Illinois basketball Gets One Big Injury Boost—and One New Concern

Illinois basketball fans got a mixed bag of injury news this week.

There is reason to feel encouraged about David Mirkovic’s recovery, but Zvonimir Ivisic’s situation remains something the Illini will have to keep a close eye on as the start of the season approaches.

Mirkovic’s update is the good news. The Illinois forward suffered a left-foot injury that required surgery at the end of July, immediately creating questions about his availability for the upcoming season. After playing an important role during Illinois’ Final Four run last season, Mirkovic was expected to take on an even bigger role this year.

Now, roughly five weeks after surgery, Mirkovic is out of his boot. That’s a significant step in the right direction. Brad Underwood said Mirkovic is beginning to strengthen the injured area, although Illinois is going to be cautious with his recovery. There is still no firm timetable for his return to basketball activities, but getting out of the boot is certainly an encouraging development.

Ivisic’s situation is a little different. The 7-foot-2 center suffered a hand injury while visiting Croatia and was recently seen wearing a cast. Considering the role Illinois expects him to play in the frontcourt, seeing Ivisic in a cast naturally raised some concerns.

And this isn’t something Illinois can simply brush aside.

Zvonimir Ivisic is expected to remain in the cast for the next couple of weeks, which means he will miss valuable preparation time with the team. The hope is that the injury heals properly and doesn’t turn into a longer-term issue, but until he is cleared to return, there will understandably be some uncertainty surrounding his status.

Mirkovic is moving forward in his recovery and has cleared another important hurdle. Ivisic, meanwhile, still has to get through the next couple of weeks before Illinois can really know what it has with him heading into the season.

For a team with legitimate national championship aspirations, health is going to matter. 

Illinois basketball appears to be trending in the right direction with Mirkovic. Now the Illini will hope Ivisic’s hand injury follows the same path and doesn’t become a bigger problem.