Illinois basketball needs to pursue Zvonimir Ivisic, brother of Tomislav

Arkansas center Zvonimir Ivisic has decided to enter his name into the transfer portal, per multiple reports. Zvonimir, the brother of current Illinois basketball center, Tomislav, played two years in the SEC, one at Kentucky and one at Arkansas. This past season, he averaged  8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game. He shot an efficient 47.3% from the field and 37.6% from the three-point line. Tomislav and Zvonimir would certainly be an interesting tandem. Both are over seven feet tall; however, they have different skill sets. Zvonimir is more of a quick-twitch athlete that has more rim protecting skills. Tomislav is crafty at all spots on the floor and is an incredible passer for his size.

Both would likely want to play together if the situation works out. Current Illinois basketball assistant Orlando Antigua was the one who initially helped bring Zvonimir to the United States to play for Kentucky. With Morez Johnson Jr. out of the picture, I fully expect the Illini to go after Zvonimir.

The way of the world

Never lose hope if you are an Illini fan. After a difficult-to-swallow week in which the Illini saw freshman standout Morez Johnson Jr. and junior forward Tre White enter the transfer portal, many hit the panic button. It certainly made sense as Johnson Jr. had been committed to Illinois basketball since his sophomore year of high school. Mr. Basketball from the state of Illinois only played for one year in the Orange and Blue but looked like a cornerstone of the program. However, his decision to enter the transfer portal was certainly a gut punch. Tre White was a key piece down the stretch for the Illini; however, he still decided to enter the portal.

Continuity is certainly running thin with this Illinois basketball program over the past few years. However, for as many players have transferred, there are successes to be had. Terrence Shannon Jr, Marcus Domask, Quincy Guerrier, and Alfonso Plummer were all super productive transfers in Champaign. If the Illini can land Zvonimir Ivisic, that opens up a lot of intriguing storylines down in Champaign.

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