Illinois’ frontcourt has plenty of firepower entering 2026-27, and Zvonimir Ivisic is a huge part of why. The 7-foot-2, 250-pound forward out of Vodice, Croatia, brings a rare blend of size, timing and touch that makes him one of the more intriguing pieces on the roster.
Ivisic’s calling card starts with his physical tools. His wingspan is enormous, and he plays bigger than a typical 7-footer because he gets off the floor so fast.
That quick rise gives him a major edge as a shot-blocker, especially when he’s waiting for an opponent’s release before going up to contest. It lets him erase shots without gambling much, and that’s a big reason he can pile up blocks at such a high rate.
He’s also dangerous as a help defender. Around the rim, he is a high-level protector, and even when he gets switched onto a perimeter player, he usually holds his own well enough. Illinois won’t want him chasing wings around the floor, but he’s not a helpless target out there either.
Offensively, Ivisic brings a profile that doesn’t look normal even by college basketball standards. He has taken more three-pointers than two-pointers in his career, and he clearly likes stepping outside to fire. He has shot 33.6 percent from deep, which gives that habit some real value.
That said, he’s far from just a stretch big. Ivisic is also a strong roller and lob threat, and he does real damage in the dunker spot.
He can be a load on the offensive glass, too. The challenge is getting all of those traits working at once, because when he’s not fully engaged, he can disappear on that end.
His college path has been a winding one. Ivisic has played the last three seasons at three different schools, beginning at Kentucky, then moving to Arkansas with coach John Calipari before joining his twin brother, Tomislav, in Champaign. This will be the first time in his college career that he returns to the same program for another season.
At Kentucky in 2023-24, he came off the bench and logged 11.7 minutes per game, producing 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. His second stop at Arkansas brought a modest bump in production, as he averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 19.1 minutes per game while shooting 37.6 percent from three and making 1.3 triples a night.
Last season at Illinois, Ivisic appeared in 37 games and started four, averaging 17.2 minutes. He posted 6.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, shot 83.1 percent on two-pointers, and saw his three-point percentage dip to a career-low 28.0 percent.
“I think we saw some spurts in the NCAA tournament last year that are just ‘wow’ moments. I think he can be one of the elite defenders, rim protectors, rollers in the country.
And he can just do things. Here’s a guy that ran, at 262 pounds, ran a 5:22 mile, shattered all of our big guys’ records - and who does that?
I mean we only got a few guards on our team that do that. And it’s my job to get all of that out of him."
For Illinois, the expectation is that Ivisic will be one of the country’s most productive reserves, with the metrics backing that up. He should be the first big off the bench most nights, backing up the frontcourt pairing of his brother Tomislav and preseason All-American David Mirkovic.
The bottom line is simple: when Ivisic checks in, Illinois shouldn’t lose much. He brings a different flavor than the starters, but he can still tilt the floor in his own way.
The biggest swing factor is his jumper. If his three-point shot gets back closer to the level he showed in his first two seasons, it only raises his value even more.
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Now the challenge is turning one impressive afternoon into something more lasting. Illinois sits at 4-3 and still needs two more wins over its final five games to become bowl eligible, which means the margin for error remains slim even after a result that showed a path forward. [Read more 🡒]