Xavier Basketball Jovan Milicevic: Xavier’s “Smooth” Forward Builds on a Breakout Season With Bigger Opportunities Ahead

Position: Forward Height: 6-foot-10 Weight: 241 pounds Class: Junior Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada High School: Dream City Christian Current Team: Xavier Musketeers Previous School: New Mexico Jersey Number: 24 Nickname: Smooth Born: May 10, 2005

Jovan Milicevic enters his junior season with an established place in Xavier’s offense and evidence that his game is still expanding. After beginning his college career in a supporting role at New Mexico, the Toronto native emerged as the Musketeers’ second-leading scorer in 2025–26.

His combination of frontcourt size and perimeter shooting creates intriguing possibilities for Xavier. At 6-foot-10 and 241 pounds, Milicevic can draw defensive attention away from the basket, while his strongest performances suggest room to become a more complete offensive contributor.

The Past: International Experience and an Early Connection With Richard Pitino

Milicevic’s basketball background includes experience representing Canada before he reached college. A Serbian and Canadian dual citizen, he competed for Canada at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup in Spain, averaging 6.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.

A product of Dream City Christian, Milicevic began his college career at New Mexico under Richard Pitino during the 2024–25 season.

He appeared in 34 games, made three starts, and averaged 3.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game. Although his opportunities were limited, his shooting stood out: Milicevic made 27 of 59 three-point attempts, connecting at a 45.8 percent rate.

That efficiency came on a modest number of attempts, but it provided an early indication of his potential as a forward who could stretch the floor.

His most productive freshman performance came against Western New Mexico on December 14. Milicevic scored 21 points, collected six rebounds, and added four assists and three steals. He made eight of 11 shots, including three of four from beyond the arc, earning Mountain West Freshman of the Week honors.

That game offered a glimpse of the broader offensive contributions he would later make at Xavier.

The Present: A Breakout Season With the Musketeers

Milicevic’s move to Xavier continued his relationship with Pitino and brought a substantial increase in responsibility.

During the 2025–26 season, he averaged 12.4 points, ranking second on the team. He scored in double figures 22 times, including 14 of the final 17 games, and finished seventh in the Big East with 2.0 made three-pointers per game.

His production developed early. After leading Xavier with 15 points at Iowa on November 14, he scored 20 against Old Dominion, 19 against Georgia, and 21 against West Virginia. Against the Mountaineers, he connected on five of eight three-point attempts.

Those performances helped earn him Big East Honor Roll recognition on November 24. Across the Old Dominion, Georgia, and West Virginia games, he averaged 20.0 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 56.0 percent from three-point range.

His effectiveness continued into conference play. Milicevic scored 22 points in a January victory over Providence, making eight of 12 field-goal attempts and four of five three-pointers while adding eight rebounds.

On February 14, he established a collegiate career high with 23 points against Marquette, fueled by five three-pointers on seven attempts. That performance helped produce his second Big East Honor Roll selection.

Three days later, he scored 20 points against Villanova while setting career highs with nine rebounds, five assists, and three blocks.

Milicevic also finished the season with notable scoring performances, delivering 21 points at Villanova in the regular-season finale and another 21 in Xavier’s Big East Tournament victory over Marquette.

His Strengths: Shooting That Changes Frontcourt Matchups

Milicevic’s most distinctive offensive asset is his ability to shoot from long range at his size.

A forward who consistently threatens from the perimeter can force opposing big men to defend farther from the basket. That creates potential room for driving guards and interior scorers, giving Xavier additional ways to organize its offense.

His performances against West Virginia, Providence, and Marquette demonstrate how quickly that shooting can become a major factor. Each opponent faced a night when Milicevic converted at least four three-pointers.

His increased scoring consistency is equally significant. Reaching double figures in 14 of his final 17 games suggests he became a more dependable offensive option as his sophomore season progressed.

The Villanova performance in February also showed his potential beyond shooting. Nine rebounds, five assists, and three blocks accompanied his 20 points, illustrating the range of contributions he can make when different parts of his game come together.

One performance does not establish season-long consistency in those areas. It does, however, provide a useful example of what further development could look like.

Personal Goals and Future: Becoming a Complete Offensive Threat

Milicevic’s supplied biography does not outline his personal goals. Based on his progression, a logical next step is to build a more complete game around his established shooting ability.

Opponents now have a full season of Xavier film showing the damage he can do from beyond the arc. They may respond by closing out more aggressively or assigning defenders who can stay closer to him on the perimeter.

Making effective decisions against that pressure could be central to his growth. Attacking an opening, finding a cutting teammate, or moving the ball quickly would help him keep possessions productive when an immediate shot is unavailable.

More consistent rebounding and defense would also strengthen his value. His size gives him opportunities to contribute around the basket, while disciplined positioning can help him remain effective against different lineups.

As a junior, Milicevic has room to build on an already meaningful college résumé. His combination of size and shooting could attract professional interest over time, but that outlook will depend on continued development, particularly in defense, decision-making, and overall consistency.

Team Goals: Turning Familiarity Into Leadership

Milicevic brings Xavier something valuable alongside his scoring: experience playing in Pitino’s system at both New Mexico and Xavier.

That familiarity could help him take on greater responsibility as the Musketeers establish their rotation and integrate teammates. Leadership can emerge through communication, preparation, and reliable execution as well as scoring.

His offensive fit offers several possibilities. Playing alongside an interior scorer such as Mike Nwoko could require opponents to choose between protecting the paint and staying attached to Milicevic. Sharing the floor with Ruben Dominguez could give Xavier shooting threats at multiple positions.

Those combinations will depend on defensive balance and how effectively the players work together.

Competing in the Big East and pursuing an NCAA Tournament berth provide reasonable benchmarks for the season. Milicevic can help Xavier move toward those outcomes by maintaining his scoring production while becoming more dependable in the possessions when he does not take the shot.

Conclusion

Jovan Milicevic has already made a significant leap, growing from a reserve at New Mexico into Xavier’s second-leading scorer. His sophomore season established his ability to produce against Big East opponents and deliver in meaningful late-season games.

The next opportunity is to make his impact more complete. If Milicevic pairs his perimeter shooting with steadier rebounding, defensive execution, and playmaking, “Smooth” could become an even more influential part of Xavier’s offense and its pursuit of postseason success.