What’s the word on Andrija Jelavic? Croatian UK commit still not on campus

LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — Only one member of the 2025-26 Kentucky men’s basketball team hasn’t arrived on campus yet, and it could give Big Blue Nation a haunting sense of déjà vu.

Andrija Jelavic has yet to arrive on campus, and Kentucky fans can’t help but draw comparisons to the Zvonimir Ivisic saga.

In a Monday press conference, head coach Mark Pope offered a positive update regarding the status of the 6-foot, 11-inch stretch forward. Without providing an exact timeline for his arrival, Pope confirmed Jelavic has moved on to the next step in the process.

“The status right now is that we got transcripts; he just finished classes, which is awesome, so we have transcripts, and that part of this process is complete,” Pope said. “And now it’s going through the rest of it. I’m hoping he can be on campus here—I don’t know if it’s optimistic—in the next… You know, I’d love for him to be here tomorrow.”

Jelavic, a 21-year-old freshman who has extensive experience playing professional ball overseas, is expected to have a major impact when he arrives.

“He’s a vet,” Pope said. “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.”

Last seaso, Jelavic averaged 10.7 points per game along with 7.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists while playing for Mega Superbet in the Adriatic League.

In 2023, Ivisic committed to playing for former coach John Calipari and Kentucky. Like Jelavic, Ivisic was a Croatian who played in the Adriatic League before suiting up for the Wildcats.

His admission to the university was initially delayed before being approved to enroll in October. However, Ivisic’s Kentucky debut didn’t take place until Jan. 20, 2024, after the NCAA launched an inquiry into his amateur status.

This process inhibited his ability to acclimate to the team, and he was relegated to playing fewer than 12 minutes per game.

Pope and the university expect Jelavic’s process to be much smoother than Ivisic’s. He’s expected to arrive on campus late this summer but won’t be able to work out with the team right away due to academic restrictions.

“He actually can’t work out with the team right now. There are a number of reasons why he wouldn’t be able to work out with the team,” Pope said. “One of them is being an international student, first time in the States; with our summer courses, to take the required number of in-class hours was really complicated. But we’d like to get him here as soon as possible. He’s doing great. He’s training back home, and I expect him to come and have a great impact.”

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