CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – Twin brothers Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic have played a fair amount of basketball together – but never in America.

The duo, now making up a combined 14-feet, 3 inch front court for the Illini, played together growing up and even suited up side by side professionally in Montenegro.

However, the last three basketball seasons have been spent apart from one another. Zvonimir blazed the collegiate/American basketball path first, playing for Kentucky in 2023-24. Orlando Antigua was one of the primary recruiters for ‘Z’ to Lexington, Ky. When Jon Calipari left UK for Arkansas, the Croatian big man went with him, but Antigua did not.

Instead, he returned to Brad Underwood’s staff in Champaign, where he coached from 2017-2021, but still found a way to keep the Croatian roots in his basketball family. Tomislav Ivisic joined Illinois for his first year of college, although the NCAA ruled him a sophomore, in 2024-25.

Now, Tomislav returns for a second year in Champaign and Zvonimir is trading out the Razorbacks’ gear for orange and blue.

Zvonomir Ivisic says, when he entered the transfer portal from Arkansas, he wasn’t sure if joining his brother at Illinois was a possibility.

“I wanted to [end up at Illinois] but I didn’t have a feeling,” Zvonimir said. “We talked about it. We wanted for that to happen, but we kind of didn’t believe because previously we played the same position… I wanted to play with my brother, and we didn’t believe it until it happened.”

Tomislav says it was his brother who fell in love with the game of basketball first.

“I was lazy at that time, we were like five or six [years old],” Tomislav said. “We wanted to do some sports and basketball was basically the only option. But I was lazy, I didn’t want to do it. My brother did, so he went to one practice – first practiced he liked it and I joined the second one. That’s when it started.”

Tomislav is listing as ten pounds heavier on the Illini roster. The twins say their games offer some similarities, but plenty of differences which can provide the team with different value.

“We’re both tall, both play inside [and] outside,” Tomislav said. “I would say he’s more athletic, better rim protector. We’re both good shooters – if you ask him, he’s better – if you ask me, I’m better. I’m stronger, more physical.”

While chemistry will likely be a strength of the lengthy duo, they struggled to get on the same page about one thing. Who won 1-on-1 games growing up?

“Me, for sure,” Zvonomir said.

Tomislav disputes that, saying the two never played 1-on-1 and points instead to the Thanksgiving meeting between Illinois and Arkansas in 2024.

“He still hears it [about that game],” Tomislav said.

While Z may not have initially known Illinois would be his next home when electing to transfer, his twin brother had a pretty good feeling.

“I knew that if it comes to that and he goes to portal that he [was] going to come here,” Tomislav said. “I know it’s a perfect spot for him. The coaches are going to help him a lot. [Strength coach Adam Fletcher] will change his life completely. When it got to that point that Illinois was interested in him, I don’t think there was any doubt after that.”

For Zvonimir, the opportunity to play alongside his brother for the first time in years was obviously a huge factor in picking a school out of the portal. However, it wasn’t the only thing that led him to Champaign-Urbana.

“Coaches are different than I’m used to. They’re still going to be hard on you, they’re going to support you,” Zvonimir said. “Facility is amazing. I haven’t seen a facility like this ever. And everybody else in the gym is just amazing. They’re here for us, whatever we need.”