Kentucky transfer forward Zvonimir Ivisic commits to Arkansas

Former Kentucky forward Zvonimir Ivisic is following head coach John Calipari to Arkansas, via the NCAA Transfer Portal. Ivisic initially entered the transfer portal on April 13.

The 7-foot-2 Croatian product only spent one season with the Wildcats, tallying 15 appearances. He averaged 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 57.7% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc.

Ivisic only played in a fraction of Kentucky’s games due to the NCAA not clearing him to play until Jan. 20. In his first game, “Big Z” erupted for 13 points in only 16 minutes, draining three 3-pointers in the process.

Ivisic also boasted a standout performance in Kentucky’s blowout 117-95 win over Alabama, recording a career-high 18 points on 7-11 shooting. It’s no surprise to see Ivisic tag along with Calipari to Arkansas.

Less than 24 hours after Arkansas officially named Calipari the program’s next head coach, Ivisic posted a photo of the 65-year-old in Arkansas attire to his Instagram. Calipari was key in helping Ivisic receive eligibility to play.

“It’s not fair,” Calipari said about the NCAA’s hesitancy to grant Ivisic eligibility. “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.”

Now, Zvonimir Ivisic will have a chance to shine for a full season. Further, he’ll be surrounded by a similar environment.

Per Matt Norlander at CBS Sports, all of Calipari’s assistants with Kentucky are expected to follow him to the Razorback bench. That includes Orlando Antigua, Chin Coleman and Chuck Martin as assistants, along with Bruiser Flint as a special assistant.