Illinois’ latest “Newcomer First Look” reels offered an early glimpse at freshmen Landon Davis and Lucas Morillo, and the first takeaway is pretty clear: both players bring traits that could matter right away.
Davis, No. 27 from Waukee, Iowa, looks like the kind of freshman who can help an offense without needing the ball to dominate possession. The jumper stands out immediately.
His release is high, the motion looks clean, and he doesn’t seem hesitant to let it fly. For a young player at this point in the calendar, that kind of confidence can go a long way.
He also showed a feel for playing off the ball. Inside the arc, Davis used his length well and flashed instinctive footwork, but he didn’t spend much time putting it on the floor unless he had to.
That may actually suit this Illinois group just fine. He can space the floor as a spot-up shooter, work out of the dunker spot, and his 6-foot-9 frame gives him the size teams want in that role.
The clips also suggest he has the makings of a strong cutter and a solid rim runner.
Defensively, the highlights didn’t really reveal much in the way of rim protection. Still, based on his high school production on that end and his physical tools, Davis should be able to handle himself. If he ends up being a reliable defender who shoots it well from deep, there’s a path for him to work into back-end rotation minutes early - and maybe more if David Mirkovic misses any time at the start of the season.
Morillo’s reel, meanwhile, was packed with made threes. Nearly every clip showed him connecting from beyond the arc, with only one live scrimmage possession ending without a shot falling from deep.
The shot looks confident and smooth, and he wasn’t limited to wide-open looks either. He was willing to fire with a defender in his face.
That matters because shooting is the biggest swing skill in Morillo’s freshman season. At the same time, the video also raises a fair question: why are so many of the clips showing a player known more as a slasher and secondary playmaker settling into spot-up jumpers?
Morillo, No. 23 from Mount Vernon, N.Y., isn’t an elite athlete, but he’s not a plodder either. He doesn’t have a huge bag, yet he is crafty.
He’s not overpowering, though his frame is sturdy enough for a freshman. That mix helped him thrive as a downhill scorer in high school.
The question now is whether that same formula works against high-major defenders. Players who lean on a varied but not overwhelming rim-attacking style often hit a wall early in the Big Ten, where the length and strength are a different level. That was a concern with Keaton Wagler, and it proved real at times as he occasionally had trouble finishing at the rim.
There’s also the possibility that Morillo is still working his way back physically. Back in late June, he was limited to “dummy offense” while recovering from a back tweak, so this may simply be a case of a freshman needing more time to settle in and get to full strength.
If Morillo can combine his downhill game and passing with at least solid three-point shooting, he should find a place in the rotation this season.
In Other News...
Illinois Just Addressed A Tight End Problem Fans Were Watching
Illinois got a little more help at a position that had been thinned out by offseason injuries, with Bret Bielema announcing that fifth-year transfer Peyton Smith from the University of San Diego has joined the program. The tight end will wear No. 40 and arrives as an experienced option in a room that needed another body, giving Illinois some relief as it continues through preseason work.
Bielema also said there could still be more movement to come, depending on eligibility decisions tied to ongoing litigation. For a team trying to shore up depth while keeping an eye on what the legal process might open up, Smiths arrival feels like one piece of a larger roster picture that is still not fully settled. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Suddenly Has A Roster Problem It Cant Yet Solve
Illinois had already planned around two incoming veterans when the eligibility landscape changed again, and the timing could hardly be worse for Bret Bielemas roster construction. Peyton Smith and Josh Lorick were added under a prior federal ruling that had opened the door for Class of 2022 athletes to gain a fifth year, giving programs a chance to treat those players as immediate additions for the 2026-27 season.
Now a federal court in Colorado has stayed that injunction, leaving most of those athletes ineligible while the legal fight continues. Some players in separate cases still have temporary protection through individual lawsuits, but Smith and Lorick are not among them, and Illinois is left waiting for clarity on two roster pieces it had already counted on before the latest ruling scrambled the picture again. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Recruiting Momentum Just Reached Another Level Under Brad Underwood
Brad Underwoods recent run on the recruiting trail keeps giving Illinois a stronger case to sell. The latest sign came when five-star small forward Moussa Kamissoko scheduled an official visit with the Illini, giving Underwood his fourth official visit from a top-tier prospect in the 2027 class. For a program that just reached the Final Four without leaning on five-star talent, it is another reminder that Illinois is trying to turn on-court success into a deeper pipeline for the seasons ahead.
Kamissokos visit will be part of a busy senior-year itinerary, with nine official stops planned and several major programs in the mix. That kind of competition is the backdrop for what Underwood is building in Champaign, where the goal is no longer just to land one headline name but to stack high-end talent across multiple classes. Illinois has already shown it can win big without that level of recruit, and now it is pushing to see how much higher the ceiling gets if those players start choosing it too. [Read more 🡒]