News: Illinois Basketball Lands European Big Man David Mirkovic

Mirkovic’s Impact on Illinois Basketball

Brad Underwood and Orlando Antigua’s deep-rooted connections to the EuroLeague circuit continue to pay dividends for Illinois Basketball. After successfully landing  Kasparas Jakucionis — a “one-and-done” freshman now projected as a 2025 NBA Draft lottery pick — and fellow freshman standout (Canadian) Will Riley, the Illini coaching staff may have uncovered their next international gem.

The 19-year-old brings some impressive experience, having represented Montenegro’s national team in 2025. Most recently, Mirkovic played for SC Derby Podgorica, a respected club in Montenegro’s capital and the former program of current Illini big man Tomislav Ivisic.

Over the 2024–25 season, Mirkovic averaged 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting an efficient 46.7% from the field. The proof is in the numbers that he is a pretty solid shooter and a strong presence on the boards at nearly 7 RPG. Undoubtedly, there is some work to be done with Adam Fletcher to get David into Big Ten shape. However, the intangibles are there for him to be an immediate impact producer at the 4, alongside Tomislav and Ty Rodgers.

With the recent departure of Morez Johnson Jr. to Michigan, there’s no question Illinois is in need of added muscle in the frontcourt. Mirkovic helps fill that void with his size and physicality, while also potentially presenting a multi-year development piece.

However, in today’s world of NIL and the Transfer Portal, predicting the future of roster construction is extremely fluid..

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