Branham: "I’m not banking on (Zvonimir Ivisic) being on this roster"

As the days move forward without confirmation that Croatian forward Zvonimir Ivisic will be cleared by the University of Kentucky admissions office, pessimism grows regarding his chances to ever suit up for the Wildcats.

Committing to Kentucky on August 1, the basketball program ultimately announced his signing on Aug. 14. No. 44 locker set up, arrival expected before the start of the fall semester. That came and went, as did the final class add date of Aug. 26. No sign of Ivisic.

And if you ask 247Sports recruiting insider Travis Branham, that’s not expected to change ahead of the start of college basketball season.

“To be honest, I’m not banking on him being on this roster next year,” he told KSR on the Sources Say Podcast. “I think it’s a very longshot bet.”

Now over a month following his announced addition, the holdup starts with the school’s English proficiency requirements. Ivisic, who speaks four languages, has submitted two language exams for qualification. Those results have not been approved by the university.

And until he can get admitted into school, he can’t apply for a student visa to make a move to the United States.

Those are the basics, details below the surface a bit murky from there.

“As you’ve very well covered at this point, there has been a lot going on behind the scenes and I think there is probably more going on behind the scenes that we don’t know,” Branham added. “It’s not as clean, cut-and-dry as to why he’s not coming. Maybe they connect on a Hail Mary and he does end up at Kentucky, but at this point — I won’t disclose all of the details of it — but I’d be shocked if he actually ends up here.”

Should the University of Kentucky fail to grant a waiver and Ivisic is left searching for a backup plan, what is the expected result? Opposing schools are selling the 7-2 forward on the idea of their admissions offices getting him in ahead of the 2023-24 season. But is that realistic? Branham is unsure.

“I think he will try to go to college, I genuinely do believe that. But will he actually be able to get through the admissions process and get admitted somewhere? To me, that’s going to be the biggest question,” Branham said. ”DePaul is the team being rumored most behind the scenes, trying to get him on their campus if this does indeed fall through. Again, I think he will try because it’s becoming overwhelmingly evident: these international kids want to play in the United States due to NIL. To me, he’s going to give it a shot, but there’s so much more to play out. If he doesn’t get in here, there’s going to be a long road getting him in somewhere else.”

It would undoubtedly be a PR mess for the University of Kentucky if Ivisic isn’t let in, no matter the details. And rival coaches would certainly use it as negative recruiting tactic for international prospects interested in signing with the Wildcats moving forward. Will it actually deter recruits from picking Kentucky in the future, though?

“I don’t think it damages them in any regard. Will people probably try to use it against them? Of course they will,” Branham said. ”At that point, they’re just kind of making stuff up because Kentucky always has the upper hand, so you’re always looking for ways to weasel your way around and wedge yourself between a player and Kentucky. But I don’t think it damages them. Obviously it hurts from a PR perspective and a lot of fans are going to be upset he’s not coming. They’re going to be upset at the admissions department — we already saw them release a statement about it.”

What does it mean for the Wildcats this upcoming season? Well, it depends on the health of injured big men Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso. Assuming both return to the floor without any drama, Branham believes Kentucky will be just fine in the frontcourt.

“It’d be unfortunate. But the way they pieced this roster together late in the offseason with Tre Mitchell, hopefully Aaron Bradshaw (and Ugonna Onyenso) come back healthy,” he said. “To me, at the end of the day it’s a loss, but not as big of a loss. You have all of the pieces there to fill that void he’d be leaving.”