Brad Underwood Offers Major Injury Update on David Mirkovic, Addresses Other Illini

Illinois basketball did not have a good Friday night. The Illini fell 95-91 at home against Baylor in an exhibition game – though that final score may have been the least of the team’s worries.

Before the game, David Mirkovic, who was seemingly trending in the right direction, was spotted in a boot. During the contest, the trio of Andrej Stojakovic, Zvonimir Ivisic and Tomislav Ivisic exited because of injuries.

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By the end of the night, Illinois could rely on just three healthy players from its top seven – Quentin Coleman, Stefan Vaaks and Jake Davis. Even in those dire circumstances, the Illini were able to mount a late comeback that fell just short. Illinois coach Brad Underwood addressed the injuries in the postgame press conference:

Will David Mirkovic miss time in the regular season?

Apr 3, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood speaks during a press conference ahead of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“We’ll be without Mirk for a little while,” Underwood told the media after the Baylor exhibition. “They put him back in a boot. I’ve said from Day 1, we’re going to be very patient and diligent with that. We want to make sure that heals correctly, and in a fashion that allows him to sustain not only for the year but for the rest of his career.”

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“No,” Underwood later said when asked if Mirkovic suffered a setback. “No setback. It’s all about making sure that the scans show that everything is correct. The screw is terrific. It’s fine. It’s in place. There’s nothing there. It’s just the extra time to make sure that that fully heals and there’s nothing accountable to anything other than just that.

“We went through this a while back with one of our players, and everybody heals differently and goes through their process. And he’s in great spirits. We’ll see what the timeline is.

In a follow-up…

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Publish date : 2026-10-24 15:52:00

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