Illinois Overcomes Chicago Recruiting Woes with Global Talent

Illini reach Final Four with international roster, embracing NIL and portal changes

Apr. 3, 2026 at 9:48pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting an abstracted college basketball game, with the players' figures broken down into overlapping angular shapes in a vibrant color palette.Illinois' international roster has propelled the program to the Final Four, defying decades of struggles to recruit top talent from the Chicago area.Champaign Today

The Illinois men's basketball team has reached the Final Four for the first time in 21 years, despite not having a single player from the Chicago area on its eight-man rotation. Instead, the Illini have aggressively recruited internationally, landing several standout players from the Balkan region of Southeast Europe thanks to the advent of NIL and the changing college basketball landscape.

Why it matters

For decades, Illinois' success has been tied to its ability to recruit top talent from the Chicago area. The Illini's current Final Four run, built around international players, represents a significant shift in the program's recruiting strategy and a departure from the traditional focus on local prospects.

The details

Under head coach Brad Underwood, Illinois has cast a much wider net in its recruiting efforts, leaning heavily into international recruiting as the NIL era has allowed American colleges to offer lucrative deals to top European prospects. The Illini's current eight-man rotation features four players from the Balkan region, including twin brothers Zvonimir and Tomislav Ivišić from Croatia, David Mirković from Montenegro, and Mihailo Petrović from Serbia. They also have Andrej Stojaković, the son of Serbian basketball legend Peja Stojaković.

  • Illinois last reached the Final Four in 2005.
  • Underwood was hired as Illinois' head coach in 2017.

The players

Brad Underwood

The current head coach of the Illinois men's basketball team, who has embraced international recruiting and the changing landscape of college basketball.

Zvonimir Ivišić

A Croatian twin brother who is a key player on the Illinois roster.

Tomislav Ivišić

The other Croatian twin brother who is also a standout for the Illini.

David Mirković

A player from Montenegro who is part of Illinois' international contingent.

Mihailo Petrović

A guard from Serbia who is one of the cornerstones of the Illinois team.

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What they’re saying

“I think the one thing that has changed because of NIL is maybe the caliber of the young player that we're getting. There's always been tremendous intrigue in coming to the States and playing college basketball. I think that is heightened by what's gone on with the portal and NIL, and I think it's all been very, very positive.”

— Brad Underwood, Illinois Head Coach

“The phone calls of the past of how people recruited internationally is not going to work anymore. You've got to go put feet on the ground and you've got to spend the time.”

— Geoff Alexander, Illinois Assistant Coach

What’s next

Illinois will face UConn in the first national semifinal on Saturday, April 6, 2026, with a chance to advance to the national championship game.

The takeaway

Illinois' successful recruitment of international talent, particularly from the Balkan region, has allowed the program to overcome its historical struggles in attracting top Chicago-area players. This shift in strategy has positioned the Illini as a national title contender, demonstrating the impact that the NIL era and changing college basketball landscape can have on a program's fortunes.