Illinois will get a look at one of the most coveted young forwards in the country this weekend when 2028 five-star Bentley Lusakueno comes to Champaign for an official visit.
247Sports has Lusakueno pegged as the No. 6 overall prospect in the Class of 2028 and the No. 3 power forward. The 6-foot-10, 205-pound forward already has a heavy national footprint, with 20 Division I offers on the board, including 16 from high-major programs.
His visit trail is already moving fast. Lusakueno was at Tennessee on Sept. 5 and Vanderbilt on Sept. 15, and Iowa is set to host him on Sept. 25.
Lusakueno, an Atlanta native, put up strong numbers last season at Woodward Academy, averaging 15.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.9 blocks per game as a sophomore. He also paired with 2027 top 40 guard Jarvis Hayes Jr. to push the War Eagles all the way to the GHSA Class 5A state championship game.
Before Woodward Academy, Lusakueno started at Pace Academy in Atlanta. He has since transferred to IMG Academy in Florida for his junior year, where he’ll join a roster stacked with talent. IMG’s current group includes eight four- and five-star prospects.
He also made his mark on the summer circuit. Playing for Team CP3 on the Nike EYBL 16U circuit, Lusakueno averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game and helped the team reach the Peach Jam championship game in July.
On the international stage, he represented Team USA at the 2025 FIBA U16 AmeriCup, where he averaged 3.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in five games off the bench. He was also a finalist for the U17 national team this summer after taking part in Team USA training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Illinois now gets its turn to make a pitch as Lusakueno’s recruitment continues to gather steam.
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