How Andrija Jelavic’s Hidden Talent Is Shaking Up Kentucky Basketball This Season

When Andrija Jelavic touched down in Lexington, it was clear from the jump: this guy’s here with purpose. He wasn’t just saying he was “excited to get number nine” — he meant it. From zipping through adventurous team outings to diving straight into fall workouts alongside his Kentucky Wildcats, Jelavic’s transition might’ve had a late start, thanks to that eight-week academic hurdle, but you wouldn’t guess it watching him operate. The truth is, he’s been seamlessly integrating, thanks in no small part to the guys who kept the Kentucky vibe alive all summer long. Sure, adjusting from overseas hoops to the American college scene usually comes with a steep curve, off the court as much as on it… yet Jelavic? He fits like he’s been here forever. Coaches and teammates alike are buzzing about his undeniable talent and smooth assimilation — and that’s only week one. Now the real test: can he keep this momentum going as the season looms? Spoiler alert: all signs say yes. LEARN MORE

From the moment he arrived in Lexington and told Big Blue Nation he was “excited to get number nine” to riding ziplines, eating s’mores and hitting the lake with his teammates to joining the Wildcats on the floor for the start of fall workouts at Kentucky, Andrija Jelavic hasn’t missed a beat. So much was made about the eight weeks he missed this summer due to academic and logistical delays, but by the sound of things, the Croatian forward isn’t too far behind at all.

A big reason for that? The guys who did spend eight weeks this summer in Lexington.

For most in Jelavic’s shoes, the learning curve transitioning from overseas to the states is steep — most of which has nothing to do with basketball. It’s about learning the American way of life, beyond the typical struggles that come with adjusting to college as a student-athlete.

For the newest Wildcat, you’d have no idea he hasn’t been here all along.

“We have some unbelievable guys because you cannot tell that he hasn’t been here. He’s fit in already,” Kentucky associate head coach Alvin Brooks III told KSR on the Sources Say Podcast. “It feels like he was here the previous eight weeks.”

That’s for the off-court adjustments, but what about the basketball side of things? He’s doing just fine there, too. The talent is obvious — that’s why he’s at Kentucky — but his first week has shown the fit is there with Jelavic and his teammates.

Now it’s about stacking good weeks ahead of the season.

“He’s fit right in from the team retreat to practices. And he’s very talented. He’s a very talented player,” Brooks told KSR. “For his size, he can do some things that a lot of people his size can’t do. Obviously, he’s just one week in, so now he has to do it another week and another week and another week. But he has a lot of talent to work with.”

Jelavic made it to the United States on August 16 and immediately checked out the Cincinnati Open with Mark Pope at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. A day later, he showed off his first look at his locker and the practice floor at the Joe Craft Center. Then, his official introduction to Big Blue Nation.

“Hello, BBN. I’m Andrija Jelavić,” he said in a video shared by UK Athletics on Aug. 18. “I’m here on campus. I’m excited to get to work, to meet you all. And I’m excited to get number nine.”

Everything since those moments has been smooth sailing, just as his new head coach expected following his delayed arrival.

“I expect him to come and have a great impact,” Pope said of the Croatian forward. “… He’s a vet. He’s been playing against grown men, so he should bring a lot. I think he’s a really good young man who’s been dreaming about this opportunity for a long time. I expect him to come here and have an immediate impact.”

Time to see what No. 4 is made of as a Wildcat.