Mark Pope offers optimistic update on Kentucky signee Andrija Jelavic

With the Wildcats midway through their summer practice workouts, Big Blue Nation is getting a little antsy about the status of one Kentucky signee who has yet to join the team.

On Monday, UK head coach Mark Pope attempted to ease fans’ concerns that Croatian forward Andrija Jelavic might be developing into another protracted Zvonimir Ivisic situation.

“The status right now is that we got transcripts,” Pope said Monday during a summer Q&A session at the Craft Center. “He just finished classes, which is awesome, so we have transcripts, and that part of the process is complete. Now, it’s going through the rest of it.”

Jelavic just completed his academic work in Croatia. While that went well, he would not be able to join the Cats immediately due to NCAA rules requiring players to be enrolled in summer courses in order to work out with the team.

When Jelavic enrolls for the fall semester, he can join UK on the practice floor.

“We’d like to get him here as soon as possible,” Pope said. “He’s doing great. He’s training back home. I expect him to come in and have a great impact.”

Jelavic, a highly skilled 6-foot-11 forward, averaged close to 12 points and eight rebounds per game this season in the ABA League. He is known as a good perimeter shooter who should be a nice fit in Pope’s system at Kentucky.

“He’s a vet,” Pope said of the 21-year-old Jelavic. “He’s been playing against grown men, so he should bring a lot. And, also, I think he’s a really good young man who’s been dreaming about this opportunity for a long time, and I expect him to come in here and have an immediate impact.”

Jelavic (pronounced YEL-uh-vich) is one of 10 new players that Kentucky will have on a roster that many college basketball observers will be national title contender in 2025-26.