LEXINGTON — Even earlier than Andrija Jelavić arrived from abroad, Mark Pope made the expectations clear.
“He’s a vet,” Pope stated of the 6-foot-11 Croatian huge man final July. “He’s been playing against grown men, so he should bring a lot. And I think he’s a really good young man who’s been dreaming about this opportunity for a long time.
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“I anticipate him to return in right here and have a right away affect.”
And to an extent, Jelavić did simply that. At least early in Kentucky basketball‘s 2025-26 season. Before the calendar turned to 2026, Jelavić appeared in 11 of the Wildcats‘ 13 video games. He logged at the least 10 minutes in all however a kind of outings.
But cracks started to appear as UK hit all-time low.
Kentucky misplaced its first 4 marquee matchups (Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina and Gonzaga). While Jelavić performed nicely in limiting UNC celebrity freshman Caleb Wilson to a 5-of-19 capturing efficiency, the worldwide prospect was nowhere to be present in Kentucky’s come-from-behind win over Indiana on Dec. 13.
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After that overcome the Hoosiers, Pope downplayed Jelavić’s absence.
“I did really feel like there was house for Jela to be actually efficient on this recreation,” Pope said. “I truly felt prefer it made some sense. He’s our only publish participant, particularly on the 4, and this mucked-up recreation form of felt that way. But the sport simply form of instructed us the place to go, and the blokes responded fairly nicely. So, I anticipate Jela goes to assist us sooner or later, for positive.”
Not within the quick future, although.
One week later, Jelavić once more was glued to the bench as UK rallied to beat St. John’s in Atlanta. Though he briefly took the courtroom — for all of seven minutes — versus Bellarmine three days later, Jelavić did not play within the group’s SEC-opening loss to Alabama on Jan. 3.
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What do Andrija Jelavić’s numbers — advanced or otherwise — say about his play this season?
Nov 21, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Andrija Jelavic (4) celebrates after making a three point basket during the first half against the Loyola (MD) Greyhounds at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
Aside from his stellar defensive showing in frustrating Wilson, Jelavić has had other solid outings in 2025-26. He grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds versus Tennessee Tech — one of four occasions in which he’s pulled down at least five boards in a game. Jelavić has a pair of double-digit scoring performances and another with nine.
As of Jan. 4, he’s averaging 5.6 points and 4 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game. Per 40 minutes, Jelavić would post a double-double (15.4 points and 10.9 rebounds) every time he touched the floor. He’s also shot it well overall, knocking down 47.4% (27 for 57) of his field-goal attempts.
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Yet there are areas of adversity. Particularly his long-range shooting. Jelavić has made only six of his 27 attempts behind the 3-point line — a 22.2% conversion rate.
Advanced numbers treat him even harsher.
The analytics site EvanMiya.com tracks a stat called “Bayesian Performance Rating.” This metric assigns a determine to a participant’s general worth to a group whereas on the ground.
Among Kentucky’s 11 scholarship gamers with sufficient appearances to qualify (sophomore ahead Jayden Quaintance has but to achieve that threshold) this season, Jelavić’s Bayesian Performance Rating is the worst.
By a major margin.
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His BPR is negative-0.11; the subsequent closest on the group is sophomore ahead Trent Noah at 2.84.
Jelavić possesses the Wildcats’ lowest offensive BPR (negative-0.37) and defensive BPR (0.26).
It tracks, then, that Kentucky’s adjusted offensive efficiency (points scored per 100 minutes) and adjusted defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 minutes) also are at their worst when Jelavić is on the court, owning team-low figures in both departments.
Constituting arguably a team’s biggest liability on offense and defense isn’t a recipe for carving out a larger role. Which Jelavić has learned the hard way the past month.
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How can Andrija Jelavić turn around his season?
Kentucky forward Andrija Jelavic touches the top wall after misplacing a pass during Kentucky basketball Pro Day on Oct. 7, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; at Historic Memorial Coliseum.
So, his dreary advanced analytics notwithstanding, what will it take for Jelavić to work his way back into the rotation?
“At the 4, as he will get increasingly comfy with the tempo of the sport, I feel there is a house for him to actually assist us capturing the ball. I do,” Pope told reporters Dec. 30. “I feel he is a reasonably good playmaker. I feel there’s room for him. He has had some affect within the publish offensively.”
But as the numbers attest, Jelavić’s defense is holding him back.
“So a lot of the place the sport goes now’s taxing you to make decisive communication occur in actual time on the courtroom,” Pope said. “And in order that’s an area the place he is rising.
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“But he’s a good player, and there’s definitely room for him to help us.”
Reach Kentucky males’s basketball and soccer reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and comply with him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article initially appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky basketball’s Andrija Jelavic attempts to salvage season