The Naismith Player of the Year watch list was released last week, and a pair of Illini were selected. Juniors Tomislav Ivisic and Andrej Stojakovic both earned a spot on this exclusive list, which highlights
the projected top 50 players in college basketball this season.
This announcement comes just days after Ivisic and Stojakovic were named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Julius Erving Award watch lists, respectively. The Abdul-Jabbar Award honors the nation’s top center, while the Erving Award recognizes the best small forward in college basketball.
Stojakovic did not suit up for Illinois’ season opener on Monday night but is expected to have a big year once he returns. The former McDonald’s All-American averaged 17.9 points per game last season at Cal and should be one of Illinois’ leading scorers.
Ivisic showcased his skill set in the season opener, finishing with a team-high 21 points. He shot an efficient 75% from the field and knocked down three shots from beyond the arc.
Oregon and Purdue are the only other Big Ten programs with two players named to the Naismith watch list. Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Jackson Shelstad, and Nate Bittle will all compete with Ivisic and Stojakovic for All–Big Ten honors this season.
Add Kylan Boswell to the mix, and the Illini boast one of the best “Big Three” in all of college basketball. While Boswell was left off the Naismith list, he was named to the Jerry West Award watch list, which honors the nation’s top shooting guard.
