What Illinois Basketball Would Need From Zvonimir Ivisic as a Starter

The average minutes played by Zvonimir Ivisic in each of his three seasons of college hoops: 11.7, 19.1 and 17.2, respectively. That second season – which he spent at Arkansas – saw him start 19 games. Even then, he cracked the 30-minute mark just four times.

Ivisic also started four games for the Illini a season ago, surpassing 25 minutes just once. You get the idea. At no point in his career has Ivisic been a high-minutes player. Illinois prefers to play Big Z in short spurts – and he appears to be most effective in that role.

A player who relies heavily on his motor, Ivisic primarily creates value as a defender and rebounder – both of which require lots of energy. And his other key skill – shooting – tends to dwindle as his minutes climb. (Consider: He has played more than 30 minutes five times in his career and, despite being a career 72.0 percent free-throw shooter, went a combined 2-for-7 from the line in those games.)

But if Illini forward David Mirkovic, who just underwent foot surgery, misses game time in 2026-27 (his expected return timetable is still uncertain), then Ivisic will likely be thrust into the starting lineup – or, at the very least, see a sharp uptick in his minutes. Will Big Z be ready for prolonged action, and what do the Illini need to see from him in those minutes?

Zvonimir Ivisic's starting role if David Mirkovic misses time

Zvoimir Ivisic — Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Zvonimir Ivisic (44) shoots the ball 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 are two routes Illinois could elect to take if Ivisic is pushed into the lineup at the beginning of the upcoming season:

1) Expand his responsibilities. Theoretically, without Mirkovic, who is going to be the “mobile” frontcourt defender? Who can the Illini stick on athletic opposing 4s? Between Tomislav Ivisic and Zvonimir, the latter twin is the obvious pick.

Transitioning Big Z from a pure shot blocker to a defender capable of guarding on the perimeter won’t be easy – but it’s possible. And if Mirkovic is sidelined for any time during the season, it will be necessary.

On offense, Illinois may elect to involve Zvonimir in more ball-screen action. He is an excellent roll man, but he also has the ability to pop. Maybe the Illini also seek Big Z out in more post-up opportunities. Tomislav will command the best post defender from opponents, which could leave Zvonimir with mismatches on the interior.

Then again, can Illinois ask that much from Zvonimir? The Illini need him to be an elite shot deterrer and dominant rebounder. Is it possible to add those extra responsibilities and still expect that high-level impact in the other two facets – especially while Big Z will be playing more minutes than he's accustomed to?

2) The other option: Limit Zvonimir to a role to the one he filled a season ago. In this scenario, Big Z would be a play finisher and lob threat on offense. He could sit in the dunker spot or slide out to the perimeter (although he doesn’t offer much in the latter position if he isn’t connecting on threes). This way, he’s conserving energy for rebounding and defense – which would remain his highest priorities.

But even that highly contained role is an energy-draining one. Could Zvonimir truly give the Illini 25-30 excellent minutes? If Mirkovic is out, they will have no choice. If Big Z can't handle the additional load, Illinois will be forced to play certain players in key roles for which they may not be ready – or simply don’t have the skill set.

Arguably, though, any of those scenarios could ultimately be beneficial for Illinois down the road. If Ivisic is able to handle more – be it additional tasks or just sheer minutes – or someone else steps up, the Illini are going to be stronger for it come March. And if none of it is necessary, that means Mirkovic is healthy and Illinois will have a full regular season together to jell and gear up for a national title run.

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