Kentucky freshman Zvonimir Ivisic hilariously misuses Gatorade bottle

Saturday in Lexington will forever be remembered as Big Z’s debut. After months of waiting, Kentucky finally got true freshman center Zvonimir Ivisic playing time. The NCAA deemed him eligible earlier in the day and just a few hours later, he was putting on a clinic.

Nobody at Rupp Arena truly knew what was going on, with Ivisic dazzling in front of the home crowd. He was making threes, playing great defense, and even pulling off incredible assists. Despite playing eight minutes, it seemed like there was nothing he couldn’t do.

Ivisic maybe came crashing back down to earth during a timeout on the sideline, though. If there is one thing that can defeat the 7-2 big man, it’s a Gatorade bottle. The ESPN broadcast caught him accidentally squeezing the bottle for a quick spray in the face.

Nobody around Ivisic noticed but he got to smile about it with himself before wiping the water off. And thankfully, it got caught on camera and everyone can enjoy the moment as well.

You can check out the full hilarious moment from Ivisic here.

Big Z may be able to shoot, but he’s still figuring out how to use a Gatorade bottle. pic.twitter.com/Iw3uBC8ZKs

— KSR (@KSRonX) January 21, 2024

If poor use of a Gatorade bottle is what it takes for Big Z to be successful on the court, Kentucky will take that 10 times out of 10. His first-half stats are shown in the video, making all four of his attempts from the floor. Three of them were from behind the line, impressing everyone in attendance.

Keeping with the theme of the best moment not even truly being basketball-related, Ivisic hit the Jordan shrug after making a three-pointer in the first half. An unbelievable performance in what will become one of the more discussed freshman debuts in recent times.

And now, expectations surrounding Big Blue Nation are going to be even higher.

Kentucky was already one of the best teams in the country, fighting for a chance to win the SEC regular-season championship for the first time since 2020. You have to move back one year to find the last Sweet Sixteen for the program, the longest drought since Calipari arrived.

Getting Ivisic into the equation only helps. Whether he continues to play in short stints or the Wildcats allow him to have a more extended run, the big man will be a critical player for Kentucky down the stretch and heading into March.

A fun intro to what the rest of the season could look like for the Wildcats.