, gifted finisher, midrange maestro, fancy footwork, versatile defender, positional rebounder, to name a few. 

And for those not educated on his game: shooter. In fact, though, he is not at all a shooter – at least not from deep. Stojakovic’s midrange game is a strength, and his free-throw shooting is well above average, but his long-distance ability isn’t just a weakness, it’s a glaring one. 

He shot 24.4 percent from beyond the arc this past season. The NBA draft combine was a key opportunity to show scouts he is a capable shooter with upside from deep. And after he dominated the athletic testing, a great (or even solid) showing in the shooting drills would have given him a legitimate chance at climbing into the top tier of the second round. 

Andrej Stojakovic 2026 NBA draft combine shooting results

Spot-up shooting: 11/25 (tied for No. 52)
Off-the-dribble shooting: 20/30 (tied for No. 25)
3-point star drill: 8/25 (tied for No. 58 out of 67)

In good news, Stojakovic went 20-for-30 on off-the-dribble shooting, which isn’t a surprise since midrange shooting is a weapon in his offensive bag. In the catch-and-shoot drills, though, he struggled mightily. 

The numbers speak for themselves. It wasn’t Stojakovic’s day from deep on Tuesday, and it wasn’t his year in 2025-26. Fortunately, he has ample opportunities between interviews and private workouts with teams to win over front offices and ideally show he is a better shooter than the numbers suggest.

How does Stojakovic’s shooting at the combine affect his NBA decision?

Will he stay or will he go? The question Illini fans have been asking themselves daily ever since it was reported that Stojakovic entered his name in the 2026 NBA Draft.

His performance in the combine was the expectation: impress in athletic testing and then avert some eyes in the shooting drills. And given he isn’t participating in the combine scrimmages, Stojakovic can only win suitors through the aforementioned interviews and private workouts. 

Put plainly: barring a miracle, Stojakovic will remain in the second round of NBA draft projections. And with the financial incentive (not to mention national title opportunity) awaiting him in Champaign, it would be a shock to see Stojakovic forgo a return to Illinois unless he knows he’ll be a first rounder. In other words, expect Stojakovic to be an Illini in the 2026-27 season.

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