Basketball

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

April 8, 2025

Lost in the announcements of players like Kylan Boswell, Tomislav Ivisic, Ty Rodgers and Jake Davis returning, as well as portal additions like Zvonimir Ivisic, the Illini have another 6’10 post player looking to be in the mix up front next season. 2024 graduate and 4-star top 100 recruit Jason Jakstys used his redshirt season to improve his strength, gain weight and increase his readiness to play in 2025-26.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting 

April 7, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Believe it or not, Illinois will have a basketball roster, with players that many might not be familiar with, but the Illini are still finding the right fit. From the look of things, Illinois continues to search for players who are proven shooters with today's news.

On Monday, the Illini received a commitment from 6-foot-9, 250-pound power forward David Mirkovic from Serbia (Montenegro). The Illini are looking to replace freshman Morez Johnson Jr. with a player who brings a more refined perimeter game. Mirkovic is a better shooter from the floor, can put the ball on the deck, and finish both great rebounders. The difference appears to be that those skills come naturally for Mirkovic and he's proven it.

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular April 7, 2025 Duke […]

By Larry Smith - Co-Host & Executive Producer, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

April 6, 2025

(Editor's note: Larry covered 12 Final Fours in person during his CNN Sports career and has continued his work with the Turner Sports' March Madness coverage in recent years.)

(Cover photo courtesy The Spun)

Saturday night in San Antonio was as thrilling as we thought it would be. Two clashes of titans with epic finishes. Any result would have been appropriate, as there was little argument going in about any one team being better than the others.

The Alamodome has seen similar drama in the past. The 2004 national semifinals delivered the nail-biting UConn win over Duke, a game marred by a multitude of referees' whistles spurred by the expletive-filled tirade that Blue Devils legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski blasted at officials during the first media timeout after the halftime, one that the television audience at home never knew about. Then there was 2008 and North Carolina rallying from a 28-point first half deficit, but failing to overtake the eventual national champion Jayhawks.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Each year in college basketball, no player or roster is safe anymore. Illinois is not the only team dealing with roster changes. The difference is that while some programs have players exiting like Illinois, others are bringing talent in. For example, Michigan picked up Illinois' Morez Johnson Jr. last week. Saturday morning they added UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg and lost Tre Donaldson to Miami.

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

April 5, 2025

Illinois has been working the portal even throughout this time when we have focused on Dix, Sellers and Sandfort, and they have some very good targets in mind. They want to add more shooting and another playmaker, in addition to a guy with size.

Illinois has the potential of having both Ivisic on […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

April 5, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – On Friday, Illinois lost out on two prime targets they were pursuing. From the outside, it may appear that the Illinois coaches didn’t see it coming or didn’t have a say in what transpired, that was certainly not the case. So, let’s get started for the latest episode of Portal Kombat.

April 4, 2025

So...what happened in the Josh Dix recruitment?

And where does Illinois staff go from here?

Our Brad Sturdy delivers the latest notes as Portal Kombat roars into its second weekend:

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

April 3, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois women's basketball program will need to add key pieces to next season’s roster. While it remains unclear which direction head coach Shauna Green and her staff will take, it’s likely they will prioritize scoring, size, and athleticism.

Here are a few notable players who are eyeing Illinois to possibly help fill the scoring void left by last year’s great senior class.

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The NCAA transfer portal has been active to start the 2025 cycle, but now it’s time to take a deep breath as the official Dead Period begins from April 3-10.

What exactly is the Dead Period? (No in-person contact is allowed on or off campus, though phone calls and emails are still permitted.)

1. Late last night, 12:30 a.m., to be exact, I received information from a NEW credible source. Let’s start with

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

April 3, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

Much of the transfer portal talk always revolves on who is leaving and who is coming in, but the Illini got much needed news this week as a couple of veterans announced their return. Forward Ty Rodgers and Guard Kylan Boswell announced on their social media accounts that they would be returning for the 2025-26 season and it seems like Tomislav Ivisic is the next key returnee that the Illini have built around. 

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

April 2, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois sophomore guard Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn told IlliniGuys this morning that he plans to enter the transfer portal.

Gibbs-Lawhorn was the only participant from last year’s Elite Eight run to play this season after starting guard Ty Rodgers elected to redshirt hours prior to the season opener. However, Rodgers decision to remain with the program for the 2025-26 season means he will be the lone holdover from that 29-win team two seasons ago.

Gibbs-Lawhorn, a four-star recruit in the 2023 from Lafayette, Ind., attended Word of God Christian Academy (N.C.). He originally committed to Purdue before switching to Illinois on September 30, 2022, for several reasons, according to his father, Ben Gibbs.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

April 2, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – In the midst of hosting former Iowa Hawkeye Josh Dix and planning to host his running mate Pryce Sandfort later in the week, one of the most important jobs as an assistant coach is scouting other teams, running practice, and other duties as assigned. However, in today's world, recruiting may take precedence over them all.

After being a reserve guard in his first two […]