Projecting Illinois’ Preseason Ranking With – and Without – Andrej Stojakovic

Once college basketball rosters are finalized, a fairly vivid picture will be painted for the upcoming season. There will be whispers and buzz (as there was with Illinois’ Keaton Wagler in the 2025-26 preseason, but once the main characters are settled, there are rarely seismic changes that drop or boost a club’s stock in a drastic manner.

With that in mind, even in mid-May – and certainly by June – we can put together some fairly accurate preseason projections. The key caveat: preseason polls rarely look anything more than vaguely like the final results.

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Still, although a top-five preseason ranking doesn’t guarantee anything, it can electrify a fan base – and is certainly a solid indication that a team should be a contender once the season tips off.

And for Illinois, which hasn’t been ranked inside the top five of the AP preseason poll in more than two decades, it would be a welcome sight to get that nod in 2026-27. It’s definitely the Illini’s best chance in years.

But whether that vision comes to fruition hinges almost entirely on one choice: Andrej Stojakovic’s NBA-or-stay decision.

Where will Illinois rank in the 2026-27 preseason poll if Andrej Stojakovic stays?

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) shoots against Connecticut Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. (2) in the second half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

If Stojakovic elects to stick around in Champaign – which remains the general expectation – then the Illini have all the makings of yet another Final Four club, not to mention a legitimate title contender.

Illinois would have the dream combination of talent, experience (both in college hoops and Brad Underwood’s system), fit and tremendous size.

There are other squads with different ingredients but an equally (or more) potent final product. Duke, which likely has the deepest…

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Publish date : 2026-05-15 00:06:00

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