Ohio State has a second commitment of the switch portal cycle and the day, securing a pledge from former Kentucky ahead Andrija Jelavic. The 6-foot-11, 225-pound Croatian will carry very important dimension {and professional} expertise to Columbus as head coach Jake Diebler continues to form the Buckeyes’ roster for the upcoming season.
Jelavic arrives to the Scarlet and Gray as a extremely regarded prospect within the school basketball panorama. Jelavic was a four-star prospect popping out of Croatia. He is presently ranked because the No. 115 total participant within the 2026 switch portal cycle and the No. 25 energy ahead within the nation.
Before making his option to the United States, Jelavic constructed a formidable resume within the European skilled leagues. Hailing from Zagreb, Croatia, he spent two seasons shining for Mega Superbet within the aggressive Adriatic League. During his time in Serbia, he proved to be a versatile power, averaging practically 11 factors and over seven rebounds per sport towards grown males. That skilled pedigree made him one of the crucial coveted worldwide prospects within the 2025 recruiting class, finally main him to initially signal with Mark Pope and the Wildcats.
During his lone 2025-26 marketing campaign in Lexington, Jelavic skilled the everyday rising pains of transitioning to the American school sport. He appeared in 32 video games, creating into a beginning ahead for Kentucky, averaging 5.5 factors and 4 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per contest. While the Wildcats closely utilized him as a perimeter floor-spacer, which led to a troublesome 27.6 % three-point capturing, Jelavic was extremely environment friendly contained in the arc. He shot a powerful 67.5 % on two-point discipline targets, showcasing his contact across the rim and effectiveness as a mid-post operator.
It is that this inside proficiency, passing skill and bodily rebounding that make Jelavic a perfect match for Ohio State. Moving to the grueling, extremely bodily surroundings of the Big Ten requires frontcourt gamers who are usually not afraid to bang within the paint, and Jelavic’s 6-foot-11 body and European professional expertise make him tailored for the problem. Under Diebler, the Buckeyes worth versatile bigs who can rebound aggressively, defend a number of positions and function effectively within the half-court.
Rather than forcing him to completely stand on the perimeter, Diebler’s offensive system will probably permit Jelavic to play to his true strengths. By using him within the mid-post, in pick-and-roll actions, and as an inside cutter, Ohio State can maximize his excessive basketball IQ, mobility, and ending skill.
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