Kentucky freshman center Zvonimir Ivišić cleared to play by NCAA

LEXINGTON — The NCAA on Saturday paved the way for Zvonimir Ivišić to take the floor for Kentucky this season.

The NCAA ruled Ivišić, a 7-foot-2 Croatian who played in professional leagues overseas the last few years, still retained his amateur status, meaning he can immediately suit up for the Wildcats. And that debut could come as soon as Saturday's SEC game versus Georgia at Rupp Arena.

Ivišić announced the news Saturday afternoon on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Hey BBN, guess what? I'm free," Ivišić said in a video attached to his post. "See y'all tonight at the game. I thank you all for the support."

Minutes after Ivišić's post, Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart also posted on X, thanking the university, his department and the NCAA "for working through" the eligibility questions.

Ivišić committed to UK on Aug. 1, becoming the eighth (and final) member of the team's 2023 recruiting class, which ranked No. 1 nationally according to the 247Sports Composite.

“I got the offer for scholarship by Coach Calipari to attend the University of Kentucky,” Ivišić said in an Instagram Stories post. “I’m excited to tell that I accepted the scholarship and I will play there next season. Go Big Blue!!”

Kentucky coach John Calipari officially announced Ivišić's signing later that month. Calipari invoked a nickname — "Big Z" — that's now become the coach's go-to moniker for his newest player.

"Big Z is a dynamic and modern big who has guard-like skills but can make a major impact around the rim," Calipari said in a statement. "Defensively, he is an elite shot blocker who moves well for being 7-foot-2 and can impact the game from the outside-in because of his ability to make 3s. As excited as he is to play for us, I’m just as excited to have the opportunity to coach him.

"We can’t wait to get him to campus to get integrated with our team and our culture."

It took more than two months to finally get Ivišić to campus, however, as the university took its time sorting through his application. He finally was admitted to the university Oct. 4 and arrived in Lexington the next day.

While he didn't participate in any public preseason event — the Blue-White scrimmage in Highland Heights and exhibitions versus Georgetown College and Kentucky State, respectively — and has sat out all 16 regular-season games so far, Ivišić has practiced with the team since enrolling, though he's dealt with multiple illnesses. First, food poisoning kept him from attending the exhibition against Kentucky State. Then he missed UK's record-setting win over Marshall, battling a 104-degree fever, according to Calipari.

Saturday's news was the latest in a busy week surrounding Ivišić.

It started Monday during Calipari's weekly radio show, when the coach said UK might need to "become aggressive" on Ivišić's behalf if he wasn't cleared soon.

"It’s not fair to him. It took a long time to get him admitted — again, a 3.2 student, smart kid, all the good stuff," Calipari said. "And then it’s taking the NCAA even more time to look at the facts. There are European kids playing all around the country, but they’re playing and he’s not? … Around the country, people are being very aggressive when it comes to different stuff with the NCAA."

It continued Wednesday, when a billboard, funded by UK fans and sporting the slogan "Free Big Z," went up near the NCAA Eligibility Center in Indianapolis. Later that day, following Kentucky's 90-77 home win over Mississippi State on a historic night for Calipari, the coach said as long as Ivišić received clearance, he would take the floor this season — no matter when that ruling came from the NCAA.

"I will play him. I don’t know how much," Calipari said. "Maybe both big guys (fellow 7-footers Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso) don’t do (much), and then he goes nuts and we look around and say, 'Oh, my gosh, they are not going to play anymore.' Maybe. Or maybe it's like, 'Geesh, these two are better than him.' We’ll see."

Perhaps that first glimpse will come Saturday night.

What Zvonimir Ivišić addition means for 2023-24 Kentucky basketball roster

First and foremost, Ivišić boosts the Wildcats in an area that now is a strength — but lacked this summer (pick your favorite alliterative descriptor): A bonafide big man. A colossal center. A towering talent in the paint.

Because of Ivišić's late arrival, and injuries to Bradshaw and Onyenso, the Wildcats played senior forward Tre Mitchell (all 6-9 of him) out of position as an undersized 5 since their successful summer in Toronto, where they romped to a 4-0 record and a gold medal at the GLOBL JAM tournament.

Though UK has had no problem simply outscoring its opponents this season — it led Division I in points per game (90.8 per outing) entering Saturday — the Wildcats routinely have struggled on the boards facing foes with taller players on the floor.

Ivišić, obviously, will help in that area. He'll also give Kentucky — despite his height seemingly implying the opposite — another perimeter threat offensively. Ivišić knocked down 43 3-pointers playing for SC Derby in the ABA League — the top league of teams from the former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia) — the past two seasons.

But where he'll be an even bigger help — meant literally and figuratively here — is on defense.

The Wildcats have allowed 77 points (or more) in all four conference games they've played. At 76.1 points permitted per outing, it far outpaces the previous-worst average by a Calipari-coached squad: The 2016-17 Wildcats gave up 71.5 points a game.

When Bradshaw and Onyenso were still working their way back from foot ailments that sidelined them to begin the season, opponents got to the basket nearly at will with no rim protector dissuading them from venturing forward. Onyenso has combined to tally nine blocks over the past two games, however, while Bradshaw has rejected at least one shot in six of his nine appearances, tallying two (or more) on two occasions.

Ivišić only can help the Wildcats' interior defense as another basket deterrent.

While Ivišić is far from a finished product defensively, he's shown he knows how to use his size to his advantage.

He averaged one block per game for SC Derby last season, which ranked fifth in the ABA.

Even if Ivišić has to work his way into form after missing so much time, he'll offer the Wildcats a defensive boost from the jump. Anything he can provide beyond that, at least early on, will be a windfall.

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Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky freshman Zvonimir Ivišić receives clearance to play from NCAA