Illinois’ summer workouts are already running into the usual offseason hurdles, but Brad Underwood doesn’t sound rattled.
On Tuesday, after a morning practice at Illinois’ Ubben Basketball Complex, Underwood gave a quick rundown of where several Illini stand physically and logistically as the 2026-27 season preparation gets moving.
“Andrej has not been with us,” Underwood told the assembled media at Illinois' Ubben Basketball Complex following a Tuesday morning practice. “He’s coming off having his knee scoped, coming out of the spring.
Jake Davis is back. Jake had his knee cleaned up.
Lucas has not been with us. Today was the first day of dummy offense stuff that he’s done, with a little back tweak."
Underwood later expanded on Stojakovic’s status and said the forward is starting to ramp back up after a minor procedure.
“He did some dummy stuff today. He’s three and a half weeks [past his procedure], I think, a little over.
So it was a minor cleanup. I would expect him to do a little more after we get back from the Fourth.”
There are also a few players away from Champaign for outside commitments. Stefan Vaaks, the transfer guard from Providence, is currently with his national team, while Quentin is at the [Jayson] Tatum Camp. Coleman has also spent time with Team USA.
“Today, Stefan Vaaks is obviously with his national team," Underwood said of promising new arrival Vaaks, a transfer guard from Providence. "He was here for just a very short time … two weeks at the start.
We’ll get him back after the Fourth [of July]. And Quentin is at the [Jayson] Tatum Camp.”
Underwood framed those absences as part of the summer process, not a setback. Even with players in and out and strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher not getting a full group for long stretches, he said the important part is that those guys are still competing.
“They’re playing basketball,” Underwood said of his players who aren't currently in Champaign - Vaaks and Coleman. "So it’s not like they’re just sitting on a beach doing nothing.
They’re actually competing and playing. So the transition becomes pretty easy, and it’s not too big [of] a deal.”
For now, Illinois is still piecing things together. But Davis is back, Stojakovic and Morillo appear to be moving in the right direction, and Vaaks and Coleman will return after getting work elsewhere. With more than four months left before the regular season, Underwood has plenty of time to get everyone on the same page before the next NCAA Tournament push.
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