Arkansas Razorbacks: 2nd Croatian Sensation Follows Forerunner Countryman Hog

Arkansas Razorbacks recruiting heated up by securing its first singee of the John Calipari era in Kentucky transfer center Zvonimir Ivisic. The 7’2″ Croation played for Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats in the 2023-24 season and averaged five points, three rebounds, and one block in 15 minutes a game in what was a shortened freshman year spent mostly waiting on approval from the NCAA. SEC play had already begun by the time Ivisic was ruled eligible, in a match-up against Georgia. He wasted no time showcasing his unique blend of skills, his first collegiate game, blocking three shots, making slick passes, earning a pair of steals, and finishing with 13 points including three 3-pointers.

New Arkansas Razorback Ivisic Dazzled in his Collegiate Debut

“Big Z” is the nickname he’s earned for his presence on the court, but Big Z’s absence from the hardwood for the bulk of the season weighed heavily on him. He made a return trip to Croatia during the wait, and according to Calipari, Ivisic was miserable, couldn’t sleep, and gained over 20 pounds. In his first game, Ivisic “started crying a little bit, to be honest, because I was too happy.” With a partial season under his belt and the opportunity to complete a full season this time around, the Big Z has only scratched the surface of his potential.

Recently departed for Southern Cal coach Eric Musselman revitalized the Razorback program over the last five seasons, going to the three straight Sweet 16’s and two Final 8’s. But the last time the Hogs were truly elite was in the early-to-mid-1990’s, led by legendary coach Nolan Richardson, going to seven straight NCAA tournaments, six Sweet 16’s, four Elite Eights, three Final Fours, one national runner-up finish, and the crown jewel in 1994, a national championship. Arkansan William Jefferson Clinton was the President of the United States and attending the ’94 national championship game in Charlotte against Grant Hill’s Duke Blue Devils.

The mid-90’s was also the last time Arkansas had a Croatian member of the basketball squad, sharpshooter Davor Rimac. The 6’7″ Rimac moved to the United States in high school, and playing for the hometown Fayetteville High Bulldogs, earned Gatorade Player of the Year honors in the state of Arkansas in 1990. Rimac had a connection early on, as his dad was a basketball coach in Switzerland, and one of his dad’s players, David Brown, played for Richardson during his stint at Tulsa, just prior to Arkansas.

Rimac also had to wait on the NCAA to approve his eligibility, spending a whole season redshirting and practicing with the team. He played against Duke in the ’94 championship game and in the Final Four victory in ’95 over North Carolina’s Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse. In addition to Rimac’s father who coached basketball, his brother Slaven is a former professional European player and current coach in the Croatian league, and his mother was the professional Croation basketball player Ruzica Meglaj-Rimac, who lived with him for at time in Arkansas.

Welcome!

— Davor (@davorimac) April 15, 2024

Ivisic also has basketball in his heart and in his blood. His favorite player is the Croatian legend Drazen Petrovic, and his twin brother Tomislav is a 7’1″ professional basketball player in Europe. Ivisic’s announcement of his commitment to Arkansas was met with a welcome by RImac, with the two Croation Razorbacks sharing a moment on social media.

While thoughts of the NBA will not be far from mind, Ivisic will have three years of eligibility remaining, enough time to create new Croation Razorback memories. Like Kentucky, virtually all of Arkansas’ main weapons from last season have either exhausted their eligibility, declared for the NBA Draft or entered the transfer portal. Ivisic is the first member of the roster being built for next season, but with 12 scholarship spots to fill, there are definitely more to come.

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