The most interesting man in college basketball currently resides in Champaign, Illinois.
David Mirkovic, a product of Niksic, Montenegro, was a pivotal part of Illinois' run to the Final Four last season. In 37 contests under head coach Brad Underwood, the big man averaged 13.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 29.4 minutes per game.
The 6-foot-9 power forward has shown the world that he is the real deal. Mirkovic's abilities are so special that he is being considered one of the top power forwards in the country by analyst Kevin Sweeney of SINow.
Ranking the best power forwards in college hoops!
Why David Mirkovic is poised to explode, what to make of JT Toppin off an ACL and a 17-year-old phenom who might emerge as a star:https://t.co/lHrIImHQ2T
– Kevin Sweeney (@CBB_Central) August 13, 2026
As Sweeney states in his piece, Mirkovic can be used in a variety of ways, including as a "jumbo ball-handler" and someone who can "hunt mismatches all over the floor." He is a legitimate threat at all three levels, with the size to fight in the post and the shooting ability to stretch the floor.
This season, Mirkovic will be called upon to continue that success for Illinois and will be joined by four other returning Illini, which includes Andrej Stojakovic, Jake Davis, Tomislav Ivisic, and Zvonimir Ivisic. Unfortunately, Mirkovic is currently working through a foot injury that he suffered on July 31, but should, hopefully, pick up right where he left off when he returns.
David Mirkovic will be the main catalyst to lead Illinois back to the promised land
There is a lot to love about the 2026-27 men's basketball team, as they will be starting three returning players from a year ago. Illinois also added a top transfer in Stefan Vaaks and a five-star guard in Quentin Coleman.
The biggest key to their success is going to be the utilization of Mirkovic in their offense and how that will correlate with the rest of his teammates. As someone who can contribute at all three levels, he certainly is capable of opening things up for the rest of his teammates and creating havoc for opposing defenders.
The electricity is in the air for the Illini, and Mirkovic is going to help facilitate most of it. There were plenty of other quality power forwards on Sweeney's list, such as Gonzaga's Braden Huff and Florida's Alex Condon, but it was Mirkovic's consistency and ability to shoot from deep last season that really set him apart from the rest of the pack.
Expect the big fella to get back to his normal ways when he returns from his foot injury and become the electric factory that we all know and love. The Illini will need to run the offense through someone this year after the departure of Keaton Wagler, and Mirkovic is the perfect candidate to take the lead.
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This article was originally published on www.writingillini.com as David Mirkovic named at top of his position heading into crucial Illinois basketball season.