Illinois got a jolt of bad news on Tuesday when the program revealed that sophomore forward David Mirkovic had foot surgery on July 31 and is expected to make a full recovery.
The update landed as a surprise, especially after the summer buzz around Mirkovic’s decision to stay in Champaign and keep working with the team. According to the post from the Illinois basketball social media page, the surgery took place in Indianapolis after Mirkovic suffered the injury during team workouts. Beyond that, the program did not offer many details.
The one piece of good news is the biggest one: he is expected to make a full recovery.
There is still no timetable for when Mirkovic might return, but that recovery outlook at least suggests this is not a season-ending situation. For Illinois, that matters. Mirkovic was one of the key returning players for Brad Underwood’s team, and losing him for any stretch changes the picture.
At the same time, the Illini may have enough runway to absorb it. Their non-conference schedule is largely set, and the early portion of the season does not bring the toughest matchups right away. UConn, Missouri and Duke come later in non-conference play, which could give Mirkovic a little extra time if he needs it.
That would be the preferred path anyway. Coming back from a foot surgery is never simple, and Illinois would clearly rather have him at full strength than rush him back. If he needs to miss the opening games, the Illini have some cushion.
Brad Underwood also has some depth to work with. Tomislav Ivisic and his brother Zvonimir Ivisic can help anchor the paint while Mirkovic recovers, which softens the blow a bit for Illinois.
For now, the focus is on the recovery itself. Illinois fans will be waiting for any further word on the injury and the timeline, but the first box has been checked: Mirkovic is expected to be back healthy.
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