By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Andrej Stojakovic discussed several topics, including moving on from competition with his father, Peja Stojakovic, in an interview with Nikola Stojkovic of Mozzart Sport.
Following in the footsteps of a three-time All-Star and former NBA champion is a demanding task for the 21-year-old guard. However, he has been developing his talents and working toward a professional career in the NCAA, with Illinois being his team for his junior season after previous stops at Stanford and California.
“Being patient with everything, whether it’s working or not, not worrying about how long you work for, but the quality you put in for basketball. I think that’s the biggest thing that I’ve learned, work ethic,” said the promising prospect regarding the most important lessons inherited from his father.
“We haven’t competed in a while. It’s been a long time. I want to say maybe 3-4 years. But he’s at all the workouts when I’m back in California, or back home in Europe. So, he’s around,” he added, replying to a question about whether he still challenges his father in shooting drills.
Andrej also opened up about establishing his own identity as a basketball player, countering expectations stemming from his father’s career.
“I think when I first started playing, there was a lot of pressure for myself. A lot of expectation of what I wanted to become as a basketball player, but I think the love I have for basketball has kind of overcome that pressure. At the end of the day, I just want to play,” he mentioned.
Eligible for international action with Serbia, Greece, or the United States, the Thessaloniki native remains determined to keep striving for success while gaining a boost from the massive progress of European basketball extending from the Old Continent to the NBA.
“It’s actually an amazing feeling to have people from our countries be the best in the world. And just not from our countries, there are other players like Deni Avdija, who’s made a huge jump this year. Having Giannis [Antetokounmpo], and even Bogdan [Bogdanovic], who I know a little bit, and texted a little bit. Having those types of players, and seeing them succeed, it gives us more confidence that we can become those types of players one day,” he said.
Beyond the NBA, he also follows the EuroLeague, mentioning specifically Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet, Partizan Mozzart Bet, Olympiacos, and Panathinaikos Aktor.
“It’s tough because I was born in Thessaloniki, and we have PAOK. PAOK and Partizan are brothers, but my dad played for Zvezda, so it’s difficult,” he said regarding the complications of selecting a favorite team. “I follow everybody. I like certain players on different teams.”
In his 2025-26 journey with the Fighting Illini, Stojakovic has averaged 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 blocks, and 0.3 steals per contest over 23 appearances, including 21 starts.