Basketball

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Reporter

September 4, 2025

Today’s Player Focus features Illinois men’s center Jason Jakstys.

Player Biography: Jason Jakstys, a 6-foot-10 center from Yorkville, Ill., joined the Illini with the intention of redshirting his first season. Ranked No. 144 overall by On3, Jakstys was a three-star recruit and the No. 5-ranked player in Illinois according to PrepHoops Illinois.

What we know:

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

August 30, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Meanstreets' X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The state of Illinois has long been a hotbed for boys' high school basketball. From playground courts to packed gyms, the state has produced some of the greatest names to ever play in college and later wear an NBA uniform. Now, another potential star is on the horizon.

Brady Pettigrew, a 6-2, 170-pound combo guard from Bolingbrook, is already considered one of the nation’s elite recruits. Only a sophomore, Pettigrew has earned five-star status and is ranked as the No. 15 recruit in the country according to ESPN.

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

August 29, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illini are hosting a reunion of the 2005 Final Four team, the first time they have had this group back on campus since that magical run that captivated a nation. There are numerous reasons for a delay in honoring what was the greatest season in Illini basketball history. We can debate 89, 05, 01, 24, 84 until we’re blue in the face, but the reality is that the 2005 team made it to the national title game as the top ranked team and went 37-2. No other team has done that.

That was during my first year providing coverage of Illini basketball, but it was a different role and a different world that we lived in back then. Postgame, these guys would come out to meet with their families and the lower bowl fans would line up to grab autographs and interact with them. They were literally rock stars on campus. This was planned; they started having security and a rope to keep the masses at bay, but it was also something that started out organically. Post game dinners with players' families were common. These guys were accessible.

That accessibility paired with their personalities made them special. Well, in addition to their basketball talents, of course. Imagine what Dee Brown would grab in NIL today? There was a vibe around this group, beginning with a run in 2004 to win the Big Ten prior to that magical 2005 run.

For me, it was also much different. In both 2005 and 2006, there were many times I had to

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

August 28, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Peoria pipeline is beginning to run strong once more, as East Peoria forward Quinton Kitt made another trip to Champaign today to visit Illinois. The 6-foot-6 power forward returned to campus after receiving an offer from the Illini earlier this summer.

IlliniGuys caught up with the three-star prospect to get his thoughts on how this visit compared to his first. Peoria boys basketball has been kind to the Illini historically, though currently the only Peoria native suiting up in Champaign is guard Aaliyah Guyton on the women’s side. Illinois is hoping Kitt, a 2027 recruit, could be next.

“I thought the visit went pretty good.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

August 28, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – For the past four years, much of the attention in college athletics has centered on the transfer portal. While it continues to play an important role in roster building, there is a noticeable shift back toward recruiting and developing high school talent. Illinois is no exception. This year’s roster features several experienced transfers, but one freshman in particular is already creating buzz among those around the program.

Keaton Wagler arrived at Illinois this summer with a strong resume.

By IlliniGuys Staff

(Cover photo courtesy Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette)

Illinois has been blessed with some immensely talented basketball players over the years.  All-Americans, Big Ten Players of the Year, and those who have reached the penultimate level in college hoops.

IlliniGuys co-owners Mike Cagley, Larry Smith, and Brad Sturdy and IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting Kedric Prince all grew up in the 1970s and 80s, so we posed the question - who is the greatest Illini power forward in your lifetime?

That was the debate in this edition of the I On The Illini podcast:

https://illiniguys.com/illiniguys-top-fighting-illini-pfs-in-our-lifetime-4-star-2027-qb-commit-fantastic-four-first-steps-movie-review-491/

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – One of […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

August 26, 2025

Today’s Focus features Illinois women’s guard Erica Finney.

Player Biography: Erica Finney, a 6-foot-0 guard from Sydney, Australia, is ranked as the No. 13 prospect by SportsEngine Global Rankings. She represented New South Wales at the 2024 Australian National Championships, where she averaged 12.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting 41.1 percent from 3-point range.

What we know:

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

August 25, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Today’s player focus features Illinois men’s guard Jake Davis.

Player Biography: Jake Davis transferred to Illinois from Mercer, becoming the first recruit landed by Illinois assistant coach Tyler Underwood, with help from head coach Brad Underwood.

A 6-foot-6 wing from McCordsville, Ind. (Cathedral), Davis played in 32 games last season for the Illini. During his senior year of high school, he was named Academic All-State and selected to the Indianapolis Supreme 15. He also helped lead Cathedral to the 2022 Indiana Class 4A state championship.

What we know:

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

August 26, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois women’s basketball staff spent the summer evaluating potential recruits, attending AAU events to keep close tabs on players. Some of those athletes already hold offers, while others are still hoping the Illini will be the next to extend one.

One of the top players in that spotlight is Quincy native Khloe Nicholson, a four-star sophomore who received an offer from Illinois last year as a freshman.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

August 23, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Naperville Sun)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men’s basketball program continues to line up key visits this fall, and with its national reputation, the Illini are attracting really good talent.

Cole Kelly, a 6-foot-6, 185-pound small forward from Naperville (Neuqua Valley High School), recently shared on Twitter (X) that he has two unofficial visits scheduled. He will visit Nebraska this weekend before making his way to Illinois on Sept. 27.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

August 22, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN - Illinois men’s basketball continues to establish itself as a national recruiting presence, with more than 35 Division I offers extended to members of the class of 2026.

Since head coach Brad Underwood’s arrival in March 2017, the Illini have resurrected their program to prominence largely through recruiting, now competing consistently for elite high school talent again. That work has paid off again, as Jasiah Jervis, ranked the nation’s No. 50 player by ESPN, has included Illinois in his final list of eight schools.

By IlliniGuys Staff

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Illinois has been blessed with some immensely talented basketball players over the years.  All-Americans, Big Ten Players of the Year, and those who have reached the penultimate level in college hoops.

IlliniGuys co-owners Mike Cagley, Larry Smith, and Brad Sturdy and IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting Kedric Prince all grew up in the 1970s and 80s, so we posed the question - who is the greatest Illini small forward in your lifetime?

That was the debate in this edition of the I On The Illini podcast:

https://illiniguys.com/illiniguys-top-fighting-illini-sfs-in-our-lifetime-490/

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

August 21, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's Hudl page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fall typically signals the start of college football, but for those who follow basketball recruiting, it also means high school players begin narrowing their lists of potential schools, scheduling official visits, and in some cases, committing before their senior seasons tip off.

Quentin Coleman, a 6-foot-3, 170-pound shooting guard from The Principia School in Saint Louis, has announced his final six programs. His list includes Illinois, Saint Louis, Texas A&M, Iowa, Wake Forest, and Texas Tech. Each program is making a strong push to land the talented shooting guard, with hopes of getting him on campus soon and securing a commitment.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

August 16, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. –  Illinois men’s basketball head coach Brad Underwood has successfully put the Fighting Illini back on the national stage. This is evident not only in their victories, but also in the number of players hearing their names called on draft day.

Diehard fans will remember Morgan Park star Ayo Dosunmu being called the "pied piper" when he became the first big name to commit to Underwood's Illini program. The dynamic guard went on to earn first-team All-American honors and gain national player of the year consideration while lifting Illinois from a school-record 21 losses his freshman year to a Big Ten championship and number one seed in the 2021 NCAA tournament. Dosunmu was taken early in the second round of that summer's NBA Draft by his hometown Chicago Bulls, but experts later surmised that his level of play his rookie season instead warranted being a lottery pick.

Fast-forward four years and Underwood and staff now carry a very special card in their pocket when visiting prospective players