Illinois star David Mirković out after emergency appendectomy, delaying return from foot surgery
Despite not having David Mirkovic available, No. 3 Illinois still rolled to a 120-45 win over Fairleigh Dickinson to open the season on Monday.
Illinois faces an uncertain future without star forward David Mirkovic. The Illini forward underwent an emergency appendectomy on Saturday, prompting head coach Brad Underwood to announce on Sunday that his return remains unknown. Mirkovic had already been sidelined by foot surgery during the offseason, which was expected to keep him out of games at the start of the 2026-27 season.
However, he was placed back in a boot in late October, further delaying his return to action. Despite not playing in Monday's game, Illinois managed a 120-45 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson. Mirkovic averaged 13.3 points and eight rebounds per game last season, helping Illinois reach the Final Four for the first time in over two decades.
He was also named a preseason All-American. Illinois' upcoming nonconference schedule, which includes games against Texas Tech, Duke, and UConn, will prove even more challenging without Mirkovic's presence.
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