CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Head Coach Brad Underwood announced Monday that Tomislav Ivisic (TOM-is-lahv EE-vee-sitch) has signed a National Letter of Intent and Big Ten Tender of Financial Aid with the University of Illinois and will join the Fighting Illini program.
Ivisic is a 7-foot-1-inch, 230-pound center from Vodice, Croatia. He joins the Fighting Illini after three seasons with SC Derby in Podgorica, Montenegro, a member of the Adriatic League First Division (ABA). He also boasts extensive international experience representing his home country as a member of the Croatia National Team at both the youth and senior levels.
"Tomislav is the modern day 5-man who fits right into our style play as a big who can space the floor," Underwood said. "He can play in pick and rolls, is an elite passer, and can step out in space and shoot threes. He also is a very good rim protector. Tomislav has played a lot of high-level basketball against older, established competition. That experience has made a tremendous impact on his development, and we are excited to add someone with his skill and versatility to our program."
In 69 career game for SC Derby, Ivisic averaged 6.4 points on 54.2% shooting (188-347), while posting 3.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.5 blocks per contest. He also shot better than 85% (49-58) from the free-throw line for SC Derby. In 2023-24, Ivisic recorded career highs in scoring average (7.1), assists per game (1.3), and blocks per game (1.0), and posted career-best shooting marks overall (.574), on both two-point attempts (.618) and from 3-point range (.423). He also posted nine of his 19-career double-digit scoring games for SC Derby this past season.
Internationally, Ivisic represented Croatia at the FIBA U16 European Championship in 2018 and 2019. In 2023, he played in the FIBA U20 European Championship, and that same year played two games as a member of the senior national team during the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifier. During the U16 European Championship in 2019, Ivisic nearly averaged a double-double of 10.9 points and 9.6 rebounds, while adding 2.4 assists per contest and shooting 42% from the field and 74% from the free-throw line.
Ivisic has a twin brother, Zvonimir, who played at Kentucky this past season as a freshman and has since transferred to Arkansas.
