Keaton Wagler’s rise gave Illinois exactly what every elite offense needs: a guard who could grab the wheel and make everything hum. Once the freshman took over as the engine of the Illini attack, the ball kept finding him, and the results were loud - 17.9 points and 4.2 assists per game while Illinois rolled through one of the most efficient offenses in the country and in KenPom history during the 2025-26 season.
Now Wagler is gone, taken in the first round of the NBA Draft just a few weeks ago, and Illinois has to answer the obvious next question: who fills that playmaking void in 2026-27?
There isn’t one clean answer, but there are three names worth circling.
David Mirkovic is the only returning face in the mix, and he brings more to the table than his 2.6 assists per game from last season might suggest. The sophomore forward stands 6-foot-9, but Illinois has already shown a willingness to use him as a connector and initiator in the half-court.
Brad Underwood trusted him with those responsibilities at times, and that opened up some unusual offensive looks while also creating more room around the three-point line. Mirkovic may not become the full-time point guard, but Underwood has made it clear he’ll still get his share of chances to handle the playmaking load.
Stefan Vaaks is a different kind of option, but he fits the Illinois mold in his own way. At 6-foot-7, the sophomore guard brings the kind of positional size this coaching staff loves, and his offense is the part that jumps off the page.
In his freshman season at Providence, he averaged 15.8 points and 3.2 assists per game while showing flashes that suggest there’s more in the tank. He spent plenty of time moving without the ball for the Friars, but with Illinois, the path is there for him to take on a much larger creation role.
Given the national buzz around him, the ceiling is obvious.
Then there’s Quentin Coleman, the freshman who could end up being one of the biggest swing factors on the roster. Coleman arrives with a strong offensive résumé from high school, international play and the EYBL circuit, and that pedigree helped make him a five-star prospect by 247Sports and a top-20 prospect by Rivals.
Underwood has never been shy about giving freshmen guards a real shot to run the offense - Wagler is the latest example, and Kasparas Jakucionis did it in 2024. Coleman brings a smooth, crafty style that has people around the program buzzing, and the real question is how quickly he can translate that into control of the Illini offense.
In Other News...
Illinois Just Got A Brutal Preseason Reality Check In The Big Ten
The Athletics 2026 preseason All-Big Ten teams offered a blunt early read on where Illinois sits in the league hierarchy, and the results were not flattering. Xavier Scott was the lone Illini to make the cut, landing on the second team and giving Illinois just one representative across the publications three preseason squads.
For a program trying to build on recent momentum, the thin showing raises an obvious question about who else might have belonged in the conversation. Collin Dixon and CaLil Valentine were both mentioned as players who could have pushed for recognition after what they did in 2025, while Scotts selection comes with its own context after he was limited to three games last season before an ankle injury shut him down. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Makes A Uniform Change Fans May Hate But Understand
Illinois has moved quickly into the new era of commercial jersey sponsorships, finalizing a five-year, $30 million patch deal with Busey Bank. The agreement, brokered by Learfield, comes after the NCAA approved commercial jersey sponsors earlier this year and puts the Illini among the first Big Ten programs to take the leap, joining Michigan State and Wisconsin in that lane.
The change is not limited to football, either. The patch will extend across all Illinois athletic teams, making it a broad branding shift for the department and one that will be hard for fans to miss once it shows up on uniforms. For supporters who care about tradition, the sight of a sponsor on the jersey may take some getting used to, even if the financial logic behind it is easy enough to understand. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois May Have A Real Answer To Its Looming Frontcourt Issue
Illinois has spent the last couple of seasons leaning on the Ivisic brothers to anchor the middle, but the long-term picture at center is going to change once Tomislav and Zvonimir move on after the 2026-27 season. That makes the upcoming search for a true No. 5 especially important for a program that wants to keep size in the paint and avoid having to patch together the position later.
One possible answer is already on the radar. A highly regarded 7-foot-3 center from the 2028 class has lined up unofficial visits to several schools, including Illinois, giving the Illini a chance to get in early with a traditional big man who could fit exactly what they will need down the road. For a team looking ahead, that kind of head start can matter just as much as the immediate recruiting buzz. [Read more 🡒]