
Ked's Daily Double: Inside Illinois Men's & Women's Basketball 2025-26 Roster - Naomi Benson
By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
July 9, 2025
(Cover photo courtesy Austin Souvanarath)
For the next several days, I will break down one current men’s and women’s basketball player each day and discuss what expectations might be for the upcoming season.
Today’s Double Dribble 2-1 Focus features Illinois guard Kylan Boswell and women's center Naomi Benson
Player Biography: Naomi Benson, a 6-foot-2 wing from Streetsboro, Ohio, may be one of the most underrated preps in the country. According to ESPNW, Benson closed out the 2025 recruiting cycle ranked No. 96. But judging by the offers she received and the caliber of schools in her final 10, it’s clear Illinois head coach Shauna Green saw something special early. Green had been recruiting Benson since her sophomore year of high school.
Benson’s final 10 schools were: DePaul, Alabama, Cal, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Penn State, Wake Forest, Memphis, Mississippi State, and Illinois.
What we know: