2024 NBA Draft: Zvonimir Ivisic Shines In Kentucky Debut
The 2024 NBA Draft has a lot of uncertainty, and is one of the most unique drafts we have had in recent memory.
A story that has been very interesting to follow is that of Kentucky forward Zvonimir Ivisic’s. Ivisic was ruled ineligible back in the summer time, and wasn’t allowed to play any game in November or December.
This past Saturday morning things changed.
The 7-foot-2 unicorn was ruled eligible by the NCAA, meaning he was allowed to make his season debut that same day versus Georgia.
Ivisic made his debut with 16 minutes left in the first half, and he instantly made an impact. He started things off with a block about 30 seconds in. What stands out about Ivisic is his ability to protect the rim, as he has great size, mobility and defensive instincts. His ceiling as a defender is so high. Two minutes after he got his first block he threw an unreal behind the back pass out of the short roll to Antonio Reeves in the corner for a 3-pointer. He showcased his high feel for the game and impressive passing ability.
He started the game 4-for-4 from the field, with all of them being 3-pointers, save for one shot he had his foot barely over the line. At 7-foot-2, he has the ability to space the floor and really knock down jumpers at a high rate, and that’s no surprise as he was shooting at a respectable level overseas. It’s clear that Ivisic is one of the most skilled big men in this year’s draft and the ceiling is high.
Now that he has made his mark at the collegiate level, what’s next for him and what does his draft stock look like? We should continue to see Ivisic get legit playing time for the Wildcats as he brings real two-way value, which is important for him to grow as a player. As far as draft projections go, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where he ends up falling in the second round if he keeps this play up.
There’s not many 7-footers in this year’s draft that can comfortably pass the ball, let alone be willing to make a behind the back pass about three minutes into their college debut. Ivisic is such a skilled mobile offensive prospect that brings rim protection and that alone should get his name into the first round. Now, if he’s able to play like this consistently and continue to show positive flashes then we might be talking about Ivisic being a lottery pick come June.
Overall, it’s great to finally see the 7-foot-2 Croatian forward getting time on the court after being ruled ineligible for months. Now that he’s seeing minutes, we can properly evaluate him without having to review old film from over a year ago. It’s also important to note that he has a great reputation as a hard worker and someone who brings great energy to the team.
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