Kentucky commit Andrija Jelavic gets candid on choosing SEC powerhouse: "One phone call from Coach Pope was more than enough"
Andrija Jelavic, one of the best recruits in the class of 2025, chose to play for Mark Pope's Kentucky in April. The Croatian power forward, with his 6-foot-11 frame and versatility, had garnered interest from multiple top teams in the NCAA. However, their pursuits were rendered pointless as soon as Jelavic got on a call with the Pope.
In an interview with Dylan from "The Rupp Room," Jelavic shared the factors that helped him find a new home in Kentucky.
"Honestly, the moment speculation about me going to Kentucky became public and the fans started to text me and everything, only one phone call with coach Pope was already more than enough for me to become a Wildcat," he said. "It is for sure the best decision I ever made."
Andrija Jelavic is part of the new wave of players, including Sananda Fru, Dominykas Pleta and Dame Sarr, who bring international playing experience to Division I basketball.
He has played over 50 games for Serbia's Mega Superbet (KK Mega Basket) over the last two years in the Adriatic League. Jelavic averaged 10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals on 62% efficiency during the stint. The forward also played for OKK Beograd, KK Cedevita Olimpija Junior and KK Mega Leks U18.
What will Andrija Jelavic bring to Mark Pope's Kentucky?
Andrija Jelavic brings positional and lineup flexibility with his ability to impact both ends of the floor. While he showcased a long-range touch last season (24 threes on 32.0% efficiency), he made only 52 3-pointers with Mega Superbet.
With that, it could take time for Jelavic to earn high-volume opportunities in Mark Pope's system. Nevertheless, the coach believes that the forward's skillset can immediately impact winning.
"Andrija is a really skilled, athletic, mobile, veteran player who has been playing at a high level for the last two years," Pope said earlier this year.
"He's been mentored through the development program at Mega, which is one of the best development centers for great players in Europe. Andrija has a really unique combination of size, athleticism and skill that will translate seamlessly into our system."
Alongside Andrija Jelavic, Mark Pope has also added Malachi Moreno, Braydon Hawthorne and Jasper Johnson to the 2025 pool. The group makes Kentucky the 11th-best recruiting class in the nation.