Jovan Milicevic returns to Xavier basketball with big goals

After a breakout sophomore season, Jovan Milicevic had options. The 6-foot-10 Xavier forward had plenty of schools reaching out to people in his circle, hoping to lure him away from the Musketeers.

In an era of constant roster turnover, Milicevic opted to stay put. The decision wasn’t just about where he wanted to play next, but more about who he wanted to play for, play with and whether Xavier could become the team he envisioned.

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With the 2026-27 season about to tip off, Milicevic said he believes that vision is becoming a reality.

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“100 percent,” he said. “This year, we have a lot of depth on our team. Way more depth than past teams that we succeeded with.”

That confidence comes after Xavier’s difficult first season of the Richard Pitino era. Xavier went 15-18 last season and finished tied for last in the Big East Conference. One bright spot was Milicevic, who became a double-digit scorer and shot over 40% from 3-point range. He arrived at Xavier from New Mexico with just three career collegiate starts under his belt but established himself as a major piece in Pitino’s program.

Jovan Milicevic (24) had a team-high 21 points on 7 of 11 shooting in Xavier’s 89-87 win over Marquette in the Big East Tournament.

“I gained a lot of confidence,” Milicevic said. “We didn’t have the record we wanted to have, but going to war with those guys and seeing what Big East basketball is about was really positive. We’re gonna have a big turnaround this year.”

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The breakout didn’t happen without its ups and downs. Milicevic, a natural power forward, spent much of the season playing center in Xavier’s small-ball lineup that scored a lot of points but gave up even more. There were clear offensive advantages to having Milicevic’s ability to shoot and put the ball on the floor at center.

Defensively, however, was a challenge when it came to the…

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Publish date : 2026-10-30 13:09:00

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