Brad Stevens didn’t mince words. After the Boston Celtics’ season ended in a first-round exit, the two-time Executive of the Year looked into the cameras and said exactly what everyone was thinking:
“We have to get better.”
Not “we have to stay healthy.” Not “we had bad luck.” Not “we’ll run it back and hope for the best.”
We have to get better.
That’s a mandate. That’s a warning. And that’s why Stevens and his staff are already deep into the pre-draft process, working out prospects and doing their due diligence on players who might be available with the Celtics’ two top-40 picks.
The first name on their workout list? Andrej Stojaković out of Illinois.
Yes, that Stojaković. The son of Peja Stojaković — the three-time All-Star, the sharpshooter, the man who finished fourth in MVP voting in 2004.
But Andrej is not his father. He’s different. Smaller. Less explosive. Less of a shooter. And yet, Brad Stevens is interested.
Let me break down why the Celtics are looking at Andrej Stojaković, what he brings to the table, and whether he could actually fit on a team that’s trying to win a championship right now.
The Stevens Mandate: ‘We Have to Get Better’
Let’s start with the context.
The Celtics’ 2025-26 season ended in disappointment. A first-round exit. For a team that has been to two NBA Finals in the last four years, that’s unacceptable.
Stevens didn’t make excuses. He didn’t point fingers. He simply stated the obvious:
“We have to get better.”
That means every option is on the table. Trades. Free agency. The draft. Stevens is going to leave no stone unturned. And that includes working out a 6-foot-5 shooting guard whose famous father is 6-foot-10.
Who Is Andrej Stojaković? A Scouting Report
Let me give you the full picture on Andrej.
The Basics:
Position: Shooting guard
College: Illinois Fighting Illini
Height: 6-foot-5 (measured at NBA Combine, down from 6-foot-7 on Illinois roster)
NBA bloodline: Son of Peja Stojaković (3x All-Star, 800+ NBA games)
The Strengths:
Basketball IQ. Andrej grew up around the game. His father was a superstar. He understands spacing, movement, and the nuances of NBA offense in a way that most prospects don’t.
Shooting potential. The bloodline matters. Peja was one of the best shooters of his generation. Andrej has the same mechanics, the same release, the same confidence. He didn’t shoot a ton of threes at Illinois, but when he did, he showed the ability to knock them down.
Size for position. Even at 6-foot-5, he’s big enough to play shooting guard in the NBA. He’s not a point guard. He’s not a small forward. But as a pure two-guard, the size is fine.
The Weaknesses:
Not an elite shooter (yet). This is the elephant in the room. Peja was automatic. Andrej is not. He was hesitant to shoot threes at Illinois. He didn’t create his own shot consistently. For a player whose entire value is tied to his jumper, that’s a problem.
Athletic limitations. Andrej is not a high-flyer. He’s not going to blow past defenders. He’s not going to posterize anyone. He’s a crafty, fundamental player — but in the modern NBA, athleticism matters.
Defensive questions. At 6-foot-5, he’s not big enough to guard most small forwards. At his athletic level, he’s not quick enough to guard most point guards. That leaves a limited defensive role.
The Peja Comparison: A Different Kind of Player
Let me address the comparison that everyone is going to make.
Peja Stojaković was 6-foot-10. He could shoot over anyone. He was a matchup nightmare. He finished fourth in MVP voting in 2004. He made three All-Star teams. He played 800+ NBA games.
Andrej Stojaković is 6-foot-5. He’s not a matchup nightmare. He’s not an MVP candidate. He’s not even a guaranteed first-round pick.
The only thing they share is a last name and a shooting stroke. But that shooting stroke might be enough.
Andrej has the mechanics. He has the form. He has the confidence. What he doesn’t have is the green light he needs. At Illinois, he played within a system that didn’t feature him as a primary scorer. In the NBA, if he gets drafted by the right team, he could be unleashed.
The Celtics’ Fit: Does He Belong in Boston?
Let me be honest about the fit.
The Celtics are trying to win a championship. Now. Not in three years. Not in five years. Now.
Andrej Stojaković is not a “win-now” player. He’s a project. He’s a guy who needs time to develop, to get stronger, to gain confidence, to adjust to the NBA three-point line.
But the Celtics have two top-40 picks. Not every pick has to be a contributor on day one. They can afford to take a swing on a player with upside — especially one with NBA bloodlines and shooting potential.
If Andrej is available at No. 38 (or wherever the Celtics pick in the second round), he’s absolutely worth a flier.
Here’s what his role could look like in Boston:
Year 1: Garbage time minutes. Practice squad. Work on his body and his shot. Learn from Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the veterans.
Year 2: Rotation minutes. Maybe 10-12 per game. Spot-up shooting opportunities. Defensive energy.
Year 3: Legitimate contributor. A poor man’s Duncan Robinson. A floor spacer who can knock down open threes and keep the offense moving.
That’s the ceiling. It’s not an All-Star ceiling. It’s a role-player ceiling. But role players are what championship teams are built on.
What Brad Stevens Sees
Let me try to get inside Brad Stevens’s head.
Stevens is a genius at finding value where others don’t see it. He drafted Payton Pritchard in the late first round when everyone thought he was too small. He traded for Derrick White when no one thought he was a star. He built a Finals team around two-way wings and smart role players.
What does he see in Andrej Stojaković?
The shooting mechanics. Stevens knows that shooting translates. If a guy has the right form and the right confidence, he can be a shooter in the NBA. Andrej has that.
The basketball IQ. Growing up around Peja means Andrej understands NBA spacing, NBA movement, NBA preparation. That’s not nothing. That’s actually huge.
The value. Andrej is likely a second-round pick. Second-round picks are cheap. They’re low-risk. If he doesn’t work out, you cut him and move on. If he does work out, you have a rotational shooter on a rookie contract for four years.
That’s the Brad Stevens special: low-risk, high-reward.
The Draft Workout Circuit
Let me give you some inside information on the Celtics’ pre-draft process.
According to team sources, the Celtics have already worked out Andrej Stojaković and one other top prospect. They have scheduled workouts for two more players before the June 23 draft.
That’s due diligence. That’s doing the homework. That’s Brad Stevens leaving no stone unturned.
The fact that Andrej was the first name on the workout list is notable. It doesn’t mean they’re going to draft him. But it means they’re interested. It means they want to see him up close. It means they think there’s something there.
The Second-Generation Curse and Blessing
Let me talk about NBA sons for a moment.
For every Stephen Curry (son of Dell), there’s a Patrick Ewing Jr. For every Klay Thompson (son of Mychal), there’s a Luke Walton (son of Bill).
The bloodline doesn’t guarantee success. But it does guarantee a certain level of understanding. Andrej knows what it takes. He’s been in NBA locker rooms. He’s watched his father prepare. He’s seen the work ethic required.
That matters.
It matters more than combine measurements. It matters more than college stats. It matters because the NBA is a mental game as much as a physical one. And Andrej has been training for this his entire life.
Final Verdict: Take the Swing
Here’s my honest take.
The Boston Celtics should draft Andrej Stojaković if he’s available with their second-round pick.
Not because he’s his father. Not because he’s a guaranteed star. Because he’s a low-risk, high-reward prospect who fills a need: shooting.
The Celtics need floor spacers. They need guys who can knock down open threes when Tatum and Brown draw double-teams. They need role players on cheap contracts.
Andrej Stojaković might never be a star. He might never start a game. But he could be a 10-year NBA veteran who shoots 38% from three and makes smart plays.
That’s worth a second-round pick.
Brad Stevens said the Celtics need to get better. That doesn’t mean only chasing stars. That means finding value everywhere — including the second round of the draft.
Andrej Stojaković is value.
One thing’s certain: The Celtics are doing their homework. And when Brad Stevens gets interested in a prospect, the rest of the league should pay attention.