Ivan Njegovan stands out in a crowd.
Well, stands above a crowd might be a more accurate descriptor for the 7-foot-1 Croatian center Jake Diebler spent his final scholarship on for his first Ohio State basketball roster in 2024-25. It's not just his height that separates him, however, it's also his ability to shoot and pass like few other humans of his stature can.
"I love Ivan's skill," Diebler said. "Obviously, as you guys see, he's big and his size is legit. And I think as he's adjusting more and more to the pace we're playing at — which has been different for him but he's picking it up — I think we're going to continue to see his opportunity grow."
Njegovan enters with professional basketball experience playing in Croatia's top league, the Favbet Premijer liga. The 20-year-old offers a unique athletic profile that could be honed into something special with a full four years of eligibility to work with at Ohio State — and his story differentiates him too.
"I took basketball more seriously when I was almost 16," Njegovan told Eleven Warriors at Ohio State's basketball media day on Oct. 8. "That's when I came to (Under-19) Zadar, a bigger club than my hometown club. (My) first two years I wasn't shooting much there, but then at one point I started to practice a little bit with the senior team. I was playing with the second team and first team at the same time, so I would stay after practice with the coach, shoot a little bit. And that's when they saw I can shoot."
Ivan Njegovan (pronounced ee-vahn nyeh-go-vahn) grew up in Otacac, Croatia, which has a population of less than 10,000 people. Even though he'd always loved the game, that didn't offer him a chance to dedicate himself fully to basketball.
His goal growing up, he said, was to go to a good school in Croatia. Then Zadar called.
"I was playing for my hometown club – and it's a really small town," Njegovan said. "There is not as much of an interest (in basketball) there with other kids. I always liked basketball, I always wanted to play, but being there it's not easy to go somewhere (to play).
"Then – out of nowhere, literally – I got an opportunity to come to a bigger club. That club won the last two Croatian Championships, so I would say the biggest. So when you get that chance to go there and play, you take it. That's why I decided to continue with basketball. I'm tall, so it would be weird if I didn't play basketball."
"I'm tall, so it would be weird if I didn't play basketball."– Ivan Njegovan
Njegovan spent 2021-22 playing with Zadar's U19 team, then served double duty with both the junior and senior clubs in 2022-23. He began producing with the U19 club that year, posting 21 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks in two games recorded by Pro Ballers.
He played eight games with Zadar in Premijer liga in 2023-24 before spending his remaining 20 games that season with a different PL club, Bosco Zagreb. In 20 games with Bosco, he averaged 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per contest – both team-highs – along with 8.2 points and 0.7 assists per game. Across his 28 games in Croatia's top league with the two teams last year, he shot 9-of-24 from 3, or 37.5%.
Njegovan played with teammates ranging in age from 16 to 43.
"A good thing playing with older guys is, they have a lot of experience," Njegovan said. "They tell you a lot of good stuff, stuff that's not (necessarily) hard, but there are some details that make you play better, that improve your game. So it's definitely a good experience to play with older guys."
Following his age-19 season in Premijer liga, Njegovan connected with an NIL agent and started receiving scholarship offers from schools. Diebler and Ohio State got involved and won him over quickly, a decision he feels validated in since he arrived on campus.
"I didn't come on a visit, so my first time being here was (when) I was already committed," Njegovan said. "They showed me videos and stuff on the Zoom meeting, and when I saw that, I saw so much. I expected so much, but when I came here, it was a completely different level."
That conversation and virtual tour with Diebler and company convinced Njegovan to come to become a Buckeye. He added that "it wasn't a hard choice."
"All the resources we have here, the coaches," Njegovan said of why the decision was easy. "Definitely the approach of the coaches. We were only talking, but still you can see when someone wants you and they want good for you."
Njegovan is Ohio State's first international recruit since Amedeo Della Valle, an Italian guard who played for former head coach Thad Matta for two seasons from 2012 through 2014, averaging 10.4 minutes and 3.6 points per game.
The adjustment to life in America has come in parts but come swiftly for Njegovan since he arrived in Columbus in August. He likes American food fine, but he misses Croatian cuisine too, which he said is heavy in meat, potatoes and vegetables.
"I do," Njegovan said. "I mean, American food is tasty, but still, you're used to something that you eat for like 20 years and now it's a little bit of a change. But (American) food is good, so it's not hard to adapt. ... I would say our food is much healthier than it is here, so that's the biggest difference."
Njegovan's favorite dish growing up, however, was his family's lasagna.
While adjusting to the new eats, Njegovan is also quickly befriending his new teammates. He sat next to sophomore forward Devin Royal at the team's media day, and the two engaged in some banter when a reporter asked Royal what stood out about the big man.
"He doesn't know English, that's what's stood out," Royal said with a sly smile, looking over at Njegovan.
"I don't know English?" Njegovan responded with a point to himself and an incredulous smile of his own.
"You're good. You're getting better," Royal said.
"I know English," Njegovan said with a playful pat on his chest from Royal.
Royal also helped Njegovan understand a list of questions such as "Who's most likely to cry watching The Notebook?" and "Who would yet let date your daughter?" from another interviewer.
"I'm only saying you because you said me," Njegovan told Royal with a laugh when posed the latter inquiry about dating his hypothetical daughter.
On the court, the most difficult adjustment for Njegovan has been to the speed and body types he faces in major college basketball.
"The pace of the game and the athleticism of the guys here, that is probably the biggest difference than what I'm used to," Njegovan said. "But it has gone pretty well for now."
It's for that reason that physical development is a big part of the plan for Njegovan, who currently stretches 250 pounds across his 7-1 frame. But his story will be a particularly fun one to follow over the next few years, especially if he progresses the right way.
"My biggest thing for Ivan is his best basketball is ahead of him," Diebler said. "So we've just gotta keep building. But I love his skill set. He can step out, shoot 3s. He passes well. He's getting more mobile. He's really bought into (our) strength and conditioning program, which in time is going to serve him really well. There's really no quick fix for that, but he's embracing the work required. So I'm excited about him, I'm happy he's here."
