Illinois may have opened a new recruiting lane with Quentin Coleman, and Brad Underwood is already pressing on the gas.
Coleman’s commitment gave the Illini a five-star headliner in the class of 2026. The 6-foot-3 standout from The Principia School in Missouri was ranked No. 14 in that class, and now Illinois appears poised to go back to the same well for another talented guard.
On Wednesday, Eric Bossi of 247Sports reported that Illinois will host Gassim Toure for an unofficial visit during Friday’s exhibition game against Baylor.
Toure, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound point guard from The Principia School, is rated as a four-star recruit. He checks in at No. 129 overall in the class of 2027, No. 20 among point guards nationally and No. 8 in Missouri.
“Athletic and tough senior point guard Gassim Toure wil take an unofficial visit to Illinois this Friday for their exhibition game against Baylor. Great culture guy with big upside who is still very open in his recruitment. https://t.co/Z1Rp6HrhwH pic.twitter.com/nMGwVDBl6W”
That kind of profile fits cleanly into what Underwood likes to do. Toure attacks downhill, looks to create, handles the ball with purpose and understands how to work with spacing. He can score from all three levels, and he’s willing to live in that uncomfortable midrange area if that’s what the defense gives him.
It’s a little surprising he isn’t sitting in the top 100, at least based on the way he comes across as a guard. The skill set is there, and the frame is there too.
Illinois is also staring at a roster shake-up after the season, which makes visits like this even more valuable. Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic are both gone after this season as fifth-year players.
Andrej Stojakovic is headed to the NBA. David Mirkovic is likely to follow.
Stefan Vaaks could test the NBA waters. Coleman is also expected to go to the NBA, since he is the Illini’s highest projected draft pick.
All of that leaves a lot of minutes available.
That’s the opening Illinois can sell, along with the chance to step into a system that should have room for a player like Toure right away. There may be a real path to playing time from day one.
So Friday’s Baylor exhibition carries more than just preseason weight. Illinois will try to handle business on the court, but it has a chance to make a move off it too.
In Other News...
Illinois Freshman May Already Be Forcing Brad Underwoods Hand
Before the season even gets rolling, Ethan Brown is making it hard for Illinois to treat him like a future piece instead of a present one. The Rolla High School guard, listed on the Illinis 2026-27 roster, showed off the traits that made him intriguing in the first place against Cincinnati, scoring 15 points with five rebounds and two steals in 25 minutes while starting alongside Quentin Coleman.
What stood out was not just the production, but the way Brown fit into the game with his shooting, passing and basketball IQ, then added the kind of emerging athleticism that gives a staff more reason to trust him. Brad Underwood praised the performance and already sounds like a coach trying to sort out where Brown belongs in the backcourt rotation, a pretty good problem to have this early. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Added More Intrigue To Illinois Biggest Home Test
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For Illinois, the uniform reveal is just a side note, but it underscores the stage this game has become. The Ducks latest collaboration with Nike and their design team, shaped with input from athletes and staff, adds more pageantry to a home test that now has a little more buzz around it before either team even takes the field. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Freshman May Have Already Forced A Bigger Role
Brad Underwood got a useful early look at his Illinois roster in Saturdays 105-96 exhibition win over Cincinnati, and the rotation already offered a glimpse of how the season might evolve. The Illini played 12 men, didnt scout the opponent, and still came away with a performance that gave the staff plenty to study, especially from a freshman group that looked ready for more than just developmental minutes.
Ethan Brown drew the start and handled himself like a guard who can help right away, showing scoring touch while taking care of the ball. Quentin Coleman added value with rebounding and playmaking, while Landon Davis gave Illinois frontcourt depth with defensive activity and enough shooting to suggest he can stretch what the lineup can do. For a team still sorting out roles, that kind of freshman impact can change the conversation quickly, even if the biggest question remains how much of it carries over once the games count. [Read more 🡒]