3. Zvonimir Ivisic was a huge transfer portal steal
Over the past half-decade or so, the transfer portal has been a hot thing. Brad Underwood, an old dog in the game, learned new tricks. He adapted to the transfer portal, and the result is Illinois being a competitive team every season.
Terrence Shannon Jr. has been Underwood’s best transfer portal get thus far. While Zvonimir Ivisic might not get to the Shannon level of greatness, he was a massive steal in the 2026 transfer portal cycle.
On a night like Friday, in which Illinois had big man Tomislav Ivisic out with injury, it is an incredible luxury to have his brother, Zvonimir, to call. He stepped into the starting job as a 7-foot-2 big man who has the same abilities as his brother.
Ivisic was great against Florida Gulf Coast. He ended the game playing 29 minutes and put up 16 points, nine rebounds, and seven blocks.
What is funny is that you rarely see a great defensive stopper being able to shoot from three-point range. Ivisic broke out of his bad first game from beyond the three-point arc to hit 3-of-6, 50%, from three-point range against Florida Gulf Coast. So, we have a 7-foot-2 big man who can have seven blocks and knock down three three-pointers in a game. Let that soak in.
Illinois needed talent to build around Kylan Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic. Underwood went out and got one of the best big men you could possibly get. What a huge transfer portal addition.