All Knicks

Knicks Take SEC Center in Mock Draft

The New York Knicks could find their next prospect in one of the top conferences in the country.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 25, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks forward Zvonimir Ivisic (44) secures a rebound in the first half against the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Nov 25, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks forward Zvonimir Ivisic (44) secures a rebound in the first half against the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
In this story:

The New York Knicks have a second-round pick to work with in the 2025 NBA Draft.

With the Knicks having traded several of their first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges, their draft capital comes few and far between, so they need to capitalize on each and every pick that they have, even if it comes towards the end of the draft.

Bleacher Report draft analyst Jonathan Wasserman conducted a recent mock draft that has the Knicks taking Arkansas center Zvonimir Ivisic with the No. 56 overall pick.

"A rare, valued mix of 7'2" size, shooting potential and defensive length should help scouts look past Zvonimir Ivisic's lack of quickness and explosion," Wasserman writes.

"He may only be useful for a specialty role at the next level, but at 46.5 percent from deep with a 12.6 block percentage, he'll continue to be worth thinking about as a possible second-round stretch 5."

So far this season for the Razorbacks, Ivisic is averaging 8.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. The 21-year-old from Vodice, Croatia came to the United States on a scholarship to Kentucky under legendary coach John Calipari. When Calipari left Kentucky for Arkansas, Ivisic followed him over.

Wasserman also compares Ivisic to former Knicks big man and No. 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani, which could scare some New York fans given how the Italian did not live up to expectations.

However, Bargnani came into the league as a top pick and Ivisic is far from that. Ivisic is likely a fringe player, but the Knicks could benefit from adding a big man with some range, and that's exactly what the sophomore from Arkansas is.

The Knicks are back in action tomorrow as they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published
Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

Home/News