2025 F Aleksa Vlajic Is Ready To Make A Statement Stateside
October 21, 2024 by Brian Flinn
Each year, a number of prospects from overseas head to Hoosac for a year of prep basketball before heading off to the college ranks. With more and more players looking to come to the states to pursue NIL opportunities as they develop, the talent level at the NEPSAC program is on the rise. One of the more heralded players to enroll at the Albany area program is Serbian big man Aleksa Vlajic. The 6-foot-9 forward scored around the basket and from beyond the arc at Northeast Preview last weekend, shortly after picking up his second scholarship off in the past month. He caught up with MADE during the showcase to discuss his transition to the states and where things currently stand.
“So far it’s been great. Being in Hoosick Falls, there’s not much to do besides play, my room is close to the gym so I basically sleep in there. With us being an International Sports Academy there are guys from so many different countries and cultures here so it’s been a great experience getting to know one another and I think our team chemistry is really strong already,” said Vlajic.
With a bevy of scholarship prospects on the team at seemingly every position, Hoosac is in a position to be very competitive this season and potentially build it’s resume as a premier landing spot for foreign prospects to come develop for a season or two before hitting the college ranks. The level of talent, competition, and development is what brought Vlajic to Hoosac and is also why he has high expectations for this coming season.
“I expect the most from us, I want to go to Nationals this year and I think if we can keep improving and keep building the team chemistry up that we will have a chance to win it all,” he said.
As far as his recruitment goes, Fordham and UT-Martin are the first two programs to extend offers to the skilled big man.
“It’s been great so far, the guys who have reached out so far have been pretty amazing people so the recruiting process is going good so far, I’m excited because it’s starting already and we’re not even into our season yet so I’m really just at the start of the whole process and focusing on winning this season,” Vlajic said.
Things will likely extend into the fall as Vlajic sorts through his college process and gets to know new suitors and well as continue to build relationships with both the UT-Martin and Fordham staff. If he does opt to play things out, he could be one of the best bigs on the MHC this season with 6th Boro Hoops. It will be interesting to see how this season goes for both Vlajic and Hoosac as a whole.