Andrija Jelavić knows he's only scratching the surface of his potential at Kentucky

Andrija Jelavić is perfectly fine coming off the bench as he continues to find his footing as a college basketball player.

The 6-foot-11 forward out of Croatia has only been living in the United States for about four months now, but he’s no stranger to high-level hoops. Jelavić spent two years playing (and playing well) professionally in Serbia before making his way to the Bluegrass. That being said, there’s still been an obvious transition period (both on and off the court) for the 21-year-old college sophomore. He’s 11th on Kentucky’s roster in minutes per game at 14.2 as an off-the-bench piece.

That’s a position he’s comfortable with right now, considering he’s still making an impact whenever he does take the floor. He’s currently averaging 6.5 points and 3.7 rebounds on 50 percent shooting in limited action through six games. He went for 11 points and seven boards during the win over Eastern Illinois.

Just over the last month, he believes he’s been making real, tangible progress with his game that is only going to continue.

“I’m really comfortable coming off the bench,” Jelavić said on Tuesday. “I think I can be even better for this team, and I’ll be better because I really get better each day.“

For those who haven’t heard Jelavić talk in an interview setting, I would suggest you do so (and you can by clicking the video at the bottom of this article). He gives honest answers. He admitted it took some time for his shooting confidence to come around once he started playing in games. He was open about wanting to be a better rim protector. Defense wasn’t something he was focused on while playing in Serbia — but it sure is now, and he feels himself improving at it daily. He’s quick and agile enough for someone his size to be a positive on that end of the floor.

“Especially when I switch (onto) a guard, I feel like, one-on-one, no one can really score on me,” Jelavić said. “I feel really good laterally, I feel really good using my chest… But it’s not near the level I want it to be.“

Over the last few practices, running the floor has been a major focus of his game. Head coach Mark Pope called out Jelavić’s transition efforts after Friday’s blowout win over Loyola (MD), saying he would have to do 50 sprints after Saturday’s practice for his poor effort in that area. Jelavić confirmed he did run those sprints, also acknowledging the importance of rim-running and why it’s being coached to him.

“That’s where easy points come from and that’s where I make good spacing for my teammates,” he added. Of note, Jelavić is scoring a third (33.3 percent) of his points on fast breaks this season, per CBB Analytics, which ranks him in the 96th percentile among all college players. Pope knows that — the practice sprints were to make sure Jelavić doesn’t lose sight of that trait.

There are plenty of fans who want to see more Jelavić minutes — this writer included. He’s only hit 20 minutes in a game once this season. Outside of the loss to Michigan State, he’s contributed in every game for the ‘Cats. His skill set is a unique one on this deep Kentucky roster. He’s not afraid to come in and get up shots or battle for rebounds.

“He can stretch the floor, he knows how to pass, he knows how to play,” Sophomore Trent Noah said of Jelavić. “Being out there with him, there’s more gravity brought to him. It makes it easier for driving lanes to open up, or making a cut and being there for the catch.”

It’s clear that Pope still wants to see more from Jelavić before feeding him additional playing time; we just don’t know exactly what that is right now. But Jelavić firmly believes his game is only getting better every day. His moment will come eventually, and he’s comfortable waiting for it while still helping his team along the way.

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