Why Zvonimir Ivisic Could Be Illinois Basketball’s Sixth Man This Season

Illinois may not need Zvonimir Ivišić to become one of its stars this season.

They may need something much more difficult to defend.

At 7-foot-2, Ivišić can protect the rim, finish around the basket and stretch a defense beyond the paint. He showed flashes of all three during his first season as a junior with the Illini, but his biggest value may come from how quickly he can change a game when he checks in.

Advertisement

That is what makes the idea of Ivišić becoming Illinois’ sixth man so intriguing.

He doesn’t need 30 minutes or 15 shots a night to make an impact. He can give the Illini something different from their other frontcourt options, forcing opponents to adjust simply because of his size, length and skill set.

Now, the question is what happens if he turns those flashes into consistency.

Because if Ivišić can do that, Illinois may have something particularly valuable: a player who doesn’t need to start to become one of the most difficult matchups on the floor.

Coming off a 2025-26 season in which he averaged 6.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 17.2 minutes per game, Ivišić enters the 2026-27 season as one of the most intriguing pieces on Illinois’ roster.

Advertisement

He played in all 37 games last season but started only four, making the idea of him becoming Illinois’ sixth man feel more like a natural progression than a dramatic change in role.

And the numbers suggest that role could be extremely valuable.

Ivišić’s offensive production doesn’t jump off the page at first glance. But look a little deeper and his efficiency becomes difficult to ignore. He shot 50.9 percent from the field last season and converted 83.1 percent of his attempts from inside the arc.

He also knocked down 28 three-pointers, which is enough to make defenses think twice about completely ignoring him on the perimeter.

Advertisement

That combination is important.

Ivišić doesn’t have to be a traditional back-to-the-basket center, nor does he need to become a high-volume stretch five….

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-zvonimir-ivisic-could-illinois-000035718.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-09-24 00:00:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.