Illinois' starting center's status with the team got an update after a recent visa issue in his native Croatia.
Illinois basketball's fall training camp is coming up soon, and it's an important one, considering the national title aspirations of coach Brad Underwood's team.
The Fighting Illini had one of the biggest teams in the country last season and it's only gotten bigger this offseason, according to Underwood.
One key piece of the big man rotation is starting center Tomislav Ivisic, whose twin brother Zvonimir Ivisic is expected to be his backup this season.
The Illini center was recently stuck in his native Croatia due to a visa issue, a situation that got an update from Underwood on Wednesday.
Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Tomislav Ivisic (13) drives against Connecticut Huskies forward Jayden Ross (23) and Connecticut Huskies forward Tarris Reed Jr. (5) in the second half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Underwood: Tomislav Ivisic With Back Team
Underwood cut right to the chase on Wednesday as he addressed the situation surrounding Tomislav Ivisic.
"Yeah, Tommy's back," the Illini coach said according to Glenn Kinley of WCIA-3 Champaign.
"Just one of those, you know visa things that took a few days, took longer than we had hoped. But the good thing is, he's back and was in workouts today. Yeah, he's gotta catch up a little bit with conditioning especially, but he'll do that fairly quickly," Underwood added.
At 7-foot-1, 255 pounds, Tomislav brings NBA size to the center position for coach Underwood's team. He is a deft passer and scorer who adds a strong element of efficiency, finesse and precision to the Fighting Illini offense.
Combined with his brother Zvonimir, Illinois has arguably the best one-two center punch in the nation and it will be needed against a daunting Big Ten schedule this season.
Tomislav Ivisic's 2026-27 Outlook
Tomislav Ivisic showed his willingness to sacrifice his personal statistics for the good of the team in 2025-26 as he ceded shot attempts to newcomers, including top-five NBA draft pick Keaton Wagler and Andrej Stojakovic.
He shot nearly two fewer times per game in 2025-26 compared to the previous season, while his scoring average dropped from 13 points per game as a freshman to 10.4 points per game as a sophomore.
His rebounding and shot blocking totals also dropped as his twin brother Zvonimir Ivisic and other teammates cut into both of those statistical categories.
Meanwhile, his free throw shooting percentage and two-point field goal percentages both improved, a clue as to how Underwood and his coaching staff want the Illini to play this season — with efficiency and a team-first approach.
Now that the Fighting Illini's starting center is officially back, expect practice intensity to ratchet up in Champaign. Underwood's team has the talent to win it all this season, and Tomislav Ivisic is a big part of it heading toward Nov. 2's opener against Farleigh Dickinson.
