Illinois may have one of the most imposing frontcourts in the country again, but Brad Underwood isn’t interested in the hype.
The Illini are bringing back David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic and Zvonimir Ivisic for 2026-27, a group that looks even more dangerous now that each player is another year into his development. Last season’s version already gave Illinois a rare blend of size, skill and fit. This one could be even better.
Still, Underwood made it clear Tuesday that talent alone won’t be enough.
“We got to get better,” Underwood said of his frontcourt in a Tuesday media session. “I think that’s the biggest thing.
We should be an elite shot-blocking team. We have got great size.
We’re bigger than we were last year. We’ve got to find the 'aggressive button' a little more when it comes to being in some passing lanes.
“But most importantly, protecting the rim and blocking some shots. I think that this team can be very good in that area.
I think that it goes hand in hand with we’ve got to become an elite defensive rebounding team so we can get out and run. But I love our size.
And we’re just trying to tweak and change a few things. More in mentality, and, yes, some in scheme.
But defensively, I think we’ve got a chance to be really special.”
What stood out in that answer was what he didn’t mention. Underwood didn’t talk about offense at all, which says plenty about how comfortable Illinois feels with what this group can do on that end.
Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic are among the most skilled offensive bigs in the nation, and likely the most dynamic pairing on the same team. Zvonimir Ivisic adds a lob threat and can stretch the floor, even if he struggled from 3-point range in 2025-26.
The bigger question is what happens on the other end. Mirkovic finished the season stronger defensively, especially during the NCAA Tournament, but he didn’t bring that level every night.
Tomislav Ivisic could drift on that side when his offensive role wasn’t flowing. Zvonimir Ivisic, meanwhile, was the best rim protector of the three and showed real range as a defender, even when switched onto guards.
Illinois also has room to clean up its work on the glass. The Illini were still near the top of the national rebounding margin leaderboard, but their defensive rebounding rate ranked No. 27 in the country.
That’s good. It’s not good enough for a team with this much size.
Underwood wants more force, more edge and more disruption.
“Aggressiveness,” Underwood said of the improvement he wants to see. “I think it’s still kind of the same concepts we’ve had.
But we’ve just got to do it with more assertion, with more tenacity, with more emphasis on my part in terms of trying to create a steal or two and blocking more shots. And Z was one of the top [shot blockers] in the country, but it can’t just be him.
It has got to be everybody.”
In Other News...
Illinois Just Made A Season Defining Bet On Its Offense
Illinois is making a clear offensive gamble as it heads into the season, leaning on a quarterback change to keep its momentum going in a Big Ten race that rarely leaves much room for error. The move puts the spotlight on a passer whose path has already included a tough start at Michigan State and a much more productive stretch at East Carolina, giving Illinois a player with both baggage and upside as it tries to stay relevant in the conference picture.
What makes the bet so interesting is how much of the season now seems tied to whether that version of the quarterback shows up again. Illinois does not need a mystery solved in September so much as a steady answer at the most important position, and the difference between a functional offense and something more dangerous could come down to whether he can carry over what worked before while adapting quickly to a new setting. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Women Are Letting Fans Inside A Program On The Rise
Illinois womens basketball is spending the offseason with an eye on continuity, and Shauna Green has a roster that gives her plenty of reason to be optimistic heading toward the 2026-27 season. After a successful year, the Illini are bringing back more than 90% of last seasons team, with Berry Wallace, Destiny Jackson and Cearah Parchment among the key pieces expected to keep the program moving forward.
The program is also opening a window for fans to see how that next step is taking shape. Illinois has rolled out a multi-part summer documentary series called Falling Into Place, giving a behind-the-scenes look at offseason work and the new faces settling in around the group, a move that fits the way this team seems intent on making its rise feel a little more public as it builds toward what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
David Mirkovic Made An Offseason Choice Illinois Fans Need To See
Illinois spent plenty of the offseason looking for reasons to believe in its frontcourt, and freshman big man David Mirkovic has given the staff one of the clearest ones yet. Brad Underwood said Mirkovic chose to stay in Champaign rather than play for Montenegro this summer, giving him a chance to spend the offseason training with the Illini and working through the kind of strength and conditioning program that can change a players trajectory before year two even begins.
Underwood pointed to the work with Adam Fletcher as a major part of that growth, noting the gains in body composition, strength, athleticism and confidence that come with uninterrupted time in the program. The bigger takeaway for Illinois, though, is the belief behind it all: Underwood expects Mirkovic to be one of the top players in college basketball next season, a lofty standard that says plenty about how quickly the freshman has started to earn trust inside the building. [Read more 🡒]