Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Ivisic raw, but an exciting piece to UA’s roster
FAYETTEVILLE — Zvonimir Ivisic stepped onto the floor to the deafening roar of the Rupp Arena crowd. After months of battling, with a billboard put up and arguments made, the Croatian freshman was finally deemed eligible to play.
Ivisic, who announced his commitment to Arkansas on Monday, made his debut for Kentucky’s 105-96 home win over Georgia on Jan. 20. After months of waiting, Ivisic had arrived.
Ivisic played 16 minutes and scored 13 points, going 3 of 4 from three-point range and had 3 blocks on the defensive end. He dazzled with a behind-the-back assist.
He was, and still is, a raw prospect. But the 7-2 big man has all the tools needed for success. New Arkansas Coach John Calipari often speaks about how he wants players who can dribble, pass and shoot. Despite Ivisic’s size, he carries those qualities.
“I think the reasons [for excitement] are pretty clear,” said Jacob Polacheck, who covers the Wildcats for Kentucky Sports Radio and KSRPlus.com. “There are some issues when it comes to court awareness and maybe some defensive issues, but he’s got all the tools to be an NBA lottery pick.”
Ivisic, a personable and enthusiastic giant, averaged 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 15 appearances for Kentucky. He struggled with consistency, but showed his capabilities in moments — a block at the rim here, a rimless three-pointer there.
Calipari making him the first commitment of his Arkansas tenure speaks to his potential.
“I made the lifetime decisions to come to college for a few reasons,” Ivisic wrote on social media. “[The] Main ones to win a national championship and go to the NBA. [A] monumental part of that decision was coach Cal, and no one does both of those things at the same time [more] than him.”
Polacheck said he didn’t think some of his struggles came down to schemes because of the successes of other 7-footers on Kentucky’s roster, but rather to experience.
Ivisic missed time in practice with food poisoning early in the season.
Even with the consistency concerns, Ivisic’s in-depth numbers stand out. His effective field goal and true shooting percentages were the highest on Kentucky’s roster, though he didn’t qualify for national rankings because of the sample size.
Ivisic is effective at getting to the free-throw line. He drew four fouls per 40 minutes and he shot 66% from two-point range.
“It’s really just learning the game more and having some more court awareness,” Polacheck said. “The defense needs work, and that all just comes with being in the right spots. … He can shoot the ball, he can score at the rim, he can block shots, but he just needs to be put in those spots to make those things happen.”
Ivisic’s promise showed throughout his limited minutes. He scored a career-high 18 points during a 117-95 victory over Alabama, but the nation first saw his potential against Georgia when he was highly efficient on offense and strong on defense.
Should the consistency come, Ivisic may bring the same roars to Walton Arena as he did when he checked in for the first time at Rupp.
“[His first game] was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever been part of,” Polacheck said. “He checked into the game and Rupp Arena just went insane. … It was like nothing I’ve ever seen.”