Illinois Basketball: Brad Underwood Reveals Massive Transformation for Zvonimir Ivisic

There may not be a more intriguing player on the Illinois men’s basketball roster heading into this season than Zvonimir Ivisic.

During his media session this week, Brad Underwood revealed that Zvonimir is now up to 260 pounds after arriving in Champaign at 222 pounds just a year ago. That kind of transformation speaks volumes about the work he has put in over the last year inside Illinois’ development program.

A huge part of that growth starts with Adam Fletcher, who has quietly become one of the biggest advantages inside Illinois basketball. Fletcher has built a reputation for completely reshaping bodies and preparing players physically for the demands of high-level college basketball.  Zvonimir Ivisic might be his latest success story. It’s easy to forget last season was Zvonimir’s introduction to both the physicality of the Big Ten and life inside Underwood’s system. Now entering year two, the classic second-year jump feels very real.

How Zvonimir Ivisic can impact the Illini

Underwood made it clear this week that he wants Illinois to become a better shot-blocking team defensively, which immediately raises the question of whether Big Z is headed for a much bigger role. At 7-foot-2, Zvonimir possesses the exact tools NBA teams look for in modern big men — mobility, rim protection, above-the-rim finishing and the ability to stretch defenses.

The biggest issue last year was the jumper. After shooting 37.6 percent from three over his first two college seasons, Big Z connected on just 28 percent from deep. His shooting struggles certainly caused some of the early NBA buzz around him to cool.

Still, the measurables remain incredibly enticing, even if 2027 mock drafts have yet to catch up. If the added strength shows up, the physicality improves, and the three-point shot returns, Illinois may not just have a better shot blocker this season. They may have an NBA player ready to take the next step in Champaign.

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