Calipari pushes for Ivisic's eligibility; "He's a great kid that deserves it."

Zvonimir Ivisic watched yet another game from the bench as he awaits a ruling on his NCAA eligibility sixteen games into the season. Still, Kentucky‘s freshman from Croatia had a big day without logging a minute in the Wildcats’ win over Mississippi State.

First, the #FreeBigZ billboard debuted in Indianapolis, Indiana, merely a mile and a half from NCAA headquarters. Funded by an online fan campaign, the new roadside sign reads, “Hey guys, #FreeBigZ – Sincerely, Kentucky.” The intent is for NCAA employees to see it on their commute to work each day, if they work. Ivisic is living proof that not a lot gets done over there.

A couple weeks ago, we launched a campaign to hang a billboard outside of the NCAA Eligibility Center so that their employees could see it every day on the way to work.

Kentucky fans raised the money in less that 4 hours. BBN is like that!

Today, the billboard is up!! #FreeBigZ pic.twitter.com/Y1Uz6CeIBE

— Buddy 🏀😼 (@BigBlueBud) January 17, 2024

Then, John Calipari defended Ivisic in his postgame press conference when a reporter asked if redshirting Ivisic is in consideration. It’s not, but the question opened the door for Calipari to take up for Big Z.

“It’s not fair,” Calipari replied. “For him to go through what he did to get into school for two months, what he’s doing academically, how he is as a teammate. Every day he walks in, he says, ‘Hey, Coach Cal!’ Yesterday, or two days ago, I said to him, you know, I just want you to know I feel bad because I don’t like how you were treated from the beginning to now. And he said, ‘Coach, I’m good. I’m good. I appreciate you saying it, but I’m good.’ He’s just a great kid and he deserves it.

“Look, if it were your son, how would you feel right now? He just turned 20. He was a 19-year-old, 20, playing amateur basketball over there. They can make it however they want to make it. ‘But, well, what about this? What about that?’ I get it. I get it. But, you know, he’s a great kid that deserves it.”

If that day comes when the NCAA does the right thing (lol), Ivisic will get his opportunity. Calipari said he will find the minutes somewhere to give the kid his shot.

“I’ll play him. I don’t know how much. Maybe both big guys don’t do–‘go’ and then he goes nuts and we look around and say, ‘Oh my gosh, they’re not gonna play anymore.’ Maybe, or maybe it’s like, ‘Geesh, these two are better than him.’ We’ll see.

“Let’s just get him eligible. You ready for this? For him. For him.”

Earlier this week, Calipari said it may be time to get aggressive in support of Ivisic. A new billboard and Wednesday’s comments are pretty aggressive.