Basketball

By IlliniGuys Staff October 13, 2025 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - […]

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 13, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's social media)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – One of the first glimpses that the world caught of Andrej Stojakovic in Illinois colors was of him dressed in the team’s orange jersey with two flags draped over his shoulders – the Greek flag on his right shoulder and the Serbian flag on his left. He carries his identity with him everywhere he goes, and says that his upbringing, both as the son of an NBA great and as a foreigner, has shaped him on and off the court.

The last name should ring a bell for those who were basketball fans in the 2000s. Stojakovic is the son of former NBA champion and three-time NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic, who was a career 40-percent three-point shooter who had his most iconic years with the Sacramento Kings.

Stojakovic is ethnically Serbian and was born in Greece. Both countries are part of the Balkan Peninsula.

By Kedric Prince Staff Writer

October 12, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.- When IlliniGuys first reported that Keaton Wagler, a 6-foot-4, 175-pound shooting guard from Shawnee, Kansas, committed to Illinois in September 2024, many considered him an under-the-radar prospect due to his low national ranking. For example, Rivals.com ranked him as the nation's 67th-best shooting guard in the 2025 class.

But Illinois appears to have found a gem. While most major programs passed, the Illini identified his talent early. The only other Power Four school to actively recruit him was Minnesota.

At Illinois media day recently, head coach Brad Underwood made a bold comparison about Wagler.

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

October 12, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois women’s basketball program, which currently boasts the nation’s No. 9-ranked 2025 recruiting class, is looking to build for the future. Recruiting never stops, and for head coach Shauna Green and her staff, it’s about developing meaningful relationships early. That’s exactly what they did recently with a rising star from Kentucky.

Charlotte McCurry, a 6-foot shooting guard from John Hardin High School in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and a member of the 2029 class, made the trip to Champaign for an unofficial visit. IlliniGuys caught up with McCurry as she reflected on her experience.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 9, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – It’s been almost exactly a year and a half since Jake Davis chose to transfer to Illinois. Transferring after a freshman year at Mercer, the McCordsville, Indiana native arrived at Illinois holding a reputation as an elite three-point shooter. Since then, a lot has changed about him, his team, and his role in it.

Davis is one of the many beneficiaries of strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher, who has earned plaudits from head coach Brad Underwood as one of the best in the nation.

By Kedric Prince Staff Writer

October 8th, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois men’s basketball team has been one of the most explosive offensive programs in the Big Ten and among the best in the country over the past few seasons. But as the 2025-26 season approaches, head coach Brad Underwood and his staff know offense alone won’t win championships.

After another high-scoring campaign in which Illinois ranked among the top 10 nationally in points per game, Underwood has turned his attention and his trust to a new defensive voice. Camryn Crocker is tasked with rebuilding a defense that ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten.

In 2023-24, Illinois finished ninth in the nation, averaging 83.4 points per game offensively.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 8, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Villanova University)

Player Biography: Maddie Webber, a junior transfer guard from Villanova, made an impact during her sophomore season, earning second-team All-Big East honors. She averaged 13.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while totaling 478 points, 105 rebounds, 80 assists, 30 steals, and 20 blocks. Her breakout game came this past February against DePaul, when she scored a career-high 30 points on 12-for-28 shooting.

What we know:

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 6th, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois graduate student forward Ben Humrichous returns for his second year in Champaign, determined to finish his college basketball career on his terms. When the NCAA transfer portal opened last March, speculation swirled that Humrichous might be among those leaving the program in search of new opportunities after an up-and-down season.

As ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso is famous for saying, “Not so fast, my friend.”

“I learned a lot from last year; there were a lot of things from the season that were out of my control

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 3, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men’s basketball program’s pipeline to the Peoria recruiting grounds has run dry for the past few seasons, but head coach Brad Underwood and his staff may look to reclaim some territory with an under-the-radar prospect.

Quinton Kitt, a class of 2027 forward from East Peoria High School, was on campus for a visit last Saturday for Illinois football’s Homecoming game against USC. It was his third visit overall to Champaign and, with home being just down the road, is one that he can make quite comfortably.

“It’s easy to get back and forth, so I can come here often.

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Staff Writer

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - October marks the start of college basketball. Illinois women’s head coach Shauna Green enters her fourth season at the helm of the Fighting Illini with a new challenge ahead.

Gone from last year’s team is a veteran core Green leaned on heavily: Genesis Bryant, Kendall Bostic, Makira Cook, Brynn Shoup-Hill, and Adalia McKenzie. That group helped Green establish Illinois as a Big Ten contender during her early years in Champaign. In their place is a younger roster, much taller, but still untested.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 2, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Local media day wrapped up on Thursday afternoon at Illinois’ Ubben Basketball Complex, giving members of the media exclusive access to the team. IlliniGuys was on-site and will provide coverage from players and coaches from within the program in the coming days.

Before speaking to the media, head coach Brad Underwood held a press conference in the Ubben lobby, fielding questions from reporters. He first shared that newcomer Andrej Stojakovic is yet to practice with the team, having missed close to a month with an undisclosed injury.

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

October 2, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - When there’s a 7-footer walking around the Illinois basketball facility, it’s usually safe to assume he’s a player. In this case, the towering figure wasn’t a current Illini but a highly regarded recruit.

IlliniGuys caught up with Isaiah Hill, a standout from Pike High School in Indianapolis. Hill is rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 1 player in Indiana’s 2027 class, according to Rivals.com.

Hill already holds offers from Indiana, Notre Dame, and Purdue, but he expects that list to expand as the fall recruiting cycle heats up.

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 1, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The last overseas player to be cleared to practice and join the 2025-26 Fighting Illini roster, Mihailo Petrovic, a 6-foot-3 guard from Prokuplje, Serbia, has already given Illinois basketball fans reason to be excited.

In recent years, Illinois men’s basketball has benefited from having “that guy”, the player who shows toughness, competitiveness, and a refusal to back down. Former Illini players like Lucas Johnson, Andres Feliz, and Da’Monte Williams filled that role in their eras. Now, there is optimism Petrovic could be next in line.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 1, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The rules for college athletics seem to change as quickly as fall weather, and Illinois men’s basketball, like programs across the country, is being forced to adapt on the fly.

In recent years, Illinois has navigated the NCAA transfer portal with success. Several transfers have made an immediate impact in Champaign - Matthew Mayer, Marcus Domask and Terrence Shannon Jr., all of whom earned All-Big Ten honors during their time with the Illini.

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 28, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - One of the nation’s most coveted basketball recruits, 6-foot-6, 185-pound four-star prospect Lucas Morillo of New Rochelle, New York, made his way to Champaign along with his family for an official visit during Illinois football’s Homecoming weekend.

The Big Apple prep standout, ranked No. 75 in the country according to ESPN, spoke with IlliniGuys about his time on campus.

“The visit has been really good, my favorite thing so far has been