2025-26 IU basketball player profile: Andrej Acimovic

With the start of college basketball season approaching, 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 begin with freshman Andrej Acimovic.

The final addition to IU basketball’s 2025-26 roster, Andrej Acimovic was announced as a Hoosier in late July.

A native of Bijeljina, Bosnia, Acimovic is a 6-foot-10, 240-pound center who didn’t arrive on campus in Bloomington until August.

He wasn’t present for the program’s three-game trip to Puerto Rico and has ground to make up in terms of learning the ins and outs of college basketball.

As the team’s 13th scholarship player, Acimovic is expected to provide depth behind upperclassmen Reed Bailey and Sam Alexis. It will be a surprise if he plays a meaningful on-court role for the Hoosiers this season and is viewed as a longer-term development piece.

“Andrej is a talented big man that we are excited to get in our program and develop,” Darian DeVries said in a release in late July when the program announced his signing. “He has good size and is able to score the basketball in different ways. He is strong on the glass and has good defensive instincts and timing when blocking shots.”

Before he arrived in Bloomington, Acimovic played in the U19 ABA League, which includes teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia.

In the U19 ABA League, Acimovic averaged 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

The Bosnian big man also played in a senior-level league where he averaged 17.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 blocked shots while shooting 65.3 percent from the field and 39 percent from the free-throw line.

Acimovic also spent time as a member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina U16 and U18 national teams.

At last week’s open practice in Bloomington and the brief Cream and Crimson scrimmage, Acimovic spent his time with the second team and the scout team.

He seems to have a soft shooting touch with strong mechanics and is a willing passer. His statistical contributions in the 18+ minute scrimmage were minimal. In the open practice, he competed hard but is still adjusting to the speed and physicality of the college game.

In a brief media session last Tuesday, Acimovic said that adding strength and weight will be an important part of his development.

“I think it’s very important,” Acimovic explained. “If you are not strong, I think you cannot play here. I think I need to get strong. My goal for here is to get to 250 or 255 pounds. I think that’s probably my perfect weight here and to be able to run and everything.”

Looking at the IU frontcourt rotation this season, particularly at the five, the majority of the minutes will be taken by Bailey, an All-A10 first team selection at Davidson and Alexis, who played for Florida last winter. North Florida transfer Josh Harris will also provide depth when he returns from injury.

Acimovic will give the Hoosiers a big body to utilize with the scout team and in practice, but is likely at least a year away from earning rotation minutes.

Bottom line: After the NCAA denied waivers for Anthony Leal and Luke Goode for another season of eligibility, the IU coaching staff went out and added Aleska Ristic and Acimovic to bolster the depth on the roster. This season will be used for Acimovic to adjust to college basketball and develop his body. He has solid ball skills and good instincts as a passer and could be a big man who can stretch the floor down the line.

Quotable: “I think it’s a great place to develop my skills. It was always like a dream to play in the United States as a kid.” – Acimovic on his decision to attend IU.

(Photo credit: IU Athletics)

See More: Commentary, 2025-26 season preview, Andrej Acimovic