Rodney Knuppel of Sporting News and Athlon Sports reported Tuesday that Illinois forward David Mirkovic has returned to practice. Mirkovic underwent foot surgery this summer, and it was unclear how long he would be sidelined.
It remains uncertain whether Mirkovic will be available for the regular-season opener, but Knuppel also reported that the Illini sophomore will miss Saturday’s exhibition game against Cincinnati. That comes as no surprise, as Mirkovic will need time to get back into playing shape after being sidelined for two months.
In last year’s exhibition against Illinois State, Mirkovic finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds in his first game as an Illini.
Brad Underwood has made it clear that the coaching staff will be cautious with Mirkovic’s return and rely on the medical staff’s expertise. As of now, no decision has been made on whether Mirkovic will play in the season opener against Fairleigh Dickinson on November 2.
Mirkovic could be the most important piece of the puzzle for Illinois this season. He played in all 37 games last year, averaging 13.3 points per game, and was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. Now entering his sophomore season, he is expected to take another significant step forward.
Mirkovic is projected to be one of the best players in college basketball, making it crucial that he is fully healthy before returning to action. He was named to the media’s preseason All-Big Ten first team and has earned recognition on several preseason All-American teams.
Underwood and the Illinois coaching staff have spoken highly of Mirkovic’s performance this summer before his injury. He remained in Champaign rather than playing for the Montenegro national team, focusing on his development with the Illini. The coaching staff’s confidence in Mirkovic suggests that he could be in for a major sophomore season in orange and blue.
“Coach has a lot of trust in me,” Mirkovic stated. “They let me play, basically. They gave me freedom. This summer, I was on the ball for a long time.”
Mirkovic discussed his summer during Big Ten Media Days, confirming that he was in a great spot before undergoing surgery. Underwood has trusted him to handle the ball and facilitate the offense, so expect to see plenty of “Point Mirk” this season.
Once he returns, the offense will likely run through Mirkovic more frequently. We saw flashes of that last season, even with Keaton Wagler handling much of the playmaking responsibility. Mirkovic is incredibly versatile, capable of operating off ball screens, setting screens for teammates, overpowering smaller defenders in the paint, and punishing defenses from beyond the arc.
It will be exciting to watch Mirkovic take the reins of the offense in his sophomore season once he is fully healthy. His passing ability for a player of his size is exceptional, and he could be one of the most entertaining players to watch in college basketball this season.
Mirkovic will miss Saturday’s exhibition against Cincinnati, but there is still hope that he could return for the November 2 season opener against Fairleigh Dickinson now that he is back at practice.