Illinois Basketball 2026-27 Scouting Report: Zvonimir Ivisic

In the days leading up to Illinois' Nov. 2 regular-season opener at Champaign's State Farm Center, Illinois on SI will share a scouting report for each Illini player on the team's official 2026-27 roster. Today, we shine a light on forward Zvonimir Ivisic. Find our scouting reports of other Illinois players as they're added below.

Zvonimir Ivisic | forward/center | fifth year | No. 44

Scouting Zvonimir Ivisic

So much of what Zvonimir Ivisic brings to the table revolves around his physical traits. At 7-foot-2 and 250 pounds, he has a seemingly endless wingspan, and although his vertical hasn't been reported in an official capacity, he gets up a lot higher than most 7-footers.

Perhaps more importantly, though, is how quickly Ivisic gets off the ground. With his size and quick springs, he can wall up in the post, wait until a shot has actually left an opponent’s hands and then rise up and swat it out of the air. That rare ability allows "Big Z" to send back shots at an extremely high clip while essentially rarely having to take risks.

In help side, Ivisic is a spectacular rim protector. Also of note: his agility on the perimeter. Of course, Illinois doesn’t want Ivisic guarding perimeter-oriented players, but when he winds up switched on to one, he tends to hold up just fine.

On offense, Ivisic is unique. He seemingly prefers to plant his feet outside and launch threes (he has attempted more three-pointers than two-pointers in his career). Given his efficiency – 33.6 percent from long range – it isn’t the worst outcome.

At the same time, though, Ivisic has a lot to offer inside. He’s an excellent roller and lob threat. He is great in the dunker spot. At times, he can be a monster on the offensive boards. It’s tough to utilize his entire skill set at once on offense, which means he sometimes fades into the background on that end when he isn't engaged.

Zvonimir Ivisic's experience

Ivisic has spent his past three seasons at three different schools. First it was Kentucky. Then he followed coach John Calipari to Arkansas before uniting with his twin brother, Tomislav, in Champaign. The 2026-27 season will be his first time returning to the same program in his college career.

At Kentucky in 2023-24, Ivisic played in a reserve role, averaging just 11.7 minutes but totaling 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in those limited minutes.

Arkansas in Year 2 was more of the same, albeit with a slight uptick across the board. He averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while shooting 37.6 percent from deep and connecting on 1.3 triples per outing (on 19.1 minutes per game).

Last year at Illinois, Ivisic started in four games and appeared in 37, playing 17.2 minutes per outing. He was solidly productive (6.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks) and mostly ultra-efficient. Big Z shot 83.1 percent on two-pointers, although his three-point shooting dipped to a career low 28.0 percent.

Zvonimir Ivisic highlights

What they're saying about Zvonimir Ivisic

Illinois coach Brad Underwood on Zvonimir Ivisic:

“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."

What we expect from Zvonimir Ivisic in 2026-27

Ivisic should be one of the most efficient and effective reserves in the country. In fact, the metrics expect him to be one of the most efficient players in the country, period. He figures to be the first player off the bench in most outings and will back up the dominant frontcourt duo of his brother, Tomislav, and preseason All-American David Mirkovic.

And when Big Z is on the floor, there should be no dropoff. He’ll give Illinois different elements at the position, but he will be, in his own way, equally potent. His swing skill this year will be his shooting. We know Ivisic can shoot, but will his jumper actually fall this season? He’ll demand minutes either way, but it’ll certainly help the Illini if he connects from deep at a rate closer to that of his first two seasons.