Illinois keeps finding ways to stay in the mix for elite frontcourt talent.
After hosting a wave of high-end recruits in Champaign over the weekend - including four five-star prospects - the Illini still managed to line up another major visitor. According to Dushawn London of 247Sports, 2028 five-star Benjamin Berrouet is scheduled to visit Illinois on Nov. 5.
Berrouet, who ranks as the No. 21 overall prospect in the class of 2028, has already put together a résumé that jumps off the page. The Latvia U16 standout helped lead his club to its first FIBA U16 EuroBasket title in August, then took home MVP honors after averaging 23.5 points, 15.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks.
The production matched the tape. Berrouet showed a little of everything during the tournament: he could pull a defender away from the paint, string together dribble moves, and finish at the rim on a tough angle.
He also worked effectively in the post, using his strength to carve out space for scores and finding teammates when help came. The decision-making, especially down low, stood out for how calm and patient he looked.
Rebounding was the obvious calling card, though. At 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds, Berrouet has the kind of frame that lets him own the glass, and he pairs that with springiness and a nonstop motor. He was just as disruptive defensively, sending back shots at a huge rate whether he was meeting someone at the rim, walling up in the post or sliding over as a help defender.
One wrinkle here is that plenty of the 2028 targets Illinois is chasing right now - especially the ones who have already visited or have trips scheduled - are viewed as possible reclassification candidates. Berrouet would fit that conversation if he decided to move up to 2027.
If he does, he would become one of two major frontcourt targets for the Illini, alongside recent visitor Darius Wabbington. The question then becomes whether Illinois can realistically go after both, or whether it’s a one-or-the-other situation.
Wabbington brings a very different profile as an ultra-versatile stretch big who can also initiate offense. Berrouet, by contrast, looks more like a physical force: a rebounder, defender and easy-finisher who can clean up misses and punish defenses on dump-offs. That contrast is exactly what makes the pairing intriguing.
Berrouet also isn’t locked into one spot. He can play in the dunker spot or drift to the perimeter, where he could attack slower bigs off the dribble.
He’s also at least a respectable catch-and-shoot threat. Put that together with Wabbington’s fluid offensive game, and Illinois would have a frontcourt combination with real flexibility.
If both ended up in the same class, it would be the premier freshmen big-man duo in the country. The remaining question is what happens with David Mirkovic, and whether Illinois expects him back for 2027-28 or headed to the NBA Draft. That decision could shape how aggressively the Illini pursue both Berrouet and Wabbington.
If Berrouet stays in 2028, he remains a priority target. And if Illinois can keep him on that track, the Illini would still have a potential frontcourt partner waiting for him.
In Other News...
Illinois May Be Losing Ground In A Crucial 5-Star Battle
Brad Underwood has been on the road and on the phone as Illinois keeps working to capitalize on a stretch of momentum that has put the program in bigger recruiting conversations. The Illini have hosted several prospects lately, including five-star targets Moussa Kamissoko and Darius Wabbington, and that kind of company speaks to where Illinois is trying to stay after a Final Four run and a recent top NBA draft pick helped raise the programs profile.
Still, the picture is not entirely settled on one of those marquee battles. Rivals prediction model now points more toward Syracuse for Kamissoko, even though no commitment has been made, leaving Illinois with a live but increasingly difficult fight on its hands. The Illini have other recruits committed or visiting, so the board is far from empty, but the next move in this particular chase could tell a lot about how much of that recent success can be converted into another elite class. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Faces Its Biggest Reality Check Yet At Ohio State
Illinois heads to Ohio Stadium on Sept. 26 with a 2-1 record and a chance to find out how much of its early-season momentum can travel against a familiar heavyweight. Ohio State is also 2-1, but the broader history in this matchup still leans heavily toward the Buckeyes, who own the all-time series and have taken the last 10 meetings. For Illinois, this is the kind of Big Ten test that can clarify whether a promising start is just that, or something more.
The buildup around the game has the usual layers that come with a marquee conference trip, including injury reports for both sides, betting odds, broadcast details and a look at what the weather may bring. Even with all that context, the real draw is simple: Illinois is walking into one of the toughest environments in the league, against a team that has made a habit of turning this series into a reality check. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Women Have A Big Chance To Build March Momentum Early
Illinois womens basketball has spent the past few seasons pushing itself into the national conversation, and the early part of the 2026-27 schedule gives it another chance to keep that momentum rolling. After finishing 13-3 against non-conference opponents last season and reaching the NCAA tournament for the third time in four years, the Illini now know the first stretch of tests that will shape the tone of the year. Marquette, Saint Josephs, Missouri and Southeast Missouri State are all on the slate, offering a mix of regional familiarity and opportunities to show that last season was more than a one-off run.
The encouraging part for Illinois is how much continuity it brings into those games, with more than 90% of the roster returning from the previous season. That matters in non-conference play, where cohesion can separate a team that is simply expected to win from one that uses early games to sharpen its identity. The schedule is out, the core is intact, and the only real question now is how quickly the Illini can turn those early chances into the kind of resume-building stretch that carries real weight once March starts getting closer. [Read more 🡒]