If you’ve been hanging around the Joe Craft Center or scrolling through the more chaotic corners of Big Blue Nation Twitter lately, you’ve heard the name. Andrija Jelavic. It’s fun to say—pronounced an-dree-ah yell-uh-vich—and even more fun to watch when he’s actually clicking. But honestly, there is a lot of noise out there about what this 6-foot-11 Croatian kid actually brings to Lexington. Some people see another Zvonimir Ivisic. Others see a mobile stretch-four that fits Mark Pope’s modern, high-octane offense like a glove.
Kentucky wildcats basketball recruit andrija jelavic didn’t just wander into the Bluegrass by accident. He was a strategic strike by Pope. Coming out of the Adriatic League—specifically the Mega Superbet program in Serbia that basically prints NBA players—Jelavic arrived with "professional" already stamped on his resume. He’s 21. He’s played against grown men in Belgrade.
But transition isn't always linear.
Why Andrija Jelavic is the Wildcard of the SEC
Look, the SEC is a meat grinder. It’s fast, it’s physical, and it usually involves 240-pound athletes trying to put you through the floor. For a "European big" often labeled as a shooter, that can be a scary proposition. But here’s the thing: Jelavic isn't just a spacer. At Mega, he was grabbing over seven rebounds a game. That’s a lot of "want to" for a guy who also likes to hang out at the perimeter.
Early on this season, we saw the struggle. It’s basically common knowledge now that he had a rough stretch where the ball just wouldn't go in the basket. He even sat out a few games entirely.
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Then came the LSU game on a random Wednesday night in January 2026.
With Jaland Lowe out for the year and the rotation looking a bit thin, Jelavic got his first career start. He played 21 minutes, dropped 11 points, and snagged five boards. More importantly, he hit two of his four attempts from deep. If you watched his face after that first three went through, you saw the weight of the world come off his shoulders. It’s that confidence—that "I belong here" energy—that Kentucky needs if they’re going to survive the February gauntlet.
Breaking Down the Scouting Report
What makes Andrija Jelavic actually different from the bigs we’ve seen under the previous regime? It's the "unicorn" skillset.
- The Handle: He can legitimately bring the ball up the court. He doesn't look like a baby deer on ice when he’s forced to dribble.
- The Wingspan: A 7-foot-2 reach. That’s enough to disrupt passing lanes even if he isn't the fastest guy on the floor.
- The IQ: You can tell he was coached in Europe. He knows where to be on the secondary break and doesn't get lost in the "high-low" action Pope loves to run.
Critics will point to his 3-point percentage, which hovered around the low 30s during his time in Serbia. And yeah, in the 2025-26 season so far, it’s been a rollercoaster. He’s shooting about 23% from deep over his first 12 games. That's not great. But the stroke is fluid. The mechanics are there. Mark Pope has gone on record saying the "emotion" on Andrija’s face during their first Zoom call showed how much the UK jersey meant to him. You can’t coach that.
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Living in the Shadow of Big Z?
It’s the easy comparison, right? Another tall Croatian guy. Another late-cycle addition. But Jelavic is a different beast than Big Z. While Ivisic was a shot-blocking spectacle with deep range, Jelavic is more of a "connector." Think of him as the Andrew Carr replacement we didn't know we had. He’s meant to be a multi-positional tool that keeps the offense moving.
He’s currently competing for minutes with guys like Mouhamed Dioubate and Malachi Moreno. Dioubate is the bruiser. Moreno is the hometown hero with the buzzer-beaters. Jelavic? He’s the tactical adjustment. When Kentucky needs to pull a slow-footed opposing center away from the rim, Jelavic is the guy you put in.
What Needs to Happen Next
If Kentucky wants to be a Top 5 team by the time March Madness rolls around, Jelavic can't just be a "nice story." He has to be a threat.
The biggest hurdle is the physicality. We’ve seen him get pushed off his spots by some of the bigger forwards in the SEC. He’s 225 pounds, which sounds like a lot until you’re trying to box out a guy who’s been in a college weight program for four years. He needs to leverage that 7-foot-2 wingspan more effectively on the defensive glass.
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Honestly, the LSU game was a blueprint. If he can give 10 to 12 points and five rebounds in 20 minutes of action, that’s a massive win for the bench depth.
Actionable Insights for the BBN:
- Watch the "Trail" Position: In Pope’s offense, the trailing big often gets the cleanest look at a three. Keep an eye on Jelavic in transition; if he’s trailing, the play is designed for him.
- Monitor the "Struggling Starter" Narrative: Don't get too high or low on his shooting percentages in January. European players often take a full semester to adjust to the speed of the American game.
- The Tennessee Factor: With upcoming games against rivals like Tennessee, look for how Jelavic handles the "high-post" passing. If he can find Moreno or Dioubate for easy cuts, the offense becomes impossible to guard.
Kentucky wildcats basketball recruit andrija jelavic might have started as a bit of a mystery, but the tape is starting to tell a story of a kid who is finally finding his footing in Lexington. He isn't a savior, but he might just be the missing piece of the rotation.
Next Steps for Followers: Check the box score of the upcoming Tennessee game specifically for Jelavic’s "Points in the Paint" versus "3PT Attempts." If he is scoring in multiple ways, it means he’s officially adjusted to the SEC’s defensive schemes. Also, keep an eye on the official UK Athletics social media for the "Meet the Cats" updates to see how his chemistry with Malachi Moreno is developing off the court.