Illinois basketball’s pursuit of Brady Pettigrew just got a little louder.
The five-star guard, a target in the class of 2028, showed off a fearless edge in a video posted Monday by Overtime. In the clip, Pettigrew comes up with a steal, races the other way, and finishes with a breakaway dunk.
The part that turned heads wasn’t just the play itself. The steal came off NBA star Paolo Banchero.
Pettigrew made sure Banchero heard about it, too, shouting, “Yeah, Paolo!”
17 YEAR OLD Brady Pettigrew got a steal on Paolo Banchero and let him hear it 🤣 pic.twitter.com/mgWAqgM7hJ
- Overtime (@overtime) July 27, 2026
Banchero has already built a strong NBA résumé. He just completed his fourth season, has won Rookie of the Year, and has been an All-Star. Over those four years, he has averaged 22.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
For Pettigrew, that kind of moment only adds to the buzz. He’s listed as the No. 15 player in the country, and his offer sheet is growing as blue blood programs jump in. Illinois has already hosted him in Champaign and remains in the mix.
That matters for Brad Underwood, who has kept elite guard talent flowing through the program. Ayo Dosunmu came through first, then Kasparas Jakucionis, with Keaton Wagler next in line. Quentin Coleman is set to take over in 2026-27, and Pettigrew could be the next name in that chain for 2028-29.
The Illini are also building momentum in recruiting overall. Underwood has landed four first-round NBA Draft picks in recent years, the class of 2026 already includes a five-star, and the class of 2027 is currently ranked in the top five nationally. The 2028 group is still early, but Pettigrew is clearly one of the headliners Illinois is chasing.
He looks like the kind of player who brings heat every time he steps on the floor. And if Illinois can land him, the payoff could be enormous.
In Other News...
Illinois May Have Found A New Way To Use Kaden Feagin
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Feagin has already signaled hes embracing the change, even trading the No. 3 he wore as a back for No. 83. Bielemas comments suggested this wasnt a casual position tweak, either, and the early indication is that Illinois sees real potential in giving Feagin a new role that could open up even more for an offense that has valued his production. [Read more 🡒]
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Both schools still plan to reopen the series with a neutral-site matchup in 2027 before shifting to home games, with Illinois set to host in 2028 and Missouri in 2029. The matchup was renewed in 2017, but conference realignment and other administrative changes pushed the timeline around, leaving the return of the rivalry intact even if the opening chapter is not fully written yet. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Enters Camp With One Big Question Over Its New-Look Team
Illinois football is back at Gies Memorial Stadium for 2026 training camp, and the timing could hardly be more important after Big Ten Media Days. This is not the same roster that finished last season, and not the same staff structure, either. The Illini are sorting through a new quarterback, a reworked offensive line and a defense preparing to operate in Bobby Haucks 3-3-5 system, all while trying to turn a roster full of unfamiliar pieces into something cohesive before the real games arrive.
Bret Bielema has framed the early part of camp as a matter of handling the daily grind, leaning into the challenge of learning a new team as much as building one. For Illinois, the big question is not just who fills the obvious vacancies, but how quickly so many moving parts can settle into rhythm. In a league where September can expose hesitation fast, the Illini have to use these practices to find more than answers. They have to find an identity. [Read more 🡒]