Welcome to my team preview series for 2024-25. Each day between now and the start of the college basketball season, I will preview one team or conference, both on Instagram (@collegehoopsoutlet) and through an article here. The preview will go in-depth on the roster build of the team, my expectations for their upcoming season, and the state of the program under their current head coach.
Illinois (Projected: 5th in B1G)
Brad Underwood has turned Illinois into a consistent contender in the Big Ten over the past five seasons, and the Fighting Illini reached the second weekend for the first time under Underwood this past March. It’ll be a nearly clean slate for Underwood this winter though with a large sum of newcomers. The incoming class is extremely talented though, so the expectations will be for Underwood & Co.
Just two players return from last year’s Elite Eight squad for the Illini. Ty Rodgers (6 ppg, 5 rpg) started all 38 games for the Illini last season, a perfect glue guy, but likely not someone to expect a breakout year from in his junior season. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (2 ppg) is the other returner for the Illini, back after a freshman season in which he played just 7 mpg.
The list of departures is nine names long for the Illini, headlined by NBA Draft pick Terrence Shannon Jr. (23 ppg, 4 rpg). Also gone from the Illini backcourt is Marcus Domask (16 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg), Luke Goode (6 ppg, 4 rpg), Justin Harmon (6 ppg), and Niccolo Moretti (2 ppg). The frontcourt lost Coleman Hawkins (12 ppg, 6 rpg), Quincy Guerrier (10 ppg, 6 rpg), Dain Dainja (6 ppg, 4 rpg), and Amani Hansberry (2 ppg).
Kylan Boswell (10 ppg, 4 apg at Arizona) should be an important incoming transfer for the Illini, likely coming in to be the starting point guard. Boswell was the starter for Arizona as a sophomore, but his inconsistent play seemed to cause a rift between himself and the Arizona fanbase. If Underwood can get consistency out of Boswell at the point guard spot, the Illini’s ceiling raises by a good margin. Tre White (12 ppg, 6 rpg at Louisville) comes in on the wing for the Illini, transferring in from a very bad Louisville team. White isn’t much of a shooter but can provide a bit of everything else for Illinois.
Ben Humrichous (15 ppg, 5 rpg at Evansville) is another possible starter for the Illini, a perfect option as a stretch four for Brad Underwood. Humrichous shot 41.4% from behind the arc in his lone season at Evansville, a player that heavily impacted winning for the Purple Aces last year. Carey Booth (6 ppg, 4 rpg at Notre Dame) is set to have an impact as a sophomore, transferring in after a promising freshman season at Notre Dame. Jake Davis (9 ppg, 5 rpg at Mercer) is another incoming sophomore transfer, a solid threat from the outside (38.7%) at the forward spot.
On top of the incoming transfers, Brad Underwood found two gems across the pond in the recruiting cycle. Kasparas Jakucionis (Lithuania) is one of the highest touted international prospects heading into next year’s NBA Draft and is projected by many to be a first-round pick. Jakucionis stands at 6-5, a combo guard that can create for himself and his teammates at a high level. He’ll by joined in Champaign by Tomislav Ivisic (Croatia), the twin brother of Kentucky transfer and Arkansas forward Zvonimir Ivisic. Ivisic stands at 7-feet tall but is very skilled and has shown the capability to step out and shoot the three. It will be interesting to see how Jakucionis and Ivisic transition to college basketball, but if they’re anything close to what the hype is showing, the Illini will be a very exciting team to watch.
Three high school freshmen fill out the roster for Brad Underwood, highlighted by 2025 re-class Will Riley (5*, NAT 2025). Riley is a 6-9 small forward and thought of as one of the best scorers in the 2025 class. As with most reclass guys, we may not see the best of Riley until the turn of the calendar, but once again the talent is there. Morez Johnson (4*, NAT 28) is another highly talented player that should fight for minutes in the Illinois frontcourt. Jason Jakstys (3*, NAT 160) is the final player of the class, likely not seeing many minutes as a freshman with the plethora of talent ahead of him.
Brad Underwood has turned Illinois into a consistent contender in the Big Ten and has a roster with enough talent to compete at the top once again. After last year’s great run to the Elite Eight, the pressure on Underwood to continue to excel continues to rise. It may be a tougher job than many think for Underwood this season in my eyes though, with lots of freshman and international recruits set for big roles.
Lithuanian guard Kasparas Jakucionis is being hyped as one of the best players in the conference heading into 2024-25, and if he lives up to the hype, there may not be a more exciting player to watch across the country. Alongside Jakucionis in the backcourt will be Arizona transfer Kylan Boswell, who I think is the X-factor for this team. Boswell has shown flashes through his first two seasons of college basketball but has been inconsistent throughout. The storylines of Jakucionis transitioning to college basketball and Boswell being consistent in his new surrounding will be key to Illinois’ success.
The top of the Big Ten is neck-and-neck across the board, and I have Illinois on the lower end of the spectrum with the almost entirely new roster coming in. I’ve got the Fighting Illini placed at 5th in the conference, just behind conference newcomers UCLA and Oregon. The ceiling for this team is winning the conference, but at the current moment I’m more bought in on the experience of Purdue, Indiana, UCLA, and Oregon.