Zvonimir Ivisic: Illinois basketball gets commit from Arkansas transfer and brother of Tomislav Ivisic

Illinois basketball will have a set of brothers that make up arguably the best front court in the Big Ten.

Zvonimir Ivisic committed to Illinois out of the transfer portal on Saturday, joining his brother Tomislav Ivisic in Champaign.

Zvonimir played for John Calipari at Kentucky and followed him to Arkansas. He averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in an average of 19.1 minutes per game.

The 7-foot-2, 245-pound center will have two years of eligibility left and is the first addition for Illini in the transfer portal this offseason.

Zvonimir Ivisic commits to Illinois

The Illini land arguably one of the most coveted centers in the transfer portal.

Not only is he considered one of the best shot blockers available, but he's also a threat on offense.

Zvonimir shot 47.3% from the field and his 47 3-pointers. He also shot 72.4% from the free-throw line.

Undoubtebly, Orlando Antigua played a role in landing Zvonimir in Illinois, as did his brother Tomislav's presence. Zvonimir was reportedly in Champaign last week on a visit to Illinois.

Now, a few days later, he'll join his brother.

What Zvonimir Ivisic's commitment means for the Illini

The transfer portal taketh away, and the transfer portal giveth.

After Morez Johnson Jr. entered the transfer portal, it left a hole in Illinois' front court lineup. Johnson was an aggressive rebounder and offered a post presence on offense.

Illini head coach Brad Underwood went into the portal and got exactly that.

Zvonimir and Tomislav now combine to give Illinois two 7-footers who can block shots at a high level and can stretch the floor on offense with their shooting ability.

It offers Illinois the ability to play massive lineups if it so chooses. Underwood could play two 7-footers at the same time, or rotate to keep consistent height on the floor.

Both Ivisic brothers are athletic enough to keep up with a faster-pace offense, but Zvonimir is considered to be more athletic than Tomislav.

This addition also helped ease the departure of Tre White, who also helped stretch the floor as a player that could score on multiple levels. 

Now, Underwood can focus on replacing the shooting that Illinois needs.

White, Johnson, Carey Booth and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn all entered the transfer portal, meaning Underwood needed to add players who could play in the starting lineup.

Now, Illinois has that in Zvonimir. He can start with his brother in bigger lineups or come off the bench. He also provides SEC experience playing in the Sweet Sixteen this year.

What's next for Illinois basketball

The Illini are still waiting for decisions from Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley on which of those will either enter the 2025 NBA Draft or stay at Illinois.

Those decisions will shape what Illinois does next.

If Jakucionis enters the draft, Illinois will need to grab a point guard out of the portal. If Riley departs, Illinois will need to find an athletic wing that can score and rebound.

Both entering the draft would mean Underwood's work is cut out for him. What he doesn't need is depth at center now that Zvonimir has committed.