Andrija Jelavic announced his commitment to the Wildcats through his agent on Saturday. Mark Pope has added another piece to his team as he continues to build a roster capable of surpassing the Sweet 16 finish they made this year.
Jelavic is an international prospect. The 6’11 Croatian joins Kentucky from Mega Superbet, a team in Serbia, and he’s been compared to three-time MVP, Nikola Jokic who also came to the USA from Serbia. Jokic came to America around the same age as Jelavic.
How Does Andrija Jelavic Compare to Nikola Jokic at the Same Age?
Jelavic is coming into the NCAA as a 20-year-old, while Jokic was already in the NBA at 20. Jokic was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the second round as the 41st pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
There are similarities between Jelavic and Jokic, as the both of them are very efficient rebounders, but Jokic was much more rounded in other facets of the game.
In the 2014-15 ABA League, Jokić’s last season in Europe before joining the NBA, he averaged 15.4 points, a league-leading 9.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, while leading the league with an index rating of 22. He was named the Adriatic League regular season MVP and was also named the ABA League Top Prospect for the 2014–15 season.
It is hard to forecast what type of career Jelavic will have, but he does possess the basics and fundamentals required to succeed at a professional level. He’s got the size and skills to play basketball professionally, but he needs a little refining, and him entering the NCAA instead of the draft is good decision for his development.
Jokic is a future Hall of Famer and Jelavic would be considered a great player if he accomplished half of what Jokic has done in the NBA. Jokic finished third in the 2016 NBA Rookie of the Year Award voting and earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors in his first season in the league as a 20-year-old.
KEEP READING: What Kentucky Fans Can Expect From Andrija Jelavic: Strengths, Weaknesses and NBA Upside
Jokic would later go on to win the NBA championship and three MVP awards.
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