COMMIT: Arkansas transfer center Zvonimir Ivisic to reunite with twin brother at Illinois

Illinois will have a real set of twin towers next season.

According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Arkansas transfer forward/center Zvonimir Ivisic will transfer to Illinois, where he will join his twin brother, Tomislav Ivisic, who also announced he will return to Illinois for the 2025-26 season.

Zvonimir (7-foot-2, 245 pounds) has two seasons of eligibility remaining after playing at Kentucky and Arkansas for his first two seasons.

Zvonimir averaged 8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 19.1 minutes last season, starting 19 of 35 games for Arkansas. The big man shot 47.3% from the field, 47 of 125 from three (37.6%) and 72.4% from the free-throw line. He ranked 16th in the country in block percentage (10.5%).

As a freshman at Kentucky, Zvonimir played 15 games and averaged 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 57.7% from the field, 37.5% from three and 77.3% from the free-throw line.

Ivisic is the Illini’s first transfer commitment.

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Why it matters: Orlando Antigua's connection to the Ivisic brothers from Croatia — he recruited Zvonimir to Kentucky and Tomislav to Illinois — and Tomislav's positive experience at Illinois last season helped Illinois land a significant piece to the roster. ESPN recently ranked Zvonimir as the No. 68 prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft while ranking Tomislav at No. 61. While he's a much different player, Zvonimir helps fill a big hole in the frontcourt left by Morez Johnson Jr.'s transfer exit — and continues the Illini's immense European presence. Separately, the Brothers Ivisic playing together will be a fun story that captures national attention.

How he fits: The Illini now have 14 feet of Ivisic to make for a formidable frontcourt. The Illini now can have 40 minutes of floor-stretching centers on the court, a key component of Brad Underwood's five-out style of offense. But the two also could play some minutes together, which will make for an incredibly long and skilled group. Tomislav is stronger than Zvonimir and a better passer, but Zvonimir is a bit quicker and a far better rim protector. Having two 7-foot centers on the court who can shoot a high percentage from three could create a lot of spacing for the Illini guards and wings. On the other end, the Ivisices on the court simultaneously limits the Illini's athleticism but would give the Illini incredible length and two really strong defensive rebounders.

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