The Illinois basketball program has all of the confidence in the world, with analysts across the country ranking them as one of the best teams in the country.
Last season, the Illini had their most successful run in recent memory, reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2005. They've built a successful foundation for this program, especially with their top five players returning for another year of eligibility.
There is a lot of promise for the 2026-27 season, but the injuries this offseason have left fans on the edge of their seats. It all started with David Mirkovic's surgery on his left foot, and now it is Zvonimir Ivisic with a hand injury.
Zvonimir Ivisic hurt his hand while visiting home country. Wearing a wrap of some sort right now and Brad Underwood says he’s not practicing currently.
— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) September 8, 2026
Ivisic, a 7-foot-12center from Croatia, was a four-star transfer from Arkansas prior to joining the Illini. In his first season with the program, he averaged 6.4 points and 4.5 rebounds in 17.2 minutes per game.
The brother of Tomislav Ivisic may not have had the prettiest stat line during the NCAA tournament last season, but his willingness to contribute on the defensive side of the ball certainly was a big help for Illinois.
An extended absence for Zvonimir Ivisic would be a blow to Illinois' depth chart
Ivisic will play a key role in Illinois' frontcourt rotation this season, as his elite size and mobility allow him to play both power forward and center. He is a great change-of-pace big for Underwood to utilize, especially when it comes to his defensive prowess.
The problem that arises, however, is how long Ivisic will be sidelined with this injury. An absence from Ivisic would certainly hurt Illinois' depth in the long run. Thankfully, according to Tyler Underwood, it looks like Ivisic will be back sooner rather than later. According to Carson Gourdie of WICS ABC 20, Underwood believes the cast will be off in a couple of weeks.
#Illini 7'2 center Zvonimir Ivisic out with a cast on his hand. He hurt himself over in Europe.
— Carson Gourdie (@GourdieReport) September 9, 2026
Offensive coordinator Tyler Underwood told me, "With Z, I think he's supposed to be out of the cast in the next couple of weeks."
Regular season starts in early November.
Big Z is a… pic.twitter.com/qw4ERrXJur
It is a long season, and having a couple of injuries to two key players without even playing a game is always going to make you a bit queasy. Hopefully, both Ivisic and Mirkovic are 100% when the 2026-27 campaign finally tips off.
Add us as a preferred source on Google