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Eastern Illinois men's basketball head coach Marty Simmons has added some international flavor to the Panthers roster for next season with the addition of forward Lazar Grbovic.
 
Grbovic (6'8 / 240) is from Belgrade, Serbia and began his collegiate career at Arkansas State before playing at Moberly Area Community College last season.  Grbovic was a projected starter at Moberly Area CC where he redshirted due to injury during the 2022-2023 season. Moberly was a top 10 ranked Junior College team in the country and qualified for the National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas. Grbovic was considered one of the top Junior College big man prospects before his injury
 
""Lazar will add some great versatility to our post spots. He has the ability to play on the perimeter and space the floor as a big, and also physical enough to guard on the block.  He is a great modern day post player that will add toughness, physicality and experience to our front court," said Simmons.  "He was coached by legendary Moberly Area CC Coach Pat Smith.  Coach Smith is known for developing not only tough, competitive basketball players, but great young men that succeed at the four-year level.    We look forward to welcoming Lazar to our EIU basketball family."
 
Grbovic attended Moberly Area CC last season but missed the year due to injury.  He went to Moberly after two seasons at Arkansas State.  During the COVID shortened 2020-21 season he played in eight games averaging 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.  He scored a season high 17 points against Crowley's Ridge.  In his second season at ASU he played in 14 games off the bench averaging 2.1 points and 1.1 rebounds per game.  He scored a season high nine points against both Central Baptist and Mississippi Valley State.  Grbovic pulled down a season high four rebounds at Illinois.
 
During his prep days in Serbia he averaged 13.7 points, 9 rebounds and 1.7 assists over his four seasons of club play.  He played his final two seasons with Proleter Naftagas in the second league of Serbia.  Grbovic was a member of the Serbian U19 team that finished seventh at the 2019 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Heraklion, Greece.    
 
He becomes the seventh player to join the Panthers roster for next season joining Corey Sawyer, Jr., (Guard / Cloud County CC), Nakyel Shelton (Guard / South Suburban CC), Kooper Jacobi (Forward / Univ. of Toledo), Kyndall Davis (Guard/Forward / Panola College), Isaiah Griffin (Guard / Sunrise Christian Academy) and Jaylin Gibson (Guard / Mount St. Mary's Univ.).