Zvonimir Ivisic among best international freshmen in college basketball: Kentucky Wildcats

Discover the fascinating journey of Ivisic and his remarkable basketball skills.

• By
  
  Ethan DeWitt
  
• on October 17, 2023 5:25 pm
• @ethandewitt1

The Zvonimir Ivisic saga created a buzz among the BBN in recent months, and rightly so. Now, the 7-foot-2 Croatian powerhouse has arrived in Lexington and is set to showcase his skills for the Kentucky Wildcats in the highly anticipated Blue-White Game on Saturday night.

Ivisic is expected to play a crucial role on the basketball team while Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso recover from foot injuries sustained during the offseason. The latest international freshman rankings indicate that scouts and media share the same high expectations.

Jonathan Givony of ESPN took the time to compile a list of the top international freshmen to watch in the upcoming 2023-24 college basketball season, and Ivisic claimed the impressive No. 6 spot.

He ranked behind Aday Mara (UCLA), Berke Buyuktuncel (UCLA), Motiejus Krivas (Arizona), Paulius Murauskas (Arizona), and Johnny Furphy (Kansas).

When discussing Ivisic, Givony had this to say:

“Ivišić possesses an incredible array of talents. Few 7-footers anywhere in the world can shoot as dynamically as he does, displaying dynamic dribbling skills and the ability to create separation like a guard. The Vodice, Croatia native is also a dominant finisher, a skilled shot-blocker, and demonstrates flashes of brilliance in creating his own offense.

However, Ivišić’s challenges with injuries, lack of physicality as a rebounder and post-defender, and weaknesses in passing and perimeter defense have made him a more theoretical prospect for scouts. He has been overlooked by the NBA in the past two drafts but will gain eligibility for the next draft. Regardless, NBA teams are always captivated by his on-court presence.”

It is evident that Ivisic possesses all the necessary tools to make a significant impact at the NBA level. If he can maximize his potential this season in Lexington, the Kentucky Wildcats will be an exciting team to watch.

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