INDIANAPOLIS — European players on the Illinois roster have adapted to calling Champaign home.
After joining head coach Brad Underwood’s squad from all around the world, long-term living thousands of miles away from home has become the norm for the European Illini who moved from overseas. While it may not be a return home to Croatia, Montenegro or Serbia, a trip to the Final Four in Indianapolis may serve as a change of scenery, and a sweet one at that.
For Illini guard Jake Davis, that could not be further from the case. The weekend serves as a return home to his central Indiana roots, roughly 20 miles from his home in McCordsville.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Davis said. “It was a childhood dream to play in college and play in the Final Four. It being in Indianapolis, being in my home state, it’s an even better experience. It’s a cherry on top.”
Davis spent his high school basketball career at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, a powerhouse program in the state. He ended his high school career as the all-time leader in charges taken in Indiana high school basketball history. More importantly to him, he ended his high school career as a state champion in his final game. In the 2022 Class 4A State Championship Game, Davis and the Fighting Irish defeated Chesterton 65-31 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, just blocks away from where Davis will look to earn an NCAA title.
Davis’ familiarity with Indy has served as a breath of fresh air for his international teammates as they soak in American and Midwest cultures as new residents of the United States.
“I think he's gone out of his way to make those guys feel at home,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said. “I think he's brought them back here to Indiana with them in the summer, and on off weekends they hang out a lot. I think they've got similar things in common personally.”
For some teammates, it's a connection through basketball. Freshman forward David Mirkovic hails from Montenegro and did not experience the traditional American youth basketball system prior to college. Eager to learn, he relied on Davis.
“[Jake] talks to me a lot in general about high school basketball and Indiana traditions, things like that. He brings that positive energy that we all have. He’s ours,” Mirkovic said.
Davis would regularly show Mirkovic his high school games on YouTube and explain the state tournament format. The ruling?
“A lot of three’s. No defense,” Mirkovic said jokingly.
“And more fat,” Croatian teammate Tomislav Ivisic interjected.
Mirkovic, laughing, agreed.
For Ivisic, Davis provides a Hoosier connection to his passion outside of basketball: racing.
Davis made Ivisic embrace his true Hoosier spirit last year in his first-ever trip to Indiana. Fittingly, Davis brought his 7-foot teammate to the Indianapolis 500. To get the full experience, they went into The Snake Pit, a notorious party zone in the infield that encapsulates race culture more than most areas.
“I’ll definitely be back next year,” Ivisic said. “I love all the venues with cars and racing. If I was shorter and didn’t play basketball, I would be a racecar driver.”
So many activities and experiences are new for Davis’ international teammates. Especially this weekend in Indy, he wants to showcase the culture he grew up with. It is not a one-way relationship, though. Davis’ teammates return the favor, sharing Balkan recipes, music and culture with him.
Both sides remain eager to learn about each other, sharing memories and experiences off the court.
“Jake is our leader. Everybody likes Jake,” Underwood said. “Great teammate, and he's also a little bit confrontational. He's not afraid to get on those guys. He's probably, as much as anybody, helped in ways that maybe they needed help in terms of the American ways and basketball. He's very much engrained with those guys.”
As Davis looks to cap off a personally special weekend in Indianapolis with two wins and an NCAA championship, he will also be sure to continue sharing the once-in-a-lifetime experience with his teammates.
“I think Indiana basketball is something special,” Davis said. “I tell them it’s the best state for basketball as a whole. They don’t believe me. What else can I do?”
With a game on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium and a weekend full of Indiana basketball culture, that question will likely answer itself naturally.
