By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

June 24, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – In March 2017, Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman hired Brad Underwood as the 18th head coach in the program’s history. During his introductory press conference, Underwood laid out his vision for the Illini and didn’t hesitate to say, “Illinois is a dream job for me.”

In a conversation at an AAU event, Underwood shared with me a few personal goals he hoped to accomplish during his tenure in Champaign. “Winning a national championship is the ultimate goal. I would also like to go to the (NBA Draft) Green Room with an Illinois player. That would mean we are recruiting at an elite level” Underwood said.

While the national championship nearly became a reality two seasons ago as Illinois fell to eventual champion UConn in the Elite Eight 77-52, one item on Underwood’s list is about to come true.

According to sources with IlliniGuys, Underwood, Associate Head Coach Orlando Antigua, Assistant Coach Geoff Alexander, and Strength and Conditioning Coach Adam Fletcher, will all be in attendance at the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., where two potential first-rounders are expected to hear their names called: 6-foot-6 guard Kasparas Jakucionis and 6-foot-8 combo guard/wing Will Riley.

Illinois’ basketball tradition is one of the reasons Underwood found the job so appealing when he took over eight years ago. That legacy will be extended this summer. This marks just the third time in school history that two Illini are projected to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.

The previous two occasions were in 1989 when the Orlando Magic took Nick Anderson with the 11th overall pick and the Detroit Pistons selected Kenny Battle at #27, and in 2005, when point guard Deron Williams went #3 overall to the Utah Jazz and guard Luther Head was taken #24 by the Houston Rockets.

A source close to the program said, “This is great for the Illinois basketball program, the alumni, fans, current and future players. There’s a lot of work that went into recruiting both Jakucionis and Riley. They had very successful freshman seasons. The coaches are proud to be in attendance to show support for them as they move on to the next phase of their lives.”

Jakucionis, who hails from Lithuania, and Riley, a Canadian star, both chose Illinois over professional routes and powerhouse programs, decisions that now seem validated as their NBA dreams are about to be realized.

For Underwood, the Green Room moment represents more than just a career milestone. It reflects years of building, in recruiting, in culture, and in player development. And as the lights shine on his players in Brooklyn, the foundation he’s laid in Champaign will be on full display to the basketball world.

This moment won’t just belong to Jakucionis and Riley, it will be shared by the staff, the fanbase, and an Illinois program continuing its march back to the national stage.

Follow me on Twitter (X) @KedPrince4
email: KedIlliniGuys@gmail.com