“I’ve never started in my life”: Arkansas star Zvonimir Ivisic opens up about his unique journey and bench comfort zone

Arkansas forward Zvonimir Ivisic came off the bench for the first time this season in the Razorbacks's 65-49 win over Troy on Wednesday evening. The Croatian big man revealed postgame that he feels more comfortable playing a non-starter role.

After starting the first two games against Lipscomb and Baylor, the 7-foot-2 big man flourished as a spark off the bench. He played 22 minutes in the game, finishing with 19 points, two rebounds, three steals and five blocks.

“You know, I grew up playing with my twin brother, and he was always starting. So, I was kind of like, ‘OK,’" Ivisic said after the game.

"I never started in my life for first — national team, wherever I played with my brother, he was starting. You know, I kind of got used to it. So, now I got a start and had to (tip) the ball, I got a little bit nervous, but it’s alright, though.”

(From 3:05 mark)

The bench role appeared to be perfectly suited for the second-year player. In his season debut against Lipscomb, Ivisic tallied 12 points, three rebounds, three blocks and one steal to secure the 76-60 win against the Bisons.

Zvonimir Ivisic and Co. host the next three games in home territory against Pacific (Monday), Little Rock (Nov. 22) and Maryland-Eastern Shore (Nov. 25).

Zvonimir Ivisic shines in sophomore season with new team

At 21, Zvonimir Ivisic has already accumulated significant basketball experience, and his second season of college eligibility with the Arkansas Razorbacks seems to hold great promise.

Before turning professional, Ivisic represented Croatia on the national Under-16 basketball team and competed at the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship. Later, he played for SC Derby in the Montenegrin Basketball League and the ABA League between 2020 and 2023. Despite declaring for the NBA draft in 2022 and 2023, he withdrew on both occasions.

As a freshman at Kentucky, Ivisic averaged 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks over 15 games, all as a bench player. Following Kentucky coach John Calipari's move to Arkansas, Ivisic entered the NCAA transfer portal and joined the Razorbacks.

The transfer seems to have been a wise decision for the Croatian forward. In his first three games with Arkansas, he has averaged 11 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals and three blocks per game while playing 20 minutes per contest. He has also posted an impressive 64.7% shooting accuracy from the field and a 77.8% success rate on 3-point attempts.

Although the Razorbacks’ March Madness journey is still on the horizon, Zvonimir Ivisic’s ongoing development is shaping up to be a storyline worth following.