Does Illinois Basketball Have a Frontcourt Depth Problem?

In David Mirkovic's prolonged absence, Illinois has Tomislav Ivisic and, at least for now, not much else in its frontcourt

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts after a play against the UConn Huskies during the first half of a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Entering the 2026-27 campaign, it wasn’t overambitious to put Illinois’ frontcourt up there with that of Florida. Tomislav Ivisic is one of the best bigs in the country (he is currently the No. 6 overall player in the nation, per EvanMiya). David Mirkovic is one of five preseason All-Americans. 

And Zvonimir Ivisic started this season as a top-20 player in the country (also according to EvanMiya). Based on Big Z’s impact in his minutes last season, that didn’t seem to be outlandish. Through a few games thus far, that preseason slotting is quickly migrating into outlandish territory, though. And, of course, Mirkovic remains sidelined. That leaves the Illini with a problem.

Can Illinois trust any big other than Tomislav Ivisic in David Mirkovic’s absence?

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood looks on during a Division I non-conference men's basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at United Supermarkets Arena. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Zvonimir has been a mess through three games. He’s averaging 4.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in 12.0 minutes. He finally broke through from long range against Sam Houston, but he is now 1-for-10 on threes this season. Against Texas Tech, when Illinois really needed him, Big Z went 1-for-4 (0-for-3 from deep) for two points and grabbed one rebound in 11 minutes.

He offered very little offensive value, serving primarily as a floor spacer (and, evidently, not a great one). Defensively, he had one great swat and deterred a few other attempts. But he’s supposed to be the premier intimidator in the country. Offensive players are supposed to be afraid to even enter his paint.

Texas Tech was eager to. And, on the glass, Zvonimir was horrible. He was bullied all night long. His lack of physicality and intensity was obvious – and it was part of the reason the Illini lost the game. It’s not as though his ability has just vanished. But for now, we’re not seeing much of it.

Tomislav, meanwhile, has been (mostly) phenomenal. He, too, could be better on the defensive glass (only three in 30 minutes against the Red Raiders). But he has been dynamite aside from that. Unfortunately, Tomislav, even though his conditioning has clearly improved, can't play all 40 minutes.

Tomislav Ivisic gets creative with the underhand finish for @IlliniMBB pic.twitter.com/i1WQg7Pga0

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) November 6, 2026

So in competitive games, if Z isn’t the answer, where do the Illini turn? Jason Jakstys, perhaps? Well, that experiment lasted all of two minutes against Texas Tech. Jakstys picked up two immediate fouls. He just doesn’t have the necessary physical attributes to defend most high-major forwards (nor the experience). And Jakstys doesn’t provide much on offense beyond keeping the ball moving.

What about freshman forward Landon Davis? He has shown flashes in early-season play and exhibition outings, but the game is just too fast for him right now – especially against very high-quality opponents. He didn’t even check into the game in Lubbock. 

That leaves … no one. In other words: Big Z, with the help of his coaching staff, needs to figure it out. It all comes down to mental focus and desire for Z. He needs that fire – which we’ve seen on occasion, especially if he’s talking trash – to consistently burn. 

ZVONIMIR IVISIC ARE YOU SERIOUS WITH THAT POSTER 😱 pic.twitter.com/MVc0x9nsKb

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 22, 2026

But even if Zvonimir starts trending in the right direction, the Illini are still going to be short on frontcourt depth until Mirkovic’s return. If one of the Ivisic twins gets into foul trouble, Illinois won’t have many answers. So in the meantime, the Illini are going to be forced to continue playing smaller. 

Andrej Stojakovic has essentially been the 4 in this current starting lineup. He’s a 6-foot-7 wing. And why does it matter? Because Illinois’ usual advantage – the glass – may not be one until Mirkovic is back in the mix. And we saw firsthand on Tuesday night what it looks like when the Illini lose the battle of the boards.

Let’s summarize: The bad news for the Illini is that there isn’t an immediate answer for their frontcourt conundrum. The only good news: Tomislav is playing very well and Mirkovic is coming back … at some point. Hang on tight, Illini Nation.