Kasparas Jakucionis is already giving the Milwaukee Bucks a reason to feel good about the trade that brought him in.
The former Illinois point guard, selected No. 20 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, spent a year with the Miami Heat before becoming part of the massive deal that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami. Jakucionis was the piece that helped push that trade across the finish line, and now Milwaukee is getting a closer look at what it added.
Right now, that look is encouraging.
Jakucionis is competing for Lithuania in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers in Europe, and he turned in a strong performance Thursday in a win over Great Britain. He finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one steal, while posting a team-best +35 plus-minus. He shot 4-of-8 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free throw line.
The efficiency has been a calling card for him since his Illinois days, and Thursday was no exception. In just under 30 minutes, Jakucionis committed only two turnovers. That kind of control lines up with what he showed in Miami, where he averaged fewer than a turnover per game.
For Milwaukee, the fit looks obvious. The Bucks are in need of a point guard, and Jakucionis appears to have a real path to the job.
He could start over Kevin Porter Jr., who, to me, isn’t a real point guard. The bigger question now is how the Bucks sort out the position from here and whether anyone else could still be moved.
For now, though, Jakucionis is using the summer to keep sharpening his game. And while Milwaukee may still be processing the loss of Giannis, it looks like it landed a talented young guard who can help stabilize the backcourt.
In Other News...
Brad Underwood Just Sent A Huge Message About Lincoln Williams
Lincoln Williams commitment gave Illinois another jolt on the recruiting trail, and Brad Underwood wasted little time making it clear why the Kankakee product matters so much to the program. The top-rated prospect from Illinois had plenty of options, but he chose the Illini in June after the schools Final Four run helped reinforce the appeal of what Underwood is building in Champaign.
Underwood pointed to Williams athleticism and long-term upside as the kind of traits Illinois believes it can maximize with its development resources. The coach even suggested Williams brings a level of explosiveness that stands out in his memory, a strong endorsement for a player whose decision came late in the cycle and still felt like a major win for the home-state program. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Still Has One Huge July 4 Recruiting Battle Left
July 4 is shaping up to be a busy day on the recruiting calendar, with three prospects set to make commitments and plenty of programs waiting to see how the board shakes out. Kyren Caldwell, a three-star wide receiver, is choosing among Alabama, Maryland and Mississippi State after taking official visits, while three-star offensive lineman Mason Joshua is down to Arizona and Oklahoma State after his own rounds of visits.
For Illinois, the name to watch is Darryl Flemister, the three-star athlete whose list includes the Illini, Iowa, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh and Colorado. The competition is crowded, but the Big Ten programs remain very much in the mix, and this one has the feel of a decision that could tell a lot about where Illinois stands as it tries to close on more versatile talent in this cycle. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Freshmen Are Already Giving Fans Reason To Believe
Illinois latest recruiting haul is already drawing attention before a single official game has been played. The program signed six high school prospects in the Class of 2026, a group that ties for the most freshmen in the Big Ten and gives Brad Underwood one of the deeper incoming classes in the country. Quentin Coleman, the five-star headliner, and four-star Lucas Morillo sit at the top of a group that also includes Zavier Zens, Lincoln Williams, Ethan Brown and Landon Davis, giving the Illini a mix of size, skill and long-term upside.
What makes the early buzz matter is that Underwood and his staff have liked what they have seen in the first few weeks of the freshmens integration into the program. Summer workouts can be a revealing first test for young players, and Illinois appears to have brought in a class that is not just large, but already making a favorable first impression. For a team trying to build toward its next wave, that kind of early confidence can go a long way. [Read more 🡒]