Illinois coach Brad Underwood didn’t sound nearly as sure about prep recruiting a year ago as he does now.
At that point, the new landscape of college basketball had him weighing everything differently. NIL and revenue share had changed the math, older players were sticking around longer, and more elite prospects from Europe were coming over for the opportunity and the money college basketball now offered. On top of that, holding onto high school talent had become a battle Illinois knew all too well.
From 2020 to 2023, the Illini signed 15 prep prospects. Only Coleman Hawkins, Brandon Lieb, Luke Goode and Ty Rodgers made it into their upperclassmen seasons at Illinois, and all four eventually transferred out.
The Class of 2024 looked like a breakthrough group for the program, but it still turned into a reminder of how quickly rosters can change. Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley became Illinois’ first one-and-done draft picks, while Morez Johnson Jr., who had been committed to the school for more than two years, left after one season in Champaign and transferred to Big Ten rival Michigan.
So last year at this time, Underwood was still trying to sort out exactly where prep recruiting belonged in his roster-building plan.
"A year ago at this time, I probably wasn't the most positive guy in the world towards the retention that we had," Underwood told Illini Inquirer. "You expect guys to go pro; you expect guys to transfer; you expect to have to go into the portal."
The answer, at least for now, has been a stronger push back toward high school recruiting.
Illinois signed six prep prospects in the Class of 2026, a group ranked No. 10 in the Composite team rankings. That is the most high school talent the program has landed in one class since 2018, when Underwood put together his first full recruiting class before the transfer portal existed.
And the work isn’t done. Illinois already has two commitments in the Class of 2027, both in-state four-stars: Quinton Kitt, ranked No. 98 overall, and Mason Martin, ranked No. 128 overall. The Illini are also chasing three more players in that class, with their attention centered on a highly ranked lead guard, a forward and a center.
Underwood’s message now is clear: prep recruiting still has a real place in the modern game.
In Other News...
Illinois Fans Still Feel The Sting Of These Recruiting Letdowns
Illinois has had its share of recruiting wins over the years, but the programs history also includes a handful of highly touted names who never quite delivered on the promise that followed them to Champaign. Marquez Beason arrived as a four-star talent, Gabe Megginson came in with plenty of buzz on the offensive line, and Aaron Bailey was supposed to give the offense a future at quarterback. Instead, each became part of the long list of what-ifs that still linger when fans look back on earlier eras.
Martez Wilson stands out in a different way, because his Illinois career was productive enough to matter without ever fully matching the lofty expectations attached to a five-star label. He developed into a solid Big Ten player and moved on to the NFL, but even that success only underscores how hard it is for a program to turn elite recruiting rankings into the kind of consistent star power that changes everything. For Illinois, these names remain a reminder that signing day hype is only the first step. [Read more 🡒]
Former Illinois Wing Will Riley Just Turned Heads In Summer League
Will Riley is already giving Washington a reason to pay attention this summer. The former Illinois wing, who entered the 2025 NBA draft after arriving in Champaign as the top recruit in the 2024 class, put together a standout showing in Summer League against Sacramento, finishing with 32 points and six rebounds while looking every bit like a player trying to force his way into a bigger conversation.
For a Wizards team that has spent recent years searching for a clearer direction, performances like that matter even in July. Washington is banking on young talent to reshape its future, with Riley viewed as part of that next wave alongside No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa, and nights like this only add to the intrigue around how quickly that rebuilding plan can start to look real. [Read more 🡒]