Illinois basketball has built the kind of roster that can make a freshman look like a veteran before long, and that’s exactly why Quentin Coleman feels set up to thrive.
Brad Underwood’s formula worked last season with an experienced group, a heavy dose of upperclassmen, and a key freshman mixed in. That mix helped push Illinois to a Final Four appearance. Now the Illini are leaning into that same blueprint for the 2026-27 campaign, with upperclassmen again forming the backbone and a couple of freshmen ready to be eased in rather than thrown into the fire.
That matters for Coleman. The pressure that usually comes with being a freshman gets blunted when there are so many proven pieces around him.
Keaton Wagler was in that kind of situation last season: expectations were modest early, and he ended up growing into a star. Part of that happened because opponents had plenty of other Illinois weapons to worry about, which kept Wagler from becoming the sole point of attention until he was ready for it.
Coleman should walk into a similar setup.
The projected lineup is loaded enough to absorb the early load. Illinois is expected to have at least two seniors starting and two more coming off the bench in Andrej Stojakovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Jake Davis.
David Mirkovic returns as a sophomore after starting full time last season, and Stafan Vaaks is also in the mix after starting full time at Providence as a sophomore. That’s a lot of experience, and it gives Coleman room to develop without carrying the offense or the spotlight from day one.
If he landed somewhere thinner, the story might be different. Here, the depth gives him breathing room. Illinois can let him learn, settle in, and grow into the role before turning him loose later in the non-conference schedule, the same way Wagler was unleashed last year.
Coleman isn’t the only freshman Illinois is bringing in with real upside, either. He’s the headliner for obvious reasons - a five-star talent who has already started drawing attention from NBA scouts - but the 2026 class has more to offer.
Lucas Morrilo and Zavier Zens both check in at 6-foot-7, though they bring different skill sets, and that gives Illinois flexibility in how it uses them. Lincoln Williams is another freshman who stands out, even if his minutes may not come as quickly as some of the others. He still looks like a player who can give the Illini quality relief minutes when needed.
The size trend is notable, too. Every freshman on the roster is between 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-7, and Illinois isn’t adding any smaller guards to the mix.
Underwood moved away from that a few years ago and has stayed with it. With Coleman and this class, the Illini may have another group that ends up being special.
In Other News...
Illinois Freshman Is Fueling A New NBA Draft Buzz In Champaign
Quentin Coleman arrived in Champaign with the kind of recruiting buzz that usually follows a prospect for a while, but the conversation around him has only grown since then. ESPNs Jeremy Woo recently pointed to Coleman as one of the Illinois players already drawing NBA scout attention ahead of the 2027 draft, a notable sign for a freshman who climbed steadily in the recruiting rankings before committing to the program.
For Illinois, it fits a broader pattern that has been taking shape in recent years. The program has sent more players into the NBA draft than it once did, and that track record is helping reinforce the idea that Champaign can be more than a college stop, it can be a launch point. Coleman is now part of that next wave of talent, with the intrigue around his future only getting started. [Read more 🡒]
Illini Fans Have A New Reason To Get Excited About Bennett Konkey
Bennett Konkey wasted little time making a statement to open his senior season, and Illinois fans had to like what they saw. The Illini commit delivered a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown and added two receiving touchdowns in the first eight minutes of Genevas win over Libertyville, a fast start that showed exactly why he has become an intriguing piece in the class.
Elsewhere, other Illinois commits also made their presence felt in weekend action, giving the program a little extra momentum on the recruiting front. On the field at the college level, Illinois soccer settled for a 0-0 draw against UIC despite outshooting its opponent, a reminder that not every encouraging performance shows up on the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois May Have Found A Freshman Ready To Help Right Away
Illinois spent the summer trying to figure out which newcomers might be able to help sooner rather than later, and freshman wing Zavier Zens has emerged as one of the more intriguing names in that mix. The highlight footage from live play shows a player who looks comfortable spotting up and letting it fly from deep, while also showing enough touch and creativity inside the arc to suggest he is more than just a stationary shooter.
Zens high school rsum points to a broader offensive package, with scoring, driving and some facilitation sprinkled in, which is the kind of foundation that can translate if the adjustment to college pace goes smoothly. The question now is how quickly he earns real playing time and how well he adapts to the next level, because the tools are there for him to carve out a role if Illinois can find the right lane for his game. [Read more 🡒]