As the start of the college basketball season approaches, we’ve transitioned from our look at other Big Ten programs to our player-by-player previews of the 2025-26 IU basketball roster.
Today our player profiles continue with freshman Aleksa Ristic.
Earlier: Andrej Acimovic, Trent Sisley
In mid-June, Serbian native Aleksa Ristic will be added to the IU basketball roster, arriving in Bloomington with the potential to contribute for the Hoosiers as a freshman.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound guard committed to the Hoosiers on June 16 and was officially announced as an addition to the roster on July 8.
“Aleksa is a versatile guard who can play with or without the ball,” IU coach Darian DeVries said in a news release announcing Ristic’s signing. “He is a competitive kid who has a lot of experience playing in FIBA events. We believe he has the ability to handle the basketball and make plays in the pick-and-roll, while also being an efficient shooter who will add tremendous depth to our backcourt.”
Twenty-year-old Ristic played three seasons for KK Dynamic in the Serbian KSL, the highest league in his native country.
Last season for KK Dynamic, Ristic averaged 13.6 points, 4.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals over 19 games.
Although Ristic committed to the Hoosiers in mid-summer, his arrival in Bloomington was postponed until the end of July. He spent most of that month playing for Serbia in the FIBA U20 Eurobasket in Heraklion, Greece.
Serbia finished with a 5–2 record in the event, and Ristic averaged 11.3 points, 6.3 assists, 1.9 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 2.4 turnovers in 32.1 minutes per game. He shot 33.8 percent from the field, 22.5 percent on 3s and 85.7 percent on free throws.
Shortly after arriving at IU, Ristic made the trip with the Hoosiers to Puerto Rico for three exhibition games in early August.
Despite having little time to work with his teammates or learn the scheme, Ristic made a positive contribution. He averaged 4.3 points, three assists, 2.7 rebounds, two turnovers and a steal in 17.5 minutes per game.
Ristic shot 46.2 percent from the field, including 55.6 percent on 2s and 25 percent on 3s.
While the Hoosiers prepare for the start of the regular season in less than a month, Ristic’s status for the start of the regular season is unclear.
He did not participate in IU’s open practice or cream and crimson scrimmage last week due to an undisclosed foot injury. Ristic had a boot on his foot and has been using a scooter to get around in recent weeks.
Although he did not shoot the ball well from outside during the FIBA U20 Eurobasket or during IU’s trip to Puerto Rico, perimeter shooting is considered a strength for Ristic. Last season he shot 38.6 percent from distance for KK Dynamic.
Ristic has posted strong assist numbers throughout his career and should be able to play at either guard spot for the Hoosiers once he returns to the floor.
On a roster that needs more guard behind Tayton Conerway, Lamar Wilkerson and Conor Enright, Ristic will compete for minutes off the bench against Jason Drake, who is also currently injured.
In short: His injury status remains a question mark, but Ristic appeared to contribute with his play in Puerto Rico. He has good size and a solid frame for a guard and has a lot of experience playing against older and more physical players in Serbia. He will have to shoot the ball better from the perimeter than he did over the summer to claim a rotational role, but he appears to be a quality addition for the IU coaching staff to round out the 2025-26 roster.
Quotable: “Ristic put together a strong season for KK Dymanic, with ultra-efficient splits and a strong assist-to-turnover ratio. Aleksa is a very strong, efficient lead guard who has emerged as one of the better shooters in Serbia, shooting over 42 percent from 3 last summer in the U20s. Indiana lands a great shooter in the 19-year-old guard.” – International scout Arman Jovic at Ristic in mid-June.
(Photo credit: IU Athletics)
See more: Commentary, 2025-2026 Season Preview, Aleksa Ristic
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