Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

September 5, 2024

Champaign, IL – Entering their fourth season together, Illinois head women's basketball coach Shauna Green and her staff are slowly building a program that should contend with the top half of the Big Ten for a few more years, that's including the new West Coast schools.

During Green's introductory press conference, she shared her vision for the program and what it would take to achieve it. "I want to recruit the state of Illinois. There's a lot of talent here. We want them to know Illinois is a place you can go to win games and championships," Green said.

When Green made that statement, Illinois fans expressed their desire for her to find her version of Ayo Dosunmu and All-American guard from Morgan Park who played for the men's program and is now a starter for the Chicago Bulls. Dosunmu made it acceptable to be from the state of Illinois and stay home. While freshman center Hayven Smith from Lincoln-Way East High School was the first in-state recruit for Green, Destiny Jackson from Whitney Young could be a true game-changer with her accolades.

In the class of 2025, ESPN HoopGurlz ranks the 5-foot-6 five-star point guard 24th in the country. Jackson is the second top 25 recruit to commit to Illinois under Green's tenure. Incoming freshman Berry Wallace from Pickerington Central High School (OH) was ranked 22nd by the same recruiting service. Jackson is a tough, no-nonsense guard who doesn’t back down from challenges. She’s expected to become a fan favorite when she starts playing at the State Farm Center as she is known for her competitive spirit, she plays hard on every single possession.

In a previous interview with IlliniGuys, Jackson said, "I have a lot of opportunities to play college basketball, but one thing a lot of those schools can't provide for me is home. Illinois is home for me, and they have a staff here that believes in me, and that will be hard to beat."

The Illini are also pursuing another nationally ranked guard, Divine Bourrage. ESPN has her at number 5 in the country. Illinois has positioned itself extremely well with Bourrage, with Green and assistant coaches Calamity McEntire, DeAntoine Beasley, Britney Anderson, Emily Durr, and Liza Fruendt all playing a role in recruiting the Davenport, Iowa guard. Green and her staff had an early advantage with Bourrage, as Green played against Divine's mother, Leanne Binion, during her high school career.

If the Illini can land Bourrage, that would mean three McDonald's All-Americans in just a two-year span. Few coaches can boast such an accomplishment in such a short time, especially at Illinois. Jackson and Bourrage could give them a top 10 class nationally alone.

Follow me on Twitter @KedPrince4 

email: KedIlliniGuys@gmail.com