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Jul. 31—CHAMPAIGN — The Illinois men's basketball program generated two notable roster-building storylines last season.
The "Where did Keaton Wagler come from?" narrative took hold in December when he made the first public steps from freshman guard with promise to likely one-and-done star.
But the bigger storyline started months earlier when Illinois coach Brad Underwood first built his 2025-26 squad with an all-out raid on the Balkans and lasted through the Illini's Final Four run.
That team featured three Croatians, including a pair of twins, one fun-loving Montenegrin, one Serbian/Greek former McDonald's All-American and one veteran Serbian guard relegated to minimal backup minutes because of Wagler's breakout season.
What was missed was the seventh Balkan — Jake Davis.
A native of McCordsville, Ind.
Is Davis more an honorary Balkan given his Hoosier roots? Maybe so.
But the 6-foot-6 Illini forward is now represented by the same agency based out of Belgrade, Serbia, that reps three of his teammates, and he's started to learn the language.
At least enough Croatian to introduce himself in a couple weeks when he heads to Croatia with Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic.
Plus enough to trash talk if they wind up getting in any basketball run during their shared vacation.
Davis' growing familiarity with the language might also come in handy as the Ivisic twins continue pursuing their primary goal — landing their teammate a Croatian wife.
"We're still looking," Zvonimir Ivisic confirmed to The News-Gazette on Thursday at Ubben Basketball Complex.
"I've got some connections," Tomislav Ivisic added. "We'll figure something out. Then it's up to him. He already speaks a lot. He's got that base covered. It's definitely a lot easier, and Croatian girls like Americans. It's going to be good."
The Ivisic twins aren't using their trip home only to give their Illinois teammate a reason to keep traveling to Croatia. They want to show Davis where they're from. Let him get a feel of what it was like growing up in Vodice, Croatia, after several trips to Indiana.
"I want to show him our culture, our food, our mentality," Zvonimir said.
"I've told him I'm very proud of my country," Tomislav continued. "I really think it's the most beautiful country in the world. There's so much beautiful stuff to show there. Seven days is not going to be enough."
Davis has visited Europe before, hitting the Netherlands and Belgium when he was younger on a travel basketball trip. Despite his honorary Balkan status, though, he's never been to that part of the world.
The upside of that portion of southeastern Europe is proximity. The Ivisic twins' hometown is less than a five-hour drive to Niksic, Montenegro. The hometown of Illini sophomore forward David Mirkovic.
"I think David will be home, and we're going to try and go see David in Montenegro for a day or something," Davis said. "I think it's going to be great seeing Europe and seeing their life and culture. I've been immersed in it now for three years being around both of them. Now, I get to go see a country full of them. I imagine it will be fun and interesting.
"I'm really excited to see just what it is they do in their home. I'm excited to eat the food, see the places and just do everything out there with them. I'm blessed that they're both my friends."
Davis and Tomislav both arrived at Illinois ahead of the 2024-25 season. Davis a transfer from Mercer.
Tomislav an international import with professional experience playing three seasons for SC Derby in the Adriatic League.
Tomislav started 31 of the 32 games he played that first season at Illinois and was the team's second-leading scorer behind one-and-done freshman guard Kasparas Jakucionis. Davis played a smaller role off the bench.
That first season when they were thrown together as roommates after first arriving in Champaign helped turn teammates into friends.
"I guess just spending so much time with somebody makes you close and cool," Davis said. "That's just what happened. We're very different, but very similar at the same time. We just clicked. We like doing a bunch of the same things, watching the same shows. It's just super easy."
Zvonimir transferred from Arkansas to Illinois ahead of the 2025-26 season to team up again with his brother.
It didn't take long for him to forge a similar bond with Davis.
"We just clicked — Tomi first, and then when I came he welcomed me like I was his brother," Zvonimir said. "I feel like the three of us are kind of similar even though we're from different parts of the world. Our character and personalities are pretty similar.
"We like to have fun. We like what we do. Everything is built up toward basketball, but we spend a lot of time out of the gym playing video games, going to restaurants and spending time with each other."
Davis and the Ivisic twins are set to head to Croatia after Illinois' summer workouts end. The Illini's last day at Ubben Basketball Complex — at least until the new school year starts Aug. 24 — is in just less than a week. Illinois will wrap its offseason on Aug. 6.
Then the trio's European vacation begins.
With no hard and fast set plans but at least one goal.
"Just try to not get arrested and come back home safe," Tomislav said, "and we'll be good."
Continue reading...
The "Where did Keaton Wagler come from?" narrative took hold in December when he made the first public steps from freshman guard with promise to likely one-and-done star.
But the bigger storyline started months earlier when Illinois coach Brad Underwood first built his 2025-26 squad with an all-out raid on the Balkans and lasted through the Illini's Final Four run.
That team featured three Croatians, including a pair of twins, one fun-loving Montenegrin, one Serbian/Greek former McDonald's All-American and one veteran Serbian guard relegated to minimal backup minutes because of Wagler's breakout season.
What was missed was the seventh Balkan — Jake Davis.
A native of McCordsville, Ind.
Is Davis more an honorary Balkan given his Hoosier roots? Maybe so.
But the 6-foot-6 Illini forward is now represented by the same agency based out of Belgrade, Serbia, that reps three of his teammates, and he's started to learn the language.
At least enough Croatian to introduce himself in a couple weeks when he heads to Croatia with Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic.
Plus enough to trash talk if they wind up getting in any basketball run during their shared vacation.
Davis' growing familiarity with the language might also come in handy as the Ivisic twins continue pursuing their primary goal — landing their teammate a Croatian wife.
"We're still looking," Zvonimir Ivisic confirmed to The News-Gazette on Thursday at Ubben Basketball Complex.
"I've got some connections," Tomislav Ivisic added. "We'll figure something out. Then it's up to him. He already speaks a lot. He's got that base covered. It's definitely a lot easier, and Croatian girls like Americans. It's going to be good."
The Ivisic twins aren't using their trip home only to give their Illinois teammate a reason to keep traveling to Croatia. They want to show Davis where they're from. Let him get a feel of what it was like growing up in Vodice, Croatia, after several trips to Indiana.
"I want to show him our culture, our food, our mentality," Zvonimir said.
"I've told him I'm very proud of my country," Tomislav continued. "I really think it's the most beautiful country in the world. There's so much beautiful stuff to show there. Seven days is not going to be enough."
Davis has visited Europe before, hitting the Netherlands and Belgium when he was younger on a travel basketball trip. Despite his honorary Balkan status, though, he's never been to that part of the world.
The upside of that portion of southeastern Europe is proximity. The Ivisic twins' hometown is less than a five-hour drive to Niksic, Montenegro. The hometown of Illini sophomore forward David Mirkovic.
"I think David will be home, and we're going to try and go see David in Montenegro for a day or something," Davis said. "I think it's going to be great seeing Europe and seeing their life and culture. I've been immersed in it now for three years being around both of them. Now, I get to go see a country full of them. I imagine it will be fun and interesting.
"I'm really excited to see just what it is they do in their home. I'm excited to eat the food, see the places and just do everything out there with them. I'm blessed that they're both my friends."
Davis and Tomislav both arrived at Illinois ahead of the 2024-25 season. Davis a transfer from Mercer.
Tomislav an international import with professional experience playing three seasons for SC Derby in the Adriatic League.
Tomislav started 31 of the 32 games he played that first season at Illinois and was the team's second-leading scorer behind one-and-done freshman guard Kasparas Jakucionis. Davis played a smaller role off the bench.
That first season when they were thrown together as roommates after first arriving in Champaign helped turn teammates into friends.
"I guess just spending so much time with somebody makes you close and cool," Davis said. "That's just what happened. We're very different, but very similar at the same time. We just clicked. We like doing a bunch of the same things, watching the same shows. It's just super easy."
Zvonimir transferred from Arkansas to Illinois ahead of the 2025-26 season to team up again with his brother.
It didn't take long for him to forge a similar bond with Davis.
"We just clicked — Tomi first, and then when I came he welcomed me like I was his brother," Zvonimir said. "I feel like the three of us are kind of similar even though we're from different parts of the world. Our character and personalities are pretty similar.
"We like to have fun. We like what we do. Everything is built up toward basketball, but we spend a lot of time out of the gym playing video games, going to restaurants and spending time with each other."
Davis and the Ivisic twins are set to head to Croatia after Illinois' summer workouts end. The Illini's last day at Ubben Basketball Complex — at least until the new school year starts Aug. 24 — is in just less than a week. Illinois will wrap its offseason on Aug. 6.
Then the trio's European vacation begins.
With no hard and fast set plans but at least one goal.
"Just try to not get arrested and come back home safe," Tomislav said, "and we'll be good."
Continue reading...
