Kentucky freshman Zvonimir Ivisic finally gets green light from NCAA
Kentucky center Zvonimir Ivisic has been cleared to play by the NCAA, ending a lengthy battle over his eligibility and paving the way for him to make his debut on Saturday night when the Wildcats host Georgia.
The 7-foot-2 freshman from Croatia was viewed as one of the best international prospects coming into college basketball this season. But he has been awaiting clearance from the NCAA since being admitted to UK in October.
“Hey BBN, guess what? I’m free,” Ivisic said in a message posted on social media Saturday. “See y’all tonight at the game. Thank you for all the support. Go BBN!”
— Zvonimir Ivisic (@zvonimir_ivisic) January 20, 2024
Kentucky coach John Calipari suggested on his radio show earlier this week that if the battle with the NCAA over Ivisic’s availability lasted much longer, Kentucky would become aggressive.
“It’s not fair to him,” Calipari said. “And then it’s taking the NCAA even more time to look at the facts. There are European kids playing all around the country, but they’re playing and he’s not?”
The plan, according to Calipari, is to let Ivisic run this season. And he figures to be a major boost for the eighth-ranked Wildcats.
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Ivisic averaged 11.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in nearly 20 minutes a game for Croatia in the FIBA U20 European Championship. In that competition, he shot 34% from 3-point range and averaged 3.4 blocks a game.
The skillset is obviously enticing. The potential is enormous. The excitement over Ivisic was so high that Kentucky fans raised money earlier this month to put up a “#FreeBigZ” billboard outside the NCAA’s Eligibility Center in Indianapolis
Kentucky (13-3, 3-1 SEC) tips off against Georgia at 6 p.m. ET on SEC Network.