Illinois Basketball: Elite Again?
A New Era Dawns
That sure was quite a breakthrough Illinois’ men’s basketball program made last March. A Big Ten tournament championship. An NCAA run to the Elite Eight. An irrepressible scorer in Terrence Shannon Jr. binging on buckets like nobody’s business. What fun. What a thrill ride.
Yeah, well, get over it. It’s gone, buried, yesterday’s news.
The Illini are back, and they are utterly unrecognizable.
Return of the Unknown
Let’s start with the team’s returnees for the upcoming season. It won’t take long. We have Ty Rodgers, who was fifth last season in scoring, and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, who had a handful of decent moments coming from deep off the bench. That’s it, folks. Were you expecting more?
There are very few teams in the country that can compare — even in this Wild West time in college sports — to the Illini’s level of turnover. When coach Brad Underwood lamented six-plus months ago that he was already noodling around in the transfer portal while the Illini were still playing games, he wasn’t kidding. Pretty much everyone who’s anyone on his next team will be a newcomer; in all, a blend of transfers and freshmen who might come together but, then again, might not.
A Loaded Roster
The names are promising enough. There are five transfers, most notably, at least for now, 6-9 shooter Ben Humrichous from Evansville and 6-2 playmaker Kylan Boswell, a Champaign native who has come home from Arizona. The freshmen include potential gems in 6-8 Canadian Will Riley — Underwood’s highest-rated recruit — as well as 6-6 Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis and 6-9 Morez Johnson (Thorton Township).
Higher Ceiling Expected
“At least 10 players are being projected by media and fans into a rotation that doesn’t exist yet, and that’s a whole lot. Much has changed in the college game, and players are being catered to more than ever, but there’s still only one ball.
“An all-new roster with all-new dynamics and an all-new set of unforeseeable challenges. What could go wrong?
“I like where we’re at,” Underwood insisted.
Predictions from the Media
The conference media must concur, because Illinois was picked for fourth place out of 18 teams in a 33-voter independent poll conducted jointly by The Columbus Dispatch and The Indianapolis Star. Purdue was the favorite, followed by Indiana, UCLA and the Illini. That’s some serious respect for what recent Illini teams have done and for Underwood, who has become one of the league’s heavy hitters.
Purdue and Northwestern in the Spotlight
Still Purdue’s world? Edey, a two-time national player of the year — and the Big Ten’s most dominant player in a generation — is in the NBA. Isn’t it a little much that 20 of 33 voters had the Boilermakers at the tops of their ballots?
Fine. I was one of the voters and had them first, too (as well as Illinois at No. 4 and Northwestern at No. 14).
Conclusion
The Illini are looking to make it to the next level and continue their success. With new faces and a fresh attitude, they are aiming higher than ever before. And Northwestern is looking to shake off their doubters and prove themselves as a consistent contender in the Big Ten.
FAQs
Q: What is Brad Underwood’s outlook on the upcoming season?
A: Underwood believes his team has a higher ceiling than last year and is excited to see what this new group can do.
Q: How many returning players does Illinois have this season?
A: Ty Rodgers and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn are the only returning players from last year’s team.
Q: What is the Big Ten media poll predicting for this season?
A: Purdue was picked as the favorite, followed by Indiana, UCLA, and Illinois, which was picked for fourth place.
Q: Are there any notable players entering the NBA draft?
A: Yes, Purdue’s Zach Edey has announced his decision to pursue a professional career.
Image: Chris Collins
