CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Head coach Brad Underwood announced Monday that David Mirkovic (DAH-vid MIHR-ko-vitch) has signed a Big Ten Athletics Aid Agreement with the University of Illinois.
Mirkovic is a 6-foot-9-inch, 255-pound power forward from Niksic, Montenegro. He joins the Fighting Illini after two seasons with SC Derby, a member of the Adriatic League First Division (ABA) that also produced Illini twins Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic. Mirkovic boasts extensive international experience representing his home country as a member of the Montenegro National Team at both the youth and senior levels.
"David Mirkovich is a talented forward with a tremendous skill set who plays with great effort and physicality," Underwood said. "He has perimeter skills and shooting ability to go along with that frame, and he'll be a great complement to our other frontcourt players. David fits well into our offensive scheme and will also provide us with rebounding and a needed physicality and presence defensively."
In 50 career ABA games for SC Derby, Mirkovic averaged 7.8 points and 5.2 rebounds. In 2024-25, Mirkovic saw his production increase across the board in his second ABA season, averaging 8.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. He also posted 11 of his 16-career double-digit scoring games for SC Derby this past season, with five games of 10+ rebounds and four double-double efforts.
In addition to his top-tier ABA experience with SC Derby, Mirkovic has competed for the club in the U19 ABA League Championship in each of the last four years. This season in three appearances he averaged 23.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.3 blocks, and 1.0 steals per contest, while knocking down 42.9% from 3-point range (9-21).
Internationally, Mirkovic represented Montenegro in FIBA youth tournaments in 2022 and 2023, and in 2024 made his debut for the Montenegro Senior National Team at the FIBA EuroBasket Qualifier. At the 2022 FIBA U16 European Championship, He averaged 22.1 points and 10.3 rebounds in seven contests. The following year, he averaged 8.9 points and 4.1 rebounds over seven games as the youngest player at the 2023 U20 European Championship and posted 15.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game at the U18 European Championship Division B that same year.
In 2023 and 2024, he drew attention in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders (BWB) and Adidas Next Gen showcases, and he most recently competed for the World Select Team at the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit in Portland on April 12, totaling eight points and three rebounds in 15 minutes.
Mirkovic is a 6-foot-9-inch, 255-pound power forward from Niksic, Montenegro. He joins the Fighting Illini after two seasons with SC Derby, a member of the Adriatic League First Division (ABA) that also produced Illini twins Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic. Mirkovic boasts extensive international experience representing his home country as a member of the Montenegro National Team at both the youth and senior levels.
"David Mirkovich is a talented forward with a tremendous skill set who plays with great effort and physicality," Underwood said. "He has perimeter skills and shooting ability to go along with that frame, and he'll be a great complement to our other frontcourt players. David fits well into our offensive scheme and will also provide us with rebounding and a needed physicality and presence defensively."
In 50 career ABA games for SC Derby, Mirkovic averaged 7.8 points and 5.2 rebounds. In 2024-25, Mirkovic saw his production increase across the board in his second ABA season, averaging 8.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. He also posted 11 of his 16-career double-digit scoring games for SC Derby this past season, with five games of 10+ rebounds and four double-double efforts.
In addition to his top-tier ABA experience with SC Derby, Mirkovic has competed for the club in the U19 ABA League Championship in each of the last four years. This season in three appearances he averaged 23.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.3 blocks, and 1.0 steals per contest, while knocking down 42.9% from 3-point range (9-21).
Internationally, Mirkovic represented Montenegro in FIBA youth tournaments in 2022 and 2023, and in 2024 made his debut for the Montenegro Senior National Team at the FIBA EuroBasket Qualifier. At the 2022 FIBA U16 European Championship, He averaged 22.1 points and 10.3 rebounds in seven contests. The following year, he averaged 8.9 points and 4.1 rebounds over seven games as the youngest player at the 2023 U20 European Championship and posted 15.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game at the U18 European Championship Division B that same year.
In 2023 and 2024, he drew attention in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders (BWB) and Adidas Next Gen showcases, and he most recently competed for the World Select Team at the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit in Portland on April 12, totaling eight points and three rebounds in 15 minutes.
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