Ben Humrichous didn’t waste much time making his mark with the Brooklyn Nets in Summer League.
The former Illinois forward has always been known for one thing first: the three-ball. During his two seasons with the Illini, that shot was his calling card.
But last season, he added more muscle to his game, turning himself into a tougher rebounder and a sturdier defender. Brooklyn saw enough to give him an Exhibit-10 contract, and he’s already giving them a reason to keep watching.
In his first Summer League outing, a tight loss to the Sacramento Kings, Humrichous scored six points while going 2-for-5 from deep. The box score only tells part of the story, though. He also grabbed two rebounds, picked up two steals and blocked a shot, flashing the same physical edge he showed at Illinois.
Then came the next night, and Humrichous took over in a different way.
Against the Milwaukee Bucks, he helped power Brooklyn to a 20-point win with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting from three-point range. That kind of volume from beyond the arc stood out on its own, especially considering he hit five threes in only three games across his entire Illinois career.
But he wasn’t just firing away. Humrichous added eight rebounds and two steals, again showing he can do more than space the floor.
He also capped the performance with a little extra flair, burying a buzzer-beater from deep to end the first quarter.
In Other News...
Former Illini Wing May Be Turning Summer League Into Real NBA Momentum
Ben Humrichous got an early summer look with the Brooklyn Nets in the California Classic against the Sacramento Kings, and the former Illini wing made the kind of first impression undrafted players need. In 20 minutes, he finished with six points, two rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block, while knocking down two threes and showing the sort of activity that can keep a front office interested.
What stood out most was the blend of shooting and defense. Humrichous led Brooklyn in three-point shooting percentage by hitting 40 percent from deep, and his two steals and block were among the best marks on the team, a useful reminder that he can do more than just space the floor. If he keeps stacking outings like this, he could start to look like a legitimate candidate for a three-and-D role at the next level. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Fans Just Got A Wild Reminder About One Missed Portal Target
Illinois basketball had its eyes on Kerr Kriisa after his time at West Virginia, but the guard never wound up in Champaign. Now, the former college journeyman is back in the news for reasons far removed from the transfer portal, a jarring reminder of how quickly a missed recruiting target can turn into a very different kind of headline.
For Illinois, the more relevant footnote is what happened instead. The program moved on, kept building, and turned its attention to other pieces that ultimately became NBA Draft picks, a cleaner and far more productive outcome than the one that might have come with Kriisa. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Still Has One Major Defensive Question Underwood Must Answer
Brad Underwood spent part of the offseason addressing a familiar kind of problem for a team trying to stay at the top of the Big Ten: who takes over when a trusted defender is gone. Kylan Boswells departure leaves Illinois with a clear opening on the perimeter, and Underwood pointed to Andrej Stojakovic, Quentin Coleman and Ethan Brown as players who could grow into that responsibility.
The names are promising for different reasons, but the fit is still being sorted out. Stojakovic brings the kind of size and mobility that can change possessions, Coleman has the tools to work his way into the conversation, and Brown is already drawing attention as a first-year option. Illinois has candidates, but it still has to find the player who can consistently handle the toughest guard assignments when conference play tightens up. [Read more 🡒]