The Two Illinois Players Who Must Step Up If David Mirkovic Misses Time

Mirkovic's injury timeline remains uncertain, which means the Illini may need more contributions from frontcourt reserves

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

There is cautious optimism in Champaign regarding David Mirkovic’s injury status after last week’s encouraging update from Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68.

According to Goodman’s projected timeline of 6-8 weeks, Mirkovic should be back with a full month to spare before Illinois’ season opener in early November. But the Illini have been known to extend recovery timetables – especially at the start of a campaign (recall how slowly Andrej Stojakovic was worked into the lineup early in the 2025-26 season).

So if Mirkovic winds up sidelined at the beginning of Illinois’ regular-season slate, who must step up? Tomislav Ivisic and Zvonimir Ivisic are the obvious answers. But what about off the bench? Brad Underwood may be willing to shift Stojakovic to the 4 at times, but the Illini are going to need some contributions from true frontcourt players.

Is Jason Jakstys or Landon Davis ready for a key role in 2026-27?

Mar 20, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Jason Jakstys (31) shoots the ball during NCAA Tournament First Round Practiceat Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The two leading candidates to be Illinois’ primary frontcourt reserve if Mirkovic is out: Jason Jakstys and Landon Davis. The more experienced of the pair – Jakstys – has appeared in only nine career games, but 2026-27 will be his third season with the program.

At 6-foot-10, Jakstys doesn’t lack size (although he weighs just 220 pounds), and he also boasts a plus wingspan. He is springy and, by all accounts, an active rebounder. In his limited in-game action, Jakstys has shown his ability to be an effective rim protector, rebounder and play finisher. But he is a non-shooter, which can hamper spacing in Illinois’ offensive scheme. 

Davis, a freshman who was a three-star recruit out of high school, offers a slightly different skill set. He has a similar physical profile (6-foot-9, 220 pounds) – albeit perhaps less length than Jakstys – but appears to have more lateral agility and overall defensive versatility. 

And on offense, Davis also has a more diverse skill set. He is fairly athletic and can comfortably play out of the dunker spot, but Davis is also an underrated passer and has the ability to stretch defenses on occasion.

But again, he’s a freshman. Davis has all the tools to emerge as a key piece in the Illini rotation in time, but it’s difficult to make any concrete predictions about his first season until he’s involved in game action. Maybe he’ll be ready to contribute from the jump – or perhaps the learning curve will be steep for Davis. Only time will tell.

If Mirkovic misses time, though, either Jakstys or Davis must emerge as a steady presence off the bench. And it won’t be spot minutes. Last year, Ben Humrichous played 22.5 minutes per game in a season in which Mirkovic and the Ivisic twins stayed healthy.

Although Jakstys and Davis are different players than Humrichous, someone will need to fill that hole – which will turn into a gaping void if Mirkovic is inactive. If neither player is able to step up, Illinois’ greatest strength entering 2026-27 – its frontcourt – may be a weakness until Mirkovic returns.