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The five-year, $30 million deal between Illini athletics and Busey Bank does not include a logo on the Gies Memorial Stadium playing field or State Farm Center court.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

July 27, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — Maybe one of Bret Bielema’s favorite sayings is the proper way to describe the future of private corporation sponsorships with University of Illinois athletics because Illini personnel could argue the best is yet to come.

At the Monday afternoon media conference inside the Smith Center announcing a five-year, $30 million deal with Busey Bank for a jersey patch logo and the placement of logos on the signage all around Illini playing facilities, Illinois athletics Josh Whitman confirmed in an answer to IlliniGuys.com that the Illinois home playing surfaces will not feature the blue and white Busy Bank logo.

Whitman said Monday he and other Illini athletics personnel would “hope to” be able to announce a playing surface logo sponsorship deal with another private company before the start of the fall athletics schedule begins this coming month.

The Busey Bank jersey patches are the first prominent corporate sponsorship deal at Illinois since the $60 million naming rights deal with State Farm Insurance for 30 years that started in April 2013 for the basketball arena, which was previously called Assembly Hall, as part of a major $165 million modernization and renovation project.

The logo of Busey Bank, which was founded in […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

July 26, 2026

NaVarro Bowman Jr. is planning a fall visit to the Illinois campus. (Courtesy Prep Hoops)

(Cover photo courtesy USA Basketball)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois continues to recruit at a national level, and the Fighting Illini are showing no signs of slowing down on the recruiting trail.

Brad Underwood and his coaching staff have made it a priority to pursue difference makers to keep Illinois at the top of college basketball. That approach has Illinois firmly in the mix for two of the nation's premier young prospects; one of the top point guards in the Class of 2027 and one of the most unique big men in the Class of 2028.

Both recruits are ranked in ESPN's Top 25 for their respective classes. The Illini continue to stack elite recruiting targets as they look to build for the future.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

July 25, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – For years, high-major programs across the country routinely pulled elite talent out of Chicago powerhouse Whitney Young Magnet High School while Illinois struggled to keep those players home. Illinois coach Shauna Green finally changed that narrative with the signing of standout point guard Destiny Jackson, and the freshman rewarded that faith with one of the best debut seasons in program history.

Jackson quickly became one of the most dynamic guards in the Big Ten. She finished first among Illinois freshmen in assists for both a season and career mark, while also ending her freshman campaign 10th on the school’s freshman scoring list.

IlliniGuys recently caught up with Jackson’s mother, Teshunda Crockrell, to discuss her daughter’s first season at Illinois, the program’s future, and why the Illini continue to feel like the right fit for their family.

Crockrell said Green and her staff delivered on the vision they presented during the recruiting process.

University of Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman believes he’s found the secret to Illini football success and it’s the man who occupies the head coach office of the Smith Center.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

July 24, 2026

CHAMPAIGN — The athletics director at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign no longer believes the question unlocking success in its football operations should start with a ‘what’ but instead a ‘who’.

Josh Whitman does not acknowledge the mystery to the historically dormant intercollegiate tackle football program, of which he participated as a scholarship athlete from 1997 to 2000, is in the what and/or how but instead, the whom. And Whitman believes that question has been answered in the form of the person who owns the keys to the head coach office inside the Smith Center - Bret Arnold Bielema.

“Our secret weapon in football is him," Whitman said of the Illini head coach in the annual local media roundtable in June. “He is such a remarkable head coach.”
Whitman, who signed a new multi-year contract last week with his alma mater, stated after 19 wins over the last two seasons (a record for wins in a two-year period, after the first back-to-back nine-win seasons in program history) the expectations for the next step of the Illini program are to “find a way into that (College Football Playoff)”.

“Our job is to compete at the highest level. If you’re the football coach and the basketball coach at the University of Illinois and that’s our expectation. My job is to try and give them the resources to be able to do that. We work collaboratively to come up with strategies and plans. I will say that what has always made this place special is we’ve consistently out punched our weight class. That has been a secret to our success. We have never generated the out of revenue and expenses in football as Ohio State has had. Never. There have been times where we have beaten Ohio State. We don’t ever spend nearly what Michigan does on their football program. And yet, a couple of years ago, we beat Michigan. We have to make sure the gap is manageable and that’s my responsibility and not on our coaches. Our coaches have proven they are adept at competing at the highest level.”

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

July 23, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Brent Zinkmann/IlliniGuys)

(Editor's note: this is the first in a series as Ked highlights several Illinois basketball players and what their development could mean for the Fighting Illini this season.)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — There's no question that senior wing Andrej Stojakovic, one of Illinois' most important players on next season’s roster.

The 6-foot-7 transfer from California came to Champaign with an impressive resume. Last season for Illinois, Stojakovic scored a season-high 26 points while shooting 11 for 16 from the field against then-No. 11 Alabama. He also recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds against then-No. 23 Nebraska and earned NCAA Tournament All-South Region Team honors.

While his production speaks for itself, much of Stojakovic's offseason has centered on refining parts of his game that could elevate him from a productive college player into an NBA prospect.

Stojakovic recently underwent a minor knee procedure to clean up an issue in his leg after suffering the minor injury during postseason workouts. The procedure kept him out of full basketball activities for part of the offseason, although he continued to spend significant time in the gym working on his shooting. He was cleared for full-contact basketball last week.

Illinois star forward Cearah Parchment contributed nearly 15 minutes of action off the bench in Team Canada’s dominating exhibition victory over defending national champion UCLA.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

July 23, 2026

Cearah Parchment can now return to her college campus as one of the few players in college basketball knowing what a win against UCLA feels like.

Parchment was the first substitution off the bench of Team Canada Wednesday night in a 69-55 victory over the defending national champion Bruins in an exhibition game at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, British Columbia.

Team Canada head coach Nell Fortner, a former Division I head coach at Purdue, Auburn and Georgia Tech, didn’t waste time getting the Illini second-year forward in the game despite Parchment, who just turned 19 years old earlier this month, being the youngest member of the Team Canada training camp roster. Parchment, who finished with two points, six rebounds, two steals, an assist and only one turnover in nearly 15 minutes of action, was the first substitution off Fortner’s bench on a roster packed with several professional players and college stars.

Parchment checked into the exhibition game just three minutes and 37 seconds after the opening tip to immediately renew a battle between two Big Ten All-Freshman Team selections matching up with Sienna Betts in the post.

After Isaiah Adams turned himself into authorities Sunday, the […]

By IlliniGuys Staff

July 22, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy delivered the following notes regarding the Illini men's basketball team's summer workouts on our premium message forum.

You can join in the conversation here:

https://illiniguys.com/forum/threads/illiniguys-insider-notebook.24502/

A few Summer Notes...

*Everyone is back and they had quite a run during workouts yesterday. A few notes on each guy

Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks had a play where he caught it half court and then

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

July 21, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Chicago Sun-Times)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Few players in Illinois' loaded 2028 recruiting class have seen their stock rise as quickly as Neuqua Valley four-star wing Cole Kelly. If not for Bolingbrook guard Brady Pettigrew holding the consensus spot as the state's No. 1 prospect according to PrepHoops, Kelly would have a strong case to claim that spot.

The Naperville native has emerged as one of the Midwest's most sought-after prospects, attracting attention from several Big Ten powers. Purdue, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Illinois have all made Kelly a priority. According to those close to his recruitment, however, the race currently appears to be down to four schools: Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin and Iowa. Kelly's most recent campus visit came at Purdue in early June.

"I’ve been hearing from a number of high-major programs, and things have really picked up this summer. I’m grateful for all the interest, but right now I’m focused on building relationships, learning about each program, and taking my time through the recruiting process," Kelly said.

The 6-foot-7 small forward has backed up the recruiting interest with an outstanding summer on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, where he plays for Breakaway Basketball. Kelly averaged 17.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.9 from the field, 36.4 from 3-point range and 60.7 from the free-throw line on the Adidas 3SSB circuit this summer.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

July 20, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — One of the nation's fastest-rising prospects added another major offer to his growing list Friday after a dominant stretch at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam.

Illinois men's basketball coaches Brad Underwood and Orlando Antigua extended an offer to 2028 five-star center Benjamin Berrouet of Dynamic Prep in McKinney, Texas, after watching him continue to establish himself as one of the premier players in the country. ESPN ranks Berrouet as the No. 6 player nationally in the 2028 class, and his performance at Peach Jam only strengthened that reputation.

The 6-foot-8, 240-pound center has been one of the event's most productive players while competing for AB Elite at Nike Peach Jam in North Augusta, South Carolina. Through the event, Berrouet is averaging 18.4 points and 14 rebounds per game, displaying the complete skill set that has made him one of the most coveted prospects in the country.

IlliniGuys caught up with Berrouet to discuss his new Illinois offer and why the Illini joined a lengthy list of national programs pursuing him.

"I had some contact with Illinois in the past, but if I am being honest, I haven't really heard from them since June 15, so the offer from coach (Brad) Underwood and coach (Orlando) Antigua did surprise me a little bit," Berrouet said.

Ked Prince, IlliniGuys Senior Recruiting Analyst

July 19, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois has made developing NFL-caliber defensive backs a priority under Bret Bielema, and that reputation continues to resonate with recruits across the country.

Both sides of the marriage between the University of Illinois and its athletics director Josh Whitman recognize it is one that needs to be extended and should be cherished. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

July 18, 2026

CHAMPAIGN — One of the more honest, frustrating and, more often than not, legitimate complaints given by Illini sports fans is the university they love doesn’t always make easy decisions look easy. 

Administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a had an historic knack for, apologies for the sports cliche here, being approached with a three-foot putt, a layup, a tush push situation or an underhanded toss and making it much more complicated, convoluted, tangled, tortuous and ultimately, bungled.

On Thursday, Illinois made the easy look easy. Josh Whitman was given a multi-year contract that nearly doubles the athletic director’s annual salary less than a calendar year after receiving a similar deal. Call it a reward,

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

July 17, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois has become more than a Big Ten contender under Brad Underwood. The Fighting Illini have evolved into one of college basketball's emerging pipelines to the NBA, a trend that continues to gain momentum with every recruiting class and every draft cycle.

Underwood understood from the beginning that elevating Illinois into the nation's elite required more than winning games. It meant developing players into NBA talent and hearing their names called on draft night. 

That vision is becoming a reality, and NBA executives have taken notice.

The University of Illinois board of trustees approved a new contract for athletics director Josh Whitman that guarantees him as much as $31.1 million over the next 10 years. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

July 16, 2026

URBANA — Josh Whitman has been rewarded with a multi-year contract that nearly doubles his annual salary less than a calendar year after receiving a similar deal.