Former Kentucky forward Zvonimir Ivisic revealed his decision to transfer to Arkansas and reunite with head coach John Calipari via an announcement on Instagram.

The 20-year-old’s freshman season saw him play in only 15 games, as NCAA clearance delayed his participation until January 20, as reported by Grant Grubbs of On3.com. Despite limited playing time, he managed averages of 5.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 11.7 minutes per game.

Ivisic entered the transfer portal on April 13, shortly after Calipari’s departure from Kentucky, where he expressed frustration over the NCAA’s handling of Ivisic’s eligibility.

“It’s not fair,” Calipari stated, as cited by Grubbs. “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.”

Ivisic’s eligibility was uncertain due to his prior professional basketball experience with SC Derby in the Montenegrin Basketball League and ABA Derby from 2021 to 2023.

Standing at 7’2″, the towering big man is anticipated to play a more significant role in his sophomore year after displaying promise in his limited playing time during the 2023-24 season. Notably, he showcased a 37.5 percent three-point shooting accuracy on 16 attempts and recorded a season-high 18 points in just 20 minutes during a victory over Alabama on February 24.

With Ivisic’s commitment, Calipari secures his first recruit for Arkansas as he endeavors to revitalize the program following a 16-17 record in the 2023-24 season.