Wait continues for Petrovic, Mirkovic

CHAMPAIGN Kylan Boswells role for his final season of college basketball should resemble the one he filled last season at Illinois.

A shared backcourt with shared playmaking responsibilities.

Maybe.

Probably.

At least as soon as Mihailo Petrovic signs and arrives in the United States.

The way the uncertainty of that process has dragged on since Petrovic committed to Illinois in April, it seems unlikely the 22-year-old Serbian point guard will make it to Champaign in time to participate in any summer workouts for the Illini.

Particularly when you consider theyll end in about a week-and-a-half before the team is given some time off before the start of the new academic year.

So, its been on Boswell to run the Illinois offense in June and July.

Exclusively.

Im just trying to wait for Mihailo to get here and see what we can do together, but right now Im the main PG in the situation that were in, Boswell said.

I have the ball in my hands the majority of the time as the point guard.

Well just see how me and Mihailo work and how that will fit.

Boswell considers his own fit at Illinois better than it was a year ago at this time.

Last summer, he was one of 10 newcomers trying to figure out his place with the Illini after spending his first two years at Arizona.

Now, he understands Brad Underwoods system and the expectations the Illinois coach has for the program.

Being more comfortable with the coaching staff, I feel like Im going to have a way more impactful role for this team this year than I did last year, Boswell said.

Me and (Tomislav Ivisic), I feel like, and (Ty Rodgers) on the sidelines have done just a great job of continuing to build habits that we installed last year of what Brads philosophers are for this team and the winning culture.

Illinois is nearing the end of its summer workouts with more than just Petrovic unavailable.

Montenegrin forward David Mirkovic has signed but remains in Europe.

Rodgers suffered a knee injury in June that required surgery, and the brace hes wearing that encompasses nearly his entire left leg makes his availability for the 2025-26 season improbable.

That hasnt changed the necessity of laying the framework from the coming season this summer.

More than double the number of returning players from the previous offseason certainly helps, but there are still freshmen to integrate in Brandon Lee, Keaton Wagler and Blake Fagbemi plus transfers Andrej Stojakovic and Zvonimir Ivisic.

Weve been able to put in the fundamental ideas of what we want to do offensively and defensively, said sixth-year forward Ben Humrichous, who is part of that returning group along with Boswell, Tomislav Ivisic, Jake Davis and Rodgers.

I think that as we start to get into some of the technical stuff once everybodys here I think we have a really great foundation for how were going to move forward.

Summer workouts without a full roster isnt new for Illinois.

Kasparas Jakucionis spent a significant chunk of last summer playing for Lithuania in the FIBA U18 EuroBasket.

Tomislav Ivisic and Will Riley also didnt arrive on campus until July when the Illinis workouts were already underway.

Tomislav Ivisics advice for Petrovic and Mirkovic when they do make it to Champaign? Learn from his mistakes a year ago.

Come here ready dont come fat and just listen to (strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher) and whatever he says, the Illinois center said.

He wants the best for us.

Hes great here with diets, with eating, with lifting, with sleeping.

Literally everything.

The guys who are here, we work really hard and we focus on the guys who are here.

Of course, when the new guys come here its going to be different a different picture of the team and its going to help a lot.

I know theyre both great players, great teammates and great guys.

It can only get better from there.

Boswell said Illinois focus this summer without its full team on campus has been to focus on building relationships and chemistry with the players that are available.

Waiting for Petrovic and Mirkovic simply requires patience.

Just like the Illini had a year ago.

Last year, it took (Tomislav Ivisic) forever to get here, and we made it work, Boswell said.

For who we have, I feel like weve done a great job of getting all those new butterflies out and just growing..

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