When the Field of 68 college basketball tour stopped in Lexington, all eyes were on the big-name transfers and returning players for Mark Pope's Wildcats. But after the whistles blew and practice ended, it was a lesser-known international prospect who had the experts buzzing.
An unexpected standout
Rob Dauster, a veteran analyst and founder of Field of 68, singled out Croatian forward Andrija Jelavic as the day's biggest surprise.
"After sitting here and watching practice, the guy that stood out to me that I was not expecting was Jelavic," Dauster said on their live broadcast. "He is bigger than I thought he was, he can shoot it better than I realized. Got a little bit of an Andrew Carr vibe."
Jelavic, who played professionally in the Adriatic League, brings a unique skill set to the Kentucky frontcourt. He will be a great passer of the ball and be able to step out and hit a jumper. Something that really helped Kentucky last year when Carr was able to make shots. Otega Oweh explained the different dynamic Jelavic provides to the team to the more physical energy Mo Dioubate brings.
The 'smooth' x-factor off the bench
"I kind of feel like that's what Coach Pope was looking for," Oweh responded. "We have two opposite kinds of players with Mo Dioubate and Jela, that's what we call him. Mo is kind of dominant, make his presence known. But Jela, he is kind of smooth."
That "smooth" offensive game could be a massive X-factor for the Wildcats. Last season, Kentucky often struggled to find consistent scoring from its bench, an issue magnified by injuries. Jelavic, with his professional experience and ability to stretch the floor, has the potential to be a difference-maker off the bench, providing an instant scoring boost whenever the offense stagnates. He may not have arrived with the most hype, but Andrija Jelavic is quickly proving he could be one of the most important pieces of the puzzle.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoyes downtime with his family and Premier League soccer.You can find him on X here.Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion