Kentucky men’s basketball has shown a dramatic turnaround over the past month, and one key move by head coach Mark Pope appears to have sparked part of the resurgence.
Sophomore forward Andrija Jelavic was inserted into the starting lineup on Jan. 14 during a road game at LSU, and the Wildcats have won seven of eight games since that decision, including Saturday’s second-half comeback over Tennessee.
Jelavic, a 6-foot-11 forward from Croatia, has had a winding journey to regular playing time in his first college season. Early in the year, he was often an afterthought, sidelined for three of six games leading up to his first start. Pope recalled a conversation with Jelavic during that period, saying the forward understood the challenge. “’I get it. I knew what I was signing up for. This is how it goes,’” Pope remembered Jelavic saying.
Since becoming a starter, Jelavic has averaged 6.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game over eight contests. His shooting, especially from beyond the arc, has begun to click — he’s made seven 3-pointers in his starting stretch and is connecting on 42.1% from deep in SEC play. “The spacing is always important,” Jelavic said. “If they guard us from the inside, we can shoot. If they’re aggressive, we can slash, we can back door.
Jelavic has also grown more physical on the court, embracing the intensity needed for effective rebounding and defense. “The best players adapt to what the situation is,” he said. “It was ‘You’re either gonna hit guys, or you’re not gonna play.’ I’m getting used to hitting guys, and I’m working on it to hit them even harder.”
While there have been bumps — like a tough loss at Vanderbilt and an uneven defensive showing against Oklahoma — Jelavic’s improvement hasn’t gone unnoticed by his teammates. Junior forward Brandon Garrison highlighted Jelavic’s evolving physicality and confidence, and sophomore guard Collin Chandler pointed to Jelavic’s willingness to take shots without being prompted.
Jelavic’s prior professional experience in Europe helped him maintain a mature perspective during his early struggles. “Especially here, you’re as good as your last performance. I knew that the time was gonna come when I can prove that,” Jelavic said. “I knew that things could change overnight. And that’s what keeps me awake, what keeps me grinding.
The timing of Jelavic’s emergence has been critical, given Kentucky’s injury challenges. The Wildcats currently have only nine scholarship players available after long-term injuries sidelined junior guard Jaland Lowe, sophomore wing Kam Williams, and frontcourt player Jayden Quaintance. Pope has also preserved redshirt seasons for freshman forward Braydon Hawthorne and junior forward Reece Potter, making Jelavic’s contributions even more vital.
“We need him to continue to play strong, shoot with no fear,” said assistant coach Jason Hart.
As Kentucky heads into the final stretch of the season, Jelavic’s growth as a starter has been a stabilizing factor for a team navigating injuries and an evolving roster. His blend of size, shooting, and physicality gives the Wildcats a boost on both ends of the floor, and he’s poised to continue impacting games for the remainder of the season.
