Basketball

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

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 26th, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Overtime Elite)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois associate head coach Orlando Antigua has played a major role in the recruitment of one of the nation’s top prospects, Adam Oumiddoch.

One of the many reasons Brad Underwood brought Antigua back to his staff was his strong recruiting connections and proven ability to land some of the nation’s top basketball recruits.

Oumiddoch, a 6-foot-6, 177-pound guard-wing from Arlington, Virginia, is a standout for Overtime Elite and a member of the Class of 2026. ESPN ranks him as the No. 35 prospect in the nation, and a four-star recruit will visit Illinois.

IlliniGuys caught up with Adam

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 26, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Naperville Sun)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.- Big things are happening in Champaign this weekend. Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff will be on campus to cover the football game, and it’s also Homecoming as the No. 23 Illini host No. 21 USC at Gies Memorial Stadium.

While the football program will be in the national spotlight, Illinois men’s basketball is also making headlines. Brad Underwood and his staff are taking full advantage of the weekend atmosphere, hosting a number of high-profile recruits who will get an inside look at the program.

By IlliniGuys Staff

September 25, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Anoke Deitg-Blanchard)

IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy delivered the latest buzz to the IlliniGuys premium message boards yesterday morning:

2026 Top 30 prospect Adam Oumiddoch will visit the U of I campus in mid-October. (Photo courtesy Phenom Hoops Report)

--NCAA looking at new legislation to allow

September 23, 2025

IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy reports on the first day of practice for the Illini men's basketball team:

--Andrej Stojakovic progressing well

By IlliniGuys Staff CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois football […]

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 19, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Just before Illinois hosted Western Michigan in a 38-0 shutout victory last Saturday, a handful of recruits lined the edge of the north end zone. A few 2027 recruits and a 2026 commit were taking in the atmosphere, but there was no recruit bigger – literally – than Sinan Huan.

Huan, a larger-than-life 7-foot center who is part of the 2026 recruiting class, is rated as a four-star recruit by 247 Sports, a top-100 recruit, and the tenth-highest rated center in the class.

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

September 18, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illini schedule for the 2025-26 season is a gauntlet, but that’s just the way Brad Underwood wants it. Illinois will play a total of 25 games against high major opponents with a veteran team capable of making a run.

“Players want to play in big games,” Underwood told IlliniGuys.com last summer. “They want to play against the best. We’re going to play good people. We don’t shy away from it.”

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 19, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois hosted one of the nation’s top young prospects last weekend when Keller Daugherty, a 6-foot-9 shooting guard from the class of 2027, made his visit to Champaign. For Daugherty, the experience matched what he was hoping to see.

“It’s everything I thought it would be,” Daugherty said. “Yeah, for sure, for sure.”

Assistant coach Tyler Underwood is the lead recruiter for Daugherty, saying they have built a strong connection.

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 17, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Jaxon Davis, a 6-foot-1, 165-pound point guard from Gurnee, made a trip to Champaign to watch an Illinois men’s basketball workout this past weekend, and he walked away impressed with what he saw. Ranked No. 53 in the country by ESPN, Davis described his visit as a business trip, focusing on how the Illini develop their guards both in and out of season.

“I loved the guard play here and the freedom they have,” Davis said. “I was paying attention to the little things they do, because they’re all different players. (Kylan) Boswell, (Keaton) Wagler, and (Mihailo) Petrovic are very fast, athletic, and shoot the ball good.”

There had been speculation about Davis

By IlliniGuys Staff

September 17, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy delivered the latest news on the men's basketball board on our premium forums earlier this week. Here's what we found out:

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 16, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – On Saturday, the nation’s ninth-ranked Illinois football team hosted Western Michigan. Head coach Bret Bielema and his staff brought in a large group of potential football recruits, but the men’s basketball program also made noise, welcoming one of the top players in the 2026 class to campus.

Cameron Holmes, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Millennium High School in Goodyear, Arizona, made his first trip to Champaign for an official visit. For Holmes, the experience was eye-opening.

"I am really glad to be here. I didn't know what to expect, but wow

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 15, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

Five-star Bolingbrook Prep shooting guard Brady Pettigrew, ranked No. 15 nationally by ESPN, visited Illinois this weekend and didn’t hesitate to share his first impressions. “I’m having a blast down here right now,” Pettigrew said.

Only a sophomore, Pettigrew is already ranked No. 15 in the country and continues to gain national attention. Illinois understands that getting him on campus early and often might play a major role when it comes time for him to make his decision.