By Larry Smith - Co-Host & Executive Producer, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular
April 22, 2025
(Photo courtesy Cal Athletics)
(Editor's note: Larry is a co-founder of IlliniGuys.com and is a veteran award-winning journalist who has covered nearly 70 major championships worldwide, including a dozen Final Fours and six NBA Finals. He is the host of the WNBA on Ion studio show, which launches its second season on May 16th.)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Navigating the transfer portal as a fan takes patience. Every spring, it's the same for Illini fans - and supporters of other programs as well.
Some names get mentioned.
Some names are close.
Some names join the team, but more often than not, prospective transfers choose to go elsewhere.
There are only so many roster spots. There is only so much NIL money, though Illinois it appears is going to rank among the nation's elite when it comes to spending.
Illini head coach Brad Underwood and staff more than made up for the unexpected transfer of Morez Johnson Jr. to Michigan by bringing in Arkansas 7-footer Zvonimir Ivisic and European power forward David Mirkovic. Now, they seem primed to make Illini Nation forget all about the failed pursuit of former Iowa sharpshooter Josh Dix by landing a much more talented wing prospect...
Andrej Stojakovic.