Illinois doesn’t need Jason Jakstys to be a headline scorer. It needs him to do the dirty work, and that’s where the 6-foot-10 center has a real chance to matter.
Jakstys is built like a classic energy big: active, athletic and relentless around the rim. He gets off the floor well, runs the court and makes his presence felt on the glass, especially when the ball caroms off the rim on the offensive end. That kind of effort can turn empty trips into second chances, and Jakstys has shown he can outwork bigger bodies to get there.
The offense, though, is still a project. He isn’t someone you call for jumpers, and he doesn’t generate much on his own with the ball. What he can do is finish lobs, set screens and stay within himself while giving Illinois useful possessions without needing the offense built around him.
There’s also some defensive value in his game. His length and mobility help him challenge shots near the basket, though added strength would go a long way if he’s going to hold up against the more physical centers in the Big Ten.
A three-star recruit out of Yorkville (Illinois) High School, Jakstys was one of the higher-regarded prospects in Illinois’ 2024 class. He wrapped up his prep career with 16 points and nine rebounds per game as a senior, good enough for third-team All-State recognition before he arrived in Champaign.
His college path has been a slow burn. Jakstys redshirted in 2024-25, then made his debut in 2025-26 and appeared in nine games. He averaged 1.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 5.3 minutes per game, but one performance stood out early: against Jackson State, he grabbed nine rebounds in just 12 minutes.
Then came the setback. Jakstys’ season ended early because of a blood clot in his shoulder that required surgery, knocking him out for Illinois’ final 17 games, Final Four run included.
He was back on the floor for the Illini’s fall exhibitions and flashed the part of his game Illinois wants most. He had three rebounds against Cincinnati and five against Baylor, giving the staff an encouraging look at his work on the glass.
“Like I said many times, he was in a position to help us last year. And Jason does everything right.
He is a winning role player. He is a winning guy who doesn’t need the ball, isn’t out there trying to get 30 every night."
Now, after spending two seasons mostly on the sideline, Jakstys has a real opening. The obstacle is clear: frontcourt minutes will be hard to come by with David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic and freshman Landon Davis all in the mix.
That means Jakstys is unlikely to be a featured offensive piece, and his role could swing from night to night. But Illinois has a use for his motor and rebounding. If he keeps bringing that same edge on defense and the glass, he could carve out a spot in Brad Underwood’s rotation and become a valuable bench piece.
In Other News...
Illinois Just Landed At The Center Of The Big Ten Debate
The early chatter around the 2026-27 Big Ten race already has Illinois sitting in an enviable spot, with preseason projections placing the Illini at the top of the conference. It is the sort of opening forecast that immediately frames the league conversation, especially in a Big Ten where the margin between first place and the next contender is usually razor thin.
Michigan State is pegged as the nearest challenger, which only sharpens the spotlight on Illinois as the rest of the league gets sorted into performance tiers and NCAA Tournament possibilities. The projections are still just that, projections, but they give the Illini a prominent place in a conference picture that also includes a handful of teams expected to be in the mix and others bracing for a tougher spring. [Read more 🡒]
Berry Wallace Is Giving Illinois Fans A Bigger Reason To Dream
Berry Wallaces rise has given Illinois womens basketball another layer of intrigue heading into the new season, and now the junior forward has added a national honor to the growing list. Wallace was named to the 20-player preseason watchlist for the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award, a recognition that fits the kind of leap she made as a sophomore and the role she is expected to carry in her third year with the program.
For Shauna Greens team, the selection is more than a nod to one players progress. Wallace is the first Illinois player under Green to land on this watchlist, a sign that her impact is reaching beyond the Big Ten after earning First Team all-conference honors last season. It also gives Illini fans another reason to believe the ceiling for this group could be even higher if Wallace keeps building on what she showed a year ago. [Read more 🡒]
Can Blake Fagbemi Force His Way Into Illinois Crowded Backcourt
Blake Fagbemi enters his second season at Illinois with the kind of rsum that does not show up much in box scores but can still matter on a veteran-heavy roster. The freshman guard spent most of his first year in a limited role, yet he got the benefit of being around a team that made a Final Four run, and that kind of exposure can speed up the learning curve for a player whose strengths already fit a coachs trust list.
The challenge now is finding a path into a crowded backcourt where minutes will be hard to come by. Fagbemi brings quickness, basketball IQ and a defensive edge that Illinois values, along with enough playmaking ability to keep him in the conversation, but he still has to turn that behind-the-scenes promise into something more visible when the rotation tightens. [Read more 🡒]