Catching up with Stefan Jovanovic
The learning never stops – on the court and in the classroom — for Stefan Jovanovic. It is why he is ready to take a step up – on the court and in the classroom – this season for the University of Hawai’i basketball team.
The 6-foot-11 junior center is now considered one of the veteran players for the Warriors, and it is a role he is ready to embrace.
“You can feel the difference between freshman, sophomore and junior year,” Jovanovic said. “The responsibility and everything, growing. Definitely, I think teammates, the freshmen look up to you a little bit more; respect you and all that. I think my role as a junior is much bigger than my role last year as a sophomore.”
Jovanovic was a key reserve last season, averaging 5.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. “My role as a junior, I see myself as someone who is going to be a post scorer, rebounder, assists from the post, what ever I can do to help my team. Shot blocker, what ever is necessary.”
Jovanovic and the other Warriors have been going through preseason workouts for nearly a month now, in preparation for the start of official practices on October 2.
“At this point, it’s like every other team – we need to get into the structure, and we need to start playing with more control, get more confident with each other,” he said. “For right now, in my opinion, it looks pretty good for the point of the year where it is.”
Jovanovic is also making strides toward his academic goals. He has already been accepted into UH’s Shidler College of Business, and is aiming to graduate after the Spring 2017 semester.
Jovanovic is originally from Serbia, and he spent several weeks there with his family over the summer. “It was really a relaxing period (and) obviously I worked out,” he said.
I give Jovanovic so much credit. He’s a solid ball player, a true team player, humble, and a high GPA student. To be able to be all those things while being thousands of miles away from home at such a young age tells me he has a very bright future – in basketball and beyond.
Stef, Janks, Aaron, Mike , Rod, Q, Isaac F., Dyrbe, Brocke, Zach, Niko, 11 Warriors, who are very high character guys, good students, and young people.
Past going on 3 years, and for Dyrbe, Quincy, and Aaron, 4 years. .. those guys are focused..
Stef Jovanovich will be alright.. The Education, being on scholarship, away from home,.. Mature, young man.. very proud of him
He will do very well !!
Stef was named Scholar of the Year at the basketball awards banquet.
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For the doubters, Eran’s contract is close to being completed, per SA. Ganot, his agent, Matlin, HR, UH Legal and HGEA have to agree on the language. Barring any other ? delays the lack of a contract can’t be used by the doubters as a talking point against UH, like saying the delay is because of the NCAA hearings.
Jovanovic was the only UH basketball player named Big West Academic All-Conference, 2014-15 ( Wahine had four, Harris,King,Mason and Wimbley).
http://hawaiiathletics.com/news/2015/6/30/GEN_0630155623.aspx?path=gen
A true student-athlete and it looks like he is one of many on the team this year. With the lack of depth for bigs Jovanovic really need to step up his game this year. Like he said in video the younger guys now looking up to him as a junior.
Your all-in with max effort consistently had turned you into an outstanding scholar-athlete.
This breakout season will proven the doubters under-rated our most improved BIG(s) !
Can’t wait to see how well you can “DANCE” next March !
“Nice set of Guns, Stef…someone has been eating their Wheaties!”
islandman true: however HAS GANOT SIGNED CONTRACT YET?
just joking.. hope the best for team.. it will be hard for few years because of ncaa mess..
hope that gets resolved.. and UH can get some 3 or 4 star recruits wherever they may be found !
And Stef, I hope he weighs about 250 of muscle.. you all say doesn’t matter,.. just ask NWC.. AV.. MT.. they were getting whipped and bust up.. because they were lean, however not strong..
Stefan, Jovanovich.. will be good !!
Go Bows. !!
🙂
UHFanz-What are you talking about? Sure Valdes got pushed around a bit and NWC but they were playing out of position too. MT was stronger but also didn’t have enough experience still at the post it seems. NWC was built and Valdes led the team on the boards from a guard/Wing spot. I wouldn’t be calling them out as not being strong enough, that wasn’t what lost games for us. In the BWC tourney it was the soft play of our posts not bing strong mentally and physically that didn’t help. Sorry had to say it. The kids are great but have to get tougher mentally when it counts. That’s all.
Gotten bigger, stronger, faster, shooting better… by this November ;
So that this TEAM can be the most improved, efficient one in 2015-16 season !?
n2o4joy
Love how realistice Stefan is too..knows UH has to get on board, get better, be better.. says Sai, Sheriff, and Jakob bring that good outside shooting.. should help open up offense to basket for Bigs, MT, Janks and Jovanovich..
Always liked Stefan Jovanovich.. remember, some were saying He Ain’t that good? He , this Junior, year.. is very BB smart.. he Will be Better, Much Better
Go Bows Warriors !
🙂