Illinois basketball has had plenty of transfer portal wins under Brad Underwood, but this one looks like a miss the Illini should celebrate.
On Saturday, Jack Pilgrim of On3.com reported that Kerr Kriisa was arrested by the FBI in connection to a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme when he was at West Virginia. According to the reports, he is also being extradited back to West Virginia for his court hearing.
“Extradited back to West Virginia” https://t.co/uGiio8f2J1 pic.twitter.com/LPfsvil8Bq
- Trilly Donovan (@trillydonovan) July 4, 2026
Kriisa’s path has taken him from Estonia to Arizona, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Cincinnati. After his stop with the Mountaineers, Illinois was among the teams showing interest in the point guard once he entered the transfer portal.
Memphis
Illinois
Nebraska
- more
Averaged 9.9 PPG and 5.1 APG at Arizona last year.
(This is not a final list) pic.twitter.com/5QGGjv7O29
- CBB Roundup (@CBBRoundup) June 23, 2023
That interest never turned into anything, and in hindsight, Illinois got out of the way at exactly the right time. Kriisa went on to spend the next two seasons at Kentucky and Cincinnati, where he played 28 games total and averaged fewer than 6.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
The bigger picture for Illinois is even better. Instead of landing Kriisa for the 2024-25 season, Underwood brought in Kasparas Jakucionis, who became the No. 20 pick in the NBA Draft after his freshman year.
And if Kriisa had been on the roster for his final season, Illinois would not have developed Keaton Wagler last season. Wagler went on to become the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
For once, a transfer portal miss turned into a massive win. Illinois didn’t get Kriisa, and the Illini ended up with two first-round NBA Draft picks instead.
In Other News...
Brad Underwood Just Sent A Huge Message About Lincoln Williams
Lincoln Williams commitment gave Illinois another high-upside addition in the 2026 cycle, and Brad Underwood wasted little time explaining why the Kankakee standout fit what the program wants to build. The Illini coach pointed to Williams athleticism and long-term potential, while also emphasizing the kind of development support Illinois can offer after its recent Final Four run helped raise the programs profile with elite prospects.
Williams had plenty of options before choosing Illinois, and his decision came after he stayed on the board deep into the cycle before signing on June 8. Underwoods public praise suggests the staff sees more than just raw talent here, especially with the expectation that the programs strength and conditioning and player development resources can help shape him further once he arrives in Champaign. [Read more 🡒]
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Flemisters announcement is the one with the most direct impact for Illinois, which has stayed in the mix as the list has narrowed toward the finish line. The Illini are trying to hold their ground against a crowded field, and the July 4 reveal will show whether their late push was enough to land a player who could help round out the class. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Freshmen Are Already Giving Fans Reason To Believe
Illinois incoming group is already giving the program something to talk about before the season even gets rolling. The Illini signed six high school prospects in the Class of 2026, a class that ties for the most freshmen in the Big Ten and ranks among the biggest hauls nationally, with five-star Quentin Coleman and four-star Lucas Morillo headlining the group alongside Zavier Zens, Lincoln Williams, Ethan Brown and Landon Davis.
Early returns have been encouraging inside the program, where Brad Underwood and his staff have come away impressed during the first few weeks of the freshmens integration. For a team that has made a habit of leaning on roster construction and development, the size and talent of this class give Illinois a chance to build real momentum, even if the bigger question is how quickly all of those new pieces can settle in and start to matter. [Read more 🡒]