Indiana is the quintessential state when it comes to basketball. Gabriel Pozzato told us how a year in the remote Evansville earned him a call from Xavier. In the global explosion of recruiting, a promising Serbian guard — Aleksa Ristic — has arrived in Bloomington, home of the Indiana Hoosiers. We spoke with him about his first months with coach Darian DeVries and about the recently concluded U20 European Championship, where his Serbia faced off against Italy, the eventual winners.
Let’s start with your last season with Dynamic VIP PAY. Was very positive: tell us the significant moment’s of your season and how is went individually your season?
Yes last season went really good i had a big role in my team which i did pretty good a lot of hard games and a lot of practises with grown people definently improved my game and built up my confidence , as time went by it was easier and easier to play
Which role do you have in your team? You was the go-to-guy? The main ball handler? What your coach ask to do in the field?
I was the main guy on the ball the coach wanted from me to just be agresive and make the best oprotunities for my teammates and myself and to just speed up the game
So you play fast, a game style that you will find in the US. When and how did the idea of moving to the United States to play in the NCAA come about? Was there a particular episode that made you take this decision?
In the middle of the season i started getting some offers and to be honest I didn’t know that much about ncaa basketball as soon as i got in the loop about everything, the way they play how they practise the atmosphere of the games the room for improvment i knew it was something I wanted.
Let’s talk about your recruit: an you tell us how your recruiting process developed? Which other teams contacted you, and how Indiana take the lead in your mind.
I was in contact with a copule of teams in the process and i was just looking for the place where i fit the best where i can play my game and develop in the process and that is where indiana filled all the spots
Can you tell us which team contacts you?
Oregon was the first team that contact me. Therefore, I’m in contact with Georgia Tech, Minnesota, Stanford and some others that my agents talked to. I visited too Oregon and Georgia Tech.
How was going that visit? What this teams scheduled for you?
I mean basicly showing me everything they have the facilities the campus the academic part getting to meet the teams the coaches i had some pictures taken just to get the whole view of US basketball.
And why Indiana convince you more of this two teams? How the coaching stuff convince you?
After a lot of talking with my agents and the coaches i saw that that indiana is the best fit and that its the place for me
How was your first contact with coach Darian DeVries? What kind of coach does he seem to be, and what impression did he make on you both as a person and as a coach.
The whole conversation with coach was really nice i can tell he is a good guy and thats the exact thing i heard about him and i tried to hear and study as much as possible about how he likes his team to play and i can see i fit in his system.
DeVries always focused on guard his team, playing balanced and paced offense. Do you think you could run the offense as offensive initator or Indiana has other ideas to develop you?
Im going to do whatever the team needs me to do im here to help the team
How do you plan to adapt your game to the style and pace of college basketball? Is there any particular aspect you want to work on?
It’s definently going to take some work for me to adapt to ncaa speed i would say im physicaly ready im going to work a lot on my body to get as fast as i can so that i can be defencivly as best as i can so that i will be the full package. The defense can always get better.
What’s your expectations for your first NCAA season, especially individually?
Im hoping to play as much as i can im going to train hard build some chemistry with the team and adapt before the season stars and then we will see.
You already talk to him about it?
Coach has a plan with me for sure. Not too much we will talk more when i come yes im doing U20 tournament and as soon as i finish that im going to bloomington.
Indiana guard Aleksa Ristic has officially arrived in Bloomington, and he posted some pictures via his Instagram. #iubb pic.twitter.com/otm3GhEYXK
— Zach Browning (@ZachBrowning17) August 2, 2025
How did you perform individually at the European Championship?
Im proud of myself how i played i came back from injury right before i definently could have been a lot better in the game against italy and France but i gave it my all. We missed energy against italy we couldnt run anymore and do our thing anymore thats why i think we lost. Italy deserved it in the final they played perfectly i just think we could have gave them more trouble in the semi finals.
Have you already had the chance to talk with other Serbian players who will do the same NCAA basketball’s experience, like Filip Jovic? Do you talk about it?
Yes i talked a lot with Filip both of us are really exited for this and both of us agree that ncaa is the best place for us. The goal is having Auburn-Indiana at March Madness
You two talk togheter during the recruiting process? Do you give or receive any advice while you was talking with team?
We mostly talked after the recruting thats when we got in touch more and just talking about how we are going to fit in the US.
Indiana is famous for its passionate fans: you already do an interview with Indiana newspaper, you know how important basketball is there and how much you like the idea to go in place who breathe basketball?
I love that about indiana i live basketball and im going to love the place where the fans do too.
Looking to the future, do you plan to stay in US and NCAA for multi years? What would you like to have accomplished by the end of your NCAA experience.
Im looking to stay the 4 years and then see what opens after that. I mean nba is the dream.
