On Saturday night, the Kentucky basketball program unleashed a player who could soon become a household name and may be the missing piece in a championship team later this year.
Heading into the weekend, the Kentucky Wildcats are one of the 10 best teams in the nation. The 14-3 squad is an offensive juggernaut as they are ranked first in scoring, third in turnover percentage, fifth in offensive efficiency, seventh in effective field-goal percentage, and ninth in 3-point percentage in the country.
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However, what is already a great offense may have just gotten way better. In Kentucky basketball’s game against Georgia on Saturday night, the program was finally allowed to play 7-foot-2 Croatian big man Zvonimir Ivisic. The 20-year-old freshman played professionally in the ABA League and missed the team’s first 16 games due to NCAA eligibility issues.
Much wasn’t expected from the youngster in his college basketball debut, however, no one told him that as the center played just 16 minutes but sent the Rupp Arena crowd into an absolute frenzy with a showcase of his various talents.
Kentucky basketball program unleashes ‘Big Z’ on Saturday night
With 8:20 left in the first half the center went off as he connected on a three-pointer, followed that up by blocking a shot, snared a rebound, hit on a deep two-pointer, and finished off the wild display with two more threes. All of his first four shots were picture-perfect. Zvonimir Ivisic scored 11 points in less than three minutes and was plus-20 in his first half eight minutes as an NCAA player.
“There’s always the debate about what’s the loudest it’s ever been at Rupp Arena, and this one might be in the conversation,” Kentucky basketball radio voice Tom Leach told The Athletic after the game. “Probably as close as you could get to that Tayshaun Prince barrage of five straight 3s to start the game against North Carolina [in 2001]. Both times, you’re seeing something that really no one would’ve ever expected to see.”
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Ivisic finished the game with 13 points, 3 blocks, 5 rebounds, 2 assists — one being a nifty behind-the-back pass — and 2 steals. He connected on three of his four three-point attempts and five of his seven shots.
While the Wildcats have several notable young prospects on their roster, “Big Z” is the kind of player that could quickly take college basketball by storm during a season where there are not many players catching the attention of mainstream fans.