After falling to Baylor in its second exhibition game before the start of the regular season, Illinois was dealt bad news regarding star forward David Mirkovic. After suffering a foot injury that required surgery at the end of July, it looked like Mirkovic would be ready to go by the start of the regular season, but now he could be out for a little while.
Head coach Brad Underwood updated the media about Mirkovic, saying that not only will the Illini be without their star for a little while, but he is actually back in a boot, which means he isn't even able to practice with the team.
"We'll be without Mirk for a little while. They put him back in a boot," Underwood said. "We're gonna be very patient and diligent with it. We want to make sure that it heals correctly and in a fashion that sustains for the year and his career."
Brad Underwood says "there's no setback" for David Mirkovic, but:
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) October 24, 2026
"We'll be without Mirk for a little while. They put him back in a boot. We're gonna be very patient and diligent with it. We want to make sure that it heals correctly and in a fashion that sustains for the year,…
Underwood was careful not to constitute this as a setback for Mirkovic, but that might be looking at this with rose colored glasses on. This feels like the definition of a setback for the elite sophomore. While it may not be because of any one thing he did in practice or workouts, he looked like he could be ready to go, and now it feels unknown as to when he will come back.
Illinois will need David Mirkovic back as soon as possible to help this defense
The loss of Mirkovic longer than expected is bigger than some may want to admit. Illinois hasn't played any cupcakes in its first two exhibition games, facing Cincinnati and Baylor. In both of those games, the Illini allowed 95 or more points, which doesn't bode well for the defense.
There is no question that this offense will look great this season, scoring 105 and 91 points in the exhibition games, but the defense looks to be a bit of a problem. One of Mirkovic's strengths to his game is his defense, and without him on the court, Illinois could struggle well into the regular season.
It makes sense that Illinois wants to deal with Mirkovic's injury with caution because he will be needed later in the season. If they push him to play now, it could cause problems down the line, and his presence on the court is too valuable in Big Ten play and postseason play.
The Illini don't want to rush Mirkovic back, but they might have to give up winning some of the big non-conference games, knowing that one of their defenders is working to get healthy.
Add us as a preferred source on Google