Illinois freshman David Mirkovic is the funniest player in college basketball. However, he is not very good at baseball.
His first introduction to America’s favorite pastime proves it is the hardest sport in the world!
You can be one of the most elite college basketball players in the country and still be unable to put a bat on a ball. We saw it play out in real time at the Final Four.
Who is Illinois basketball star David Mirkovic?
As a native of Montenegro, the 20-year-old moved to the United States in the summer of 2025 to enroll at the University of Illinois. He joined the Fighting Illini after a brief stint with SC Derby of the Priva A Liga.
His freshman season of college hoops has been an overwhelming success thus far.
Not only is David Mirkovic averaging 13.5 points on 48.7% shooting, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, he dropped 29 points with 17 boards during a dominant performance in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament and Illinois is in the Final Four. You cannot ask for much better!
David Mirkovic with 29 and 17 in 28 minutes against Penn. Can give you a monster line like that without being able to jump over a puddle. Super skilled with offensive instincts. At 6-9 255: 50+ 3PTM this year and efficient on 65 PnR ballhandling reps. pic.twitter.com/3lZzPBsJUk
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) March 20, 2026
Mirkovic has very quickly become a favorite amongst the fans and his teammates. For his play and for his personality.
Something hilarious comes out of his mouth every time he speaks.
Nobody is having more fun along the way.
Mirkovic was mic’d up for practice at the Final Four and, even though he gets nervous around girls and cameras, it was pure gold.
We found out that his favorite movies, in order, are: The Truman Show, Interstellar and Air Bud. He also loves SpongeBob.
The best part about David Mirkovic is that he can actually hoop. Not only does he provide the soundbites, Illinois would not be where it is without him.
Baseball is the hardest sport in the world.
All of this goes to say that Mirkovic is a man of many talents. Baseball is not one of them.
Sports like water polo, soccer and basketball are the most popular sports in Montenegro. A very small, niche presence exists for baseball in the Balkans but a professional league does not exist and you would be hard pressed to find someone with any substantial knowledge of America’s favorite pastime.
A national team briefly existed within the Serbia-Montenegro framework after the breakup of Yugoslovia but it was disbanded in the year David Mirkovic was born. Baseball isn’t a thing over there.
As a result, Illinois’ superstar freshman had never swung a bat until the Final Four. He took a few hacks during the Fan Fest on Friday from both sides of the plate. It did not come naturally.
Mirk attempts baseball! pic.twitter.com/L8Lf5FhgrK
— Illini Rant (@IlliniRant) April 3, 2026
Baseball, statistically speaking, is the hardest sport in the entire world. It is not easy to hit a small ball with a bat as it travels at 90 miles per hour. Mirkovic could barely get a hit in whiffle ball! Point proven.