BB Recruiting

Kentucky Adds Croatian Seven-Footer Zvonimir Ivisic to 2023 Roster

Published

3 years ago

August 1, 2023

Kentucky Wildcat commit Zvonimir Ivisic playing internationally for Croatia

FIBA Basketball

While it is the end of July, the Kentucky basketball staff is not finished adding to this season’s roster. On Thursday, KY Insider reported that the Kentucky staff had shown interest in Croatian big man Zvonimir Ivisic. By Tuesday morning, the staff had locked it up as they secured a commitment from Ivisic.

On Tuesday morning, at 6:00 AM EST (12:00 PM Croatian time), Ivisic posted a no-thrills, simply typed-out Instagram story announcing his commitment to Kentucky.

Zvonimir Ivisic from Croatia has committed to Kentucky and will join the 2023 roster.

A 7-2, 220-pound big that is fluid & moves very well for his size. Ivisic plays outside-in and has high potential.

ABA Playoff Averages
– 15.7 ppg
– 8.3 rpg
– 1.0 bpg
– 63% FG
– 40% 3P#BBN pic.twitter.com/nMadPjhhT7— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) August 1, 2023

News of Kentucky’s interest in Ivisic had been intentionally kept quiet, as the staff has been reportedly working on this dating back to a trip to New York City with the new La Familia Club last weekend. There they gathered a NIL package for Ivisic, who has a buyout with his club in Croatia, SC Derby.

With this news, two immediate questions have been presented: One, are there concerns about Ivisic’s eligibility? Two, does this suggest Aaron Bradshaw or Ugonna Onyenso’s injuries are worse than expected?

With international prospects, there is typically worry about eligibility, and rightfully so as we had seen with Enes Kanter in 2011. However, the Kentucky staff wouldn’t have pursued Ivisic had they not been confident he would be eligible. As for the injuries of Bradshaw and Onyenso, nothing has changed, they are still expected to return prior to the season. With that said, timelines can change with seven-footers and foot injuries.

Now, what kind of player is Ivisic? At 7-foot-2, 220 pounds, he is not your typical back-to-the-basket center. Instead, he is more of an outside-in player with a lot of potential, but he is seen as a “project” by the NBA.

Offensively, he is more developed on the perimeter, especially when shooting off movement. Ivisic is a lob threat in the pick-and-roll. On the defensive end, he can be an anchor, as he can protect the rim and even move to recover very well.

One last thing to note, Ivisic is 19 years old (will turn 20 on August 8th) and has been draft eligible since the 2022 NBA Draft, but has withdrawn from both the 2022 and 2023 NBA Drafts. Now at Kentucky, he will look to develop and make that jump.

With the addition of Ivisic, Kentucky certainly got better and deeper. Familiarize yourself with Ivisic in this pre-draft workout interview with the Indiana Pacers, where he even went up against former Wildcat Oscar Tshiebwe.

Related Topics:International Recruiting Zvonimir Ivisic

BB Recruiting

Kentucky Basketball Receives Prediction to Land International Star Nikola Kusturica

Published

4 days ago

June 17, 2026

Tristan Pharis

Kentucky basketball has taken over as the favorite for Serbian star Nikola Kusturica, a projected lottery pick in 2028, with a prediction backing the Wildcats.

Just when many believed Kentucky’s roster was complete in terms of contributing players, Mark Pope might have an ace up his sleeve.

Last week, it was reported that Kentucky was among the frontrunners to land 6-foot-8 Serbian wing Nikola Kusturica. At the time, Gonzaga was thought to be the team to beat, having a more defined role to offer, compared to Kentucky, who has one remaining roster spot and a good amount of depth in wing positions.

Since then, things have shifted in a big way.

Gonzaga received a commitment from 18-year-old French guard Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa on Sunday. By Tuesday night, the Wildcats received a Crystal Ball prediction from 247Sports’ Travis Branham to land Kusturica, with a confidence level of 7 out of 10.

The 6-foot-8 wing currently plays for FC Barcelona in Spain’s Liga ACB and EuroLeague system. He just turned 17 years old and is reportedly seeking a two-year college opportunity before becoming draft-eligible in 2028, where he is already being projected as a lottery pick.

The on-court résumé speaks for itself. In the 2025 FIBA U16 EuroBasket, he averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game while leading Serbia to a championship and was named tournament MVP. He also helped Barcelona capture the Adidas NextGen Finals championship last month, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds in the title game against Real Madrid.

Next, Kusturica will represent Serbia in the FIBA U17 World Cup from June 27 to July 5, and a college decision could come before then.

Mark Pope is carrying a lot of momentum in recent weeks after retaining Malachi Moreno and adding Milan Momcilovic to this season’s roster, as well as landing the first top 10 prospect of his career in Ryan Hampton. If he can close on Kusturica, that would cap off the roster in a significant way and continue to change the narrative around his recruiting ability.

BB Recruiting

Kentucky Earns Commitment From No. 6 Prospect in 2027 Class Ryan Hampton

Published

2 weeks ago

June 7, 2026

Kai McClelland

Photo via UK Athletics

How about a Sunday boom in the recruiting world for you BBN?

Ryan Hampton, the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2027 class, has officially committed to the University of Kentucky! This is Mark Pope’s first top-10 prospect that he’s earned a commitment from.

Hailing from Rockwall, Texas, Hampton recently took an official visit to campus with his family, which began on Friday, June 5 and spilled into Sunday, June 7, his commitment day.

The five-star wing averaged 21.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during the most recent EYBL Circuit, playing for LivOn and Nightrydas.

Hampton was the first recruit in the 2027 to officially visit with the Wildcats, and now he’s the first to call their shot early and choose the blue and white.

Pope has signed Milan Momcilovic, the No. 2 ranked transfer, and Hampton, his first top-10 high school prospect just in the past week.

It’s been a crazy week for recruiting, with the narrative around Pope’s ability slowing fading as the top guys continue to be attracted to the Kentucky brand.

BB Recruiting

Fast Riser Big Man Yann Kamagate Receives Scholarship Offer From Kentucky

Published

1 month ago

May 18, 2026

Tristan Pharis

Fresh off the first live recruiting period of the offseason, Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats have extended their first scholarship offer of the 2028 class.

Yann Kamagate, a prospect who went from unranked to the top five in 247Sports’ most recent recruiting rankings, received an offer from the Wildcats, he confirmed to KY Insider on Monday.

“Not everyone gets the chance to be seen by greatness,” Kamagate told KY Insider. “I’m grateful for the offer from Kentucky.”

Kentucky assistant coach Mikhail McLean, who works with the Wildcats’ big men and their development, watched Kamagate first-hand this past weekend in the Adidas 3SSB circuit in Mishawaka, Indiana.

The 7-foot big man was the talk of the weekend, displaying a high motor, extreme athleticism — a reported 7-9 winspam — and great feel for the game. On the circuit, he is averaging 13.9 points, a circuit-leading 10.4 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game.

Originally from the West African country of Burkina Faso, Kamagate moved to the United States just a year ago and has only been playing basketball for three years. Now, he is challenging for the top spot in the 2028 class.

He is currently represented by former NBA player and UCLA star Luc Mbah a Moute. Which is relevant as he is currently playing for the California Adidas team, Compton Magic, and attends La Cañada Flintridge (Calif.) St. Francis.

The offer is the latest signal that Mark Pope’s staff is casting a wide and aggressive net this offseason, and targeting players whose trajectories are trending sharply upward. Kamagate fits that profile exactly.