Before the 2023-24 men’s basketball season, Stanford freshman sharpshooter Andrej Stojakovic caught up with CardinalSportsReport.com about how he’s feeling about the upcoming season and how life on The Farm is treating him so far.
VIDEO: Stanford MBB freshman Andrej Stojakovic looks to bring his 3-ball
Stojakovic says life on The Farm has been amazing for him so far. The chance to meet new people and alumni. He is having fun at class and likes his professors a lot. Just all-around, he’s loving his Stanford experience.
Stojakovic feels like Jesuit High School in Sacramento did a great job of preparing him for his time at Stanford. The coaching staff and athletic director doing a good job of setting up the right tournaments and games for them to play. And now, he’s excited to be at Stanford. He likes how practice has started and the way things are shaping up there.
Stojakovic loved the foreign trip they went on as a team in the summer. The chance to connect with his Greek roots is something he’ll always cherish. He loved the memories they built as a team and the way they bonded while also playing against quality competition.
Stojakovic likes the way the entire freshman group is bonding. He feels like they have a really good mixture and everyone is clicking well. The older guys are showing them some things and they in turn are bringing fresh energy.
Stojakovic chose Stanford because of the proximity to home, elite academics, and chance to get on the floor right away as a freshman. He said they did a great job of communicating that message to him and his family. He’s grateful for the opportunity and likes the lifestyle he’s had at Stanford so far.
Stojakovic said he is looking to get better on his defense and making reads off screens. Moving without the ball. He said it’s been up and down, but he likes the progress he has made.
Stojakovic’s father Peja had a great NBA career with the Sacramento Kings. He said the main thing his father has taught him is the importance of staying patient and channeling out the outside noise. Just focusing on his game and showing what he can do.
Stojakovic said you want to prove that you can do more than one skill on the court, but at the same time he recognizes how important his role is to bring that elite 3-point shooting. So, he’s trying to get better and make sure he continues to hone in on that skill. The key to being a great shooter he said is sticking to your jump shot, not letting anyone change it, and get reps at it. Stay in the gym and be self-motivated. He likes the resources they have at Stanford and the ability to access the gym 24/7.
Stojakovic is looking forward to playing against older players in college. He likes how college basketball is getting older and he’s looking forward to creating memories that will last a lifetime. He said he has created great bonds with his teammates and they’re all excited for this year. All about responding to adversity and growing as a team.
The main thing Stojakovic has learned from the older guys is staying in the gym and being self-motivated. He is impressed with the work-ethic of the older guys and how much they push him to be better. Finding that inner motivation and getting better as a team. Knowing your role and doing what the team needs from you.
Finally, Stojakovic shared his thoughts on his favor flavor of Gatorade. Watch the end of the interview to find out what he said. His answer might surprise you.
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