Good Morning, Illini Nation: The national team question

May 17—There are some things about covering a team you can only appreciate if you're truly on the beat. Showing up matters. The more you do, the more you observe.

Like Andrej Stojakovic fielding questions about which national team he'll choose to represent. The Illinois guard qualifies to play for Greece through his mother (it's also his birthplace) and Serbia through his father. It's a choice he hasn't yet made, but it's one he's been asked about twice in the past six months by the same reporter.

The first time? Stojakovic wasn't thrilled with the question. Mostly because it came during the postgame press conference following Illinois' loss to Alabama at the United Center in Chicago.

"No comment," Stojakovic said last November. "I don't know yet."

Wednesday delivered another opportunity for the question to be asked. This time, however, Stojakovic couldn't help but smile. A glimmer of recognition in his eyes as the full moment registered.

Same reporter. Same city. Same question.

"I'm meeting with both teams shortly — soon after the combine," Stojakovic said during his media availability at the Marriott Marquis Chicago during the NBA draft combine. "If it feels right, I'll make the decision soon. If it doesn't, I'll still wait.

"I know there's a window late June, early July — the qualification window. Both teams are very interested in me playing, but I think either going back to school or staying in the NBA, if it means to stay focused and grow rather than play for the national team right now, that's what I'm going to do."

No concrete answer yet. To the national team question and to Stojakovic's stay-or-go decision about the 2026 NBA Draft. The latter comes with a bit more urgency — both for Stojakovic and Illinois with the May 27 early entrant withdrawal deadline looming. The Greek and Serbian national teams can wait a little bit longer.