Illinois took a recruiting hit on Thursday when NaVorro Bowman Jr. came off the board for UConn, but the ripple effect may have opened a lane for another five-star guard the Illini have already been chasing.
According to Joe Tipton of On3.com, Bowman has chosen UConn as his destination, ending Illinois’ hopes of hosting him for an official visit on September 10. That trip is now off the table. Bowman, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound combo guard from California, is rated as a five-star prospect and ranked No. 11 in the class of 2027.
The loss stings because Bowman is one of the elite names in the cycle. Illinois had been among the programs drawing interest, and landing him would have been a major win. Instead, the attention now shifts to another high-end target in the same general recruiting lane: King Gibson.
Tipton also reported that UConn will no longer host visits from three recruits after Bowman’s decision, including Gibson. The post said: "With the addition of NaVorro Bowman Jr., UConn will no longer host 5⭐️ PG Cayden Daughtry, Top-15 CG King Gibson, or Top-30 PG Micah Gordon for official visits, a source told @Rivals."
That matters for Illinois. Gibson has been on the radar recently, and the Illini made his top 10 on August 27. With UConn now out, Illinois is sitting inside his top nine.
Gibson is a 6-foot-4, 185-pound combo guard from Ohio. He’s also a five-star recruit and the No. 15 player in the class of 2027. That makes him a big-name fallback, and potentially a very important one.
His visit schedule is already starting to fill out. Gibson has been to Louisville and has official visits lined up at Arkansas on September 21, LSU on September 25, and Baylor on October 9. Illinois does not have an official visit set yet, but the Huskies dropping out could help push the Illini closer to getting one.
Even with Bowman heading elsewhere, Illinois still has plenty going on in the recruiting pipeline. The program already has two commitments and a top 10 class for 2027.
Two other five-stars, Darius Wabbington and Moussa Kamissoko, are scheduled to visit in the next couple of months. Gibson remains in the mix as well.
The class of 2028 is moving too. Brady Pettigrew and Bentley Lusakueno are both set to take official visits in the coming months.
So while Thursday brought a setback with Bowman, it didn’t change the bigger picture. Illinois still has a long list of major targets, and Brad Underwood’s staff is working in a recruiting market full of options.
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Dukes Offense Could Decide Everything Against Illinois Early
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The concern for Illinois is not just the overall rushing attack, but the way Duke can use it to shape everything else. If the Illini can establish an early cushion, they can force the Blue Devils away from that preferred balance and into a style of game that asks more of the passing attack, which is where Illinois feels more comfortable matching up. On the other side, Illinois will be counting on its own offense to do enough early through the players expected to carry the load and make the stadium feel like a tougher place for Duke to settle in. [Read more 🡒]