Twin Towers Unite: Arkansas' Zvonimir Ivisic Joins Brother Tomislav at Illinois

The Illini landed a big commitment (in every way) when Zvonimir Ivisic announced Saturday he will transfer to Champaign

Mar 22, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks forward Zvonimir Ivisic (44) and teammates celebrate after defeating the St. John's Red Storms in a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The NCAA transfer portal had been unkind to Illinois' basketball program since the end of its season, but it finally scored an unqualified win on Saturday.

Arkansas forward Zvonimir Ivisic – yes, the twin brother of Illini center Tomislav Ivisic – announced his transfer to Illinois, according to On3's Joe Tipton. The twin tower dynamic (and excitement) has been lost on no one:

Wtw ILL🧡 pic.twitter.com/jJpf6Ro5Nf

— Zvonimir Ivisic (@zvonimir_ivisic) April 5, 2025

In case there was any doubt, Tomislav announced his intention to return to Champaign for another season on Instagram at roughly the same time as his brother's declaration.

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A post shared by Tomislav (@tomislav_ivisic)

Zvonimir, a 7-foot-2, 245-pound forward, has a well-rounded, European-style game that isn't too dissimilar from that of the 7-foot-1, 255-pound Tomislav. But the nuanced differences between the brothers, who originally hail from Vodice, Croatia, could make them complementary forces on the floor together.

After following coach John Calipari from Kentucky to Arkansas last season, Zvonimir averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in just 19.1 minutes as a sophomore for the Razorbacks. He struggled with foul trouble at times and saw his role diminished in the second half of the season, as Calipari cited his defensive issues.

Although Zvonimir's mobility on defense is a weakness, Tomislav's shot-blocking presence inside provides him some cover. Together, the brothers' length will be a gargantuan problem for Big Ten slashers. And their dual presence on the roster could help provide depth and flexibility the Illini lacked in 2024-25.

Illinois was a different team when it was without Tomislav last season – and completely lost when both Ivisic and forward Morez Johnson Jr. were off the floor. Adding a sturdy low-post defender, rebounder and lob finisher to replace Johnson would buttress an Ivisic-brothers-anchored frontcourt and give coach Brad Underwood a world of game-to-game options.

The rest of Zvonimir's game appears to be a hand-in-glove fit for Underwood, as well as Tomislav. Zvonimir is a quality three-point shooter (1.3 per game at a 37.6-percent clip) who can be virtually interchangeable with Tomislav as a perimeter and pick-and-pop threat – and a nightmare matchup for opponents when paired together.

Zvonimir hasn't been as proficient a passer as Tomislav in college, but their chemistry, size and European pedigree suggest they could be a formidable high-low duo. In any case, again, the brothers give Underwood an array of options to tweak and possibly even overhaul the offense.

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Former Illini Commit AJ Storr Hits Transfer Portal – Could a 'Reunion' Be Next?

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