Arkansas forward Zvonimir Ivisic, affectionately known as “Big Z”, took to X on Tuesday night to take a joking swipe at former Razorbacks coach Eric Musselman’s USC. The big man responded to a tweet by Jon Rothstein that showed a nearly empty Galen Center, sarcastically replying that it looked packed.
“Packed house tonight” tweeted Ivisic.
Musselman is just one of the many high-profile college basketball coaches who switched allegiances this offseason. USC Trojans head coach Andy Enfield went to SMU, which opened the door for Musselman to take the reigns at USC.
Another notable move saw former Kentucky head coach John Calipari move to Fayetteville to join the Razorbacks, with several players at Kentucky following him, including big man Zvonimir Ivisic.
John Calipari helped Croatian big Zvonimir Ivisic receive eligibility
The 7-foot-2 Croatian spent just one season at Kentucky before joining the Razorbacks. In that season he averaged 5.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, and 1.3 bpg on 57.7% shooting. In his first game with the Wildcats, “Big Z” went for 13 points in just 16 minutes, knocking down three 3-pointers in the process.
Ivisic also starred in a Kentucky rout of Alabama, where he scored a career-high 18 points. Given that the big man found some form under coach Cal, it’s not surprising to see him transfer to Arkansas.
After Arkansas officially named John Calipari their next head coach, Ivisic posted a photo of Calipari in Razorback attire to his Instagram, revealing his respect for the coach.
Their relationship runs a bit deeper because early on in his first year at Kentucky, Calipari played a key role in helping Zvonimir Ivisic receive eligibility to play.
“It’s not fair,” Calipari said about the NCAA’s hesitancy to grant Ivisic eligibility while speaking to reporters earlier this year (via Kentucky Sports Radio). “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.”
It’s clear to see that there’s a bond between the two, and for Arkansas fans, there’s a lot to look forward to this season with the new faces who’ve joined the program. They’ll tip off their new campaign on Wednesday, Nov. 6 against Lipscomb.