Illinois Basketball’s David Mirkovic Undergoes Appendectomy: What His Absence Means

Appendectomy adds to recovery

Mirkovic was expected to miss Monday night’s opener against Fairleigh Dickinson while recovering from foot surgery in early August. On Sunday, Underwood said Mirkovic had appendicitis and underwent an appendectomy the previous night.

Underwood said he did not have a further update and confirmed Mirkovic would not be in uniform. The article cites the Cleveland Clinic’s estimate that full recovery from an appendectomy takes about six weeks, while noting that individual recovery and a return to conditioning could extend the timeline.

A six-week estimate would point to a return around mid-December, but Mirkovic’s exact outlook is unknown. The article considers a return for Texas Tech on Nov. 10 or Duke on Nov. 17 highly unlikely, and a Dec. 4 game against UConn in Chicago potentially possible but optimistic.

Frontcourt depth faces pressure

Mirkovic’s absence will test the Illini frontcourt. Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic could take on heavier workloads, while Underwood could also choose a smaller lineup that moves Andrej Stojakovic to the 4.

Underwood said Zvonimir Ivisic and Stojakovic are expected to play against Fairleigh Dickinson. Jason Jakstys may also be called upon, and freshman Landon Davis could need to contribute meaningful minutes.

Nonconference games carry weight

The article says Illinois can get through its nonconference schedule and might benefit from working through Mirkovic’s absence. But it also warns that games against Texas Tech, Duke and UConn will be more difficult without him.

Those results could influence Illinois’ chances of earning a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed. If the Illini lose all three, the article says, a top seed could be difficult to secure even with a strong Big Ten season.