Former Purdue basketball standout and Daniels School alumnus Sasha Stefanovic drew up a game plan for his life after graduation, and he’s executing it perfectly.
It began with the four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree earning an undergraduate degree in finance in 2021, followed by a master’s degree in human resource management in 2022. And those are only two of the giant leaps Stefanovic has made during his time at Purdue, which he describes as his “dream school.”
“I wanted to do different things in the business world, so human resources was a great choice for me. It fits what I want to do now and in the future and has given me a lot of tools and flexibility to pursue things outside of the classroom.”
After redshirting his first year, Stefanovic appeared in every game during the 2018-19 season, showcasing his sharpshooting skills from three-point range. He played his way into the starting lineup by his junior season and stayed there, becoming a fan favorite and team leader.
With a full year of eligibility left after picking up his bachelor’s degree, Stefanovic chose to continue his education in the Daniels School’s Online MS in Human Resource Management (MSHRM) program.
“Besides developing as a player, one of the benefits of redshirting as a freshman is the opportunity to work on a graduate degree when you’re finished with undergraduate,” he says. “I thought about a residential program, but an online degree was the best option for me from a timing and scheduling standpoint.”
Instead of continuing his studies in finance, Stefanovic chose to pursue a degree from one of the school’s other outstanding MS programs. “I wanted to do different things in the business world, so human resources was a great choice for me,” he says. “It fits what I want to do now and in the future and has given me a lot of tools and flexibility to pursue things outside of the classroom.”
Stefanovic’s favorite class focused on talent management and acquisition. “I found it to be very unique and applicable to what I want to do in my post-basketball career,” he says. “It’s beneficial to know how to recruit and train people to be successful and have the organization's ultimate goals in mind.”
After completing his master’s, Stefanovic wanted a taste of playing professional basketball. He joined the San Antonio Spurs for its summer league, and had tryouts with a half dozen other NBA teams before taking the court in Greece with Kolossos Rhodes. He followed that with a stint in his parent’s homeland, Serbia, where he played with the Mega MIS basketball club. After nearly a year overseas, however, Stefanovic was ready for a change.
“Everyone simply burns out at some point,” he says. “I was in Kolossos and I really enjoyed it there, then I was in Mega for three months and it was hard for me because there wasn’t the love that I had when I was growing up. It wasn’t the same. I enjoyed every minute of the experience, but I was tired of the grind where you’re working on yourself constantly and in the gym every day.”
It was during this time that Stefanovic reached out to his former coach, Matt Painter, for advice on his next move. With his mentor’s encouragement, he was soon welcomed back to Purdue men’s basketball as a graduate assistant before taking the full-time position of director of player personnel in May 2023.
“I love everything about absorbing new information, learning new things, and being surrounded by quality people,” Stefanovic says. “The opportunity to be part of the coaching staff at Purdue came at the right time and was a combination of everything I learned on and off the court.”
In his new role, Stefanovic assists with play-calling, implementing new offensive sets, creating game plans, and recruiting, among other responsibilities. “Something that’s directly translated from my business education has been the focus on managing people in different roles from different backgrounds,” he says. “I try to adapt my leadership and coaching style to complement each player.”
While Stefanovic is undecided if coaching is in his long-term plans, he’s ready for every opportunity, whether that’s on the sidelines or the front office. “I always strive to become the best person I can be, which means I give my absolute 100 percent in whatever I do,” he says. “I am passionate about business and sports, and hopefully those two will cross paths in my career.”
