Illini Basketball Recruiting for the 2021 Season

The 2021 Illini Basketball recruiting season is underway and we’ve got all the latest news and information on the team’s targets. Stay up to date on who the Illini are after and get the inside scoop on the team’s recruiting efforts.

2021 class targets

The 2021 class is still taking shape and the Illini have their sights set on a few key recruits.

Five-star center Moussa Cisse is the top target on the board. The Memphis, TN native is ranked No. 3 overall in the 2021 class by ESPN and is one of the most sought-after prospects in the country. Cisse has taken numerous visits to Champaign and has developed a strong relationship with the Coaching Staff Illinois is seen as one of the main contenders for his services.

Another top target is four-star guard Daito Watson out of Normal, IL. Watson is ranked No. 87 overall in the 2021 class by ESPN and is one of the Top Players in the state of Illinois. He has already taken an official visit to Champaign and he has been on campus several times for unofficial visits. Watson has said that he plans to make a decision sometime this summer.

The Illini are also targeting four-star forward Jaylin Williams out of Chicago, IL. Williams is ranked No. 95 overall in the 2021 class by ESPN and is another top player in Illinois. He has taken multiple visits to Champaign and he has been on campus several times for unofficial visits. Williams recently named Illinois as one of his top five schools.

Recent offers

The Illini have recently offered scholarships to several High School basketball players in the class of 2021.

Gavin Sawchuk is a 6-foot-9 Power Forward from Billings, Montana. He is rated four stars by 247Sports and had offers from Gonzaga, Oregon, and Stanford before choosing Illinois.

Andrection Davis is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Chicago. He is also rated four stars by 247Sports and held offers from Marquette, Purdue, and Xavier before committing to the Illini.

Paolo Banchero is a 6-foot-9 power forward from Seattle. He is the highest rated recruit in the class of 2021, according to 247Sports, and held offers from Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina and UCLA before committing to play for Illinois.

Visits and commitments

The NCAA Division I men’s basketball regular season runs from November to March, but for coaches and fans, the season never really ends. The offseason is when recruiting takes center stage as programs look to land the best high school players in the country to help build for the future.

The 2021 recruiting cycle is well underway, and there have already been a number of visits and commitments from some of the top prospects in the country. Here’s a look at some of the latest developments on the Illini recruiting front:

5-star center Moffitt commits to Illinois
5-star center Luke Moffitt has committed to play for Illinois, giving the Illini a big boost in their 2021 recruiting class Moffitt is considered one of the best centers in the country and should make an immediate impact for Illinois next season.

4-star guard Williams visits Illinois
Four-star guard Tyler Williams is one of the top unsigned prospects in the 2021 class, and he recently took an official visit to Illinois. Williams is considering a number of schools, but the Illini are definitely in contention for his services.

3-star forward Taylor commits to Illinois
Three-star forward Jacob Taylor has committed to play for Illinois, giving the Illini another piece for their 2021 class. Taylor is a versatile player who should be able to contribute right away for Illinois next season.

Position breakdown

As the 2021 recruiting season comes to a close, Illinois basketball sits with the No. 2 Recruiting Class in the nation, per 247Sports. A big reason for that is the Illini’s ability to target needs and fill them with high-level talent.

Here’s a look at where things stand with each position:

Point guard:
The Illini have one point guard committed in the 2021 class in four-star Tyson Carter. The Arizona native is a dynamic guard who can score and create for others. He’s also a good shooter, which is something the Illini have lacked at times. He should be able to come in and compete for minutes right away.

Shooting guard:
The Illini have two Shooting Guards committed in the 2021 class in four-star Armaan Franklin and three-star Xavier Pinson. Franklin is a 6-foot-5 wing who can really shoot it from deep. He’s also a good athlete and has shown the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the basket. Pinson is more of a traditional point guard but with his 6-foot-3 frame, he could also play some off the ball. He’s also a good shooter and has good vision. Either way, both guys should be able to come in and contribute right away.

Small forward:
The Illini have two small forwards committed in the 2021 class in five-star Luke Garza and three-star Andre Curbelo. Garza is a 6-foot-9 big man who can really shoot it from deep. He’s also a good athlete and has shown the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the basket. Curbelo is more of traditional point guard but with his 6-foot-3 frame, he could also play some off the ball. He’s also a good shooter and has good vision. Either way, both guys should be able to come in and contribute right away.

Power forward:
The Illini have one power forward committed in four-star Zach Loveday. The Ohio native is a 6-foot-10 big man who can really shoot it from deep. He’s also a good athlete and has shown the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the basket. Loveday should be able to come in and compete for minutes right away.

Center:
The Illini have one center committed in four-star Kofi Cockburn The New York native is a 7-foot big man who is really strong inside. He’s got great hands and can finish around the basket with either hand. Cockburn should be able to come in and compete for minutes right away..

Staff changes

In May, Coleman Collins was named the new Director of player personnel for men’s basketball. He replaces Nathan Peavy, who was with the Illini since 2017 and left for a position with the Charlotte Hornets

Illini in the NBA

With the 2020-2021 Season in Full Swing it is time for the next season of recruiting to start. The 2021 class is looking like one of the best in recent memory. Here is a list of the top Illini basketball recruits

5-star center Kaden Williams
5-star point guard Jaden Ivey
5-star small forward Bryce Hopkins
5-star shooting guard Tyler Beard
4-star power forward Luke Goode
4-star center Blake Peters

summer basketball

Summer basketball is a critical time for college basketball programs across the country as they vie for the top recruits For the Illini, the 2021 recruiting season is particularly important as they look to build on the momentum from their recent run to the NCAA tournament

The Illini coaching staff has been busy this summer, hitting the recruiting trail hard in hopes of landing some of the top prospects in the class of 2021. Some of the names to keep an eye on are four-star guard Tyler Beard from Texas, four-star forward Jarrett Brown from Maryland, and four-star center Kennedy Chandler from Tennessee.

Landing just one of these highly-coveted recruits would be a big get for Illinois, but landing all three would be a huge coup and would instantly make them a contender for a Top 25 ranking next season.

Whatever happens, it should be an exciting summer of Illini Basketball Recruiting

Bracketology

In college basketball bracketology is the process of predicting the field of College Basketball participants in the NCAA Division I men’s Basketball Tournament This is usually done in advance of the tournament, but can also be done during the tournament itself.

The term “bracketology” is a blend of the words “bracket” and “ology”. The term was coined by Joe Lunardi, who has been credited as the first person to use it in print, in reference to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament

NCAA rules changes

Beginning in August of 2019, the NCAA began allowing College Basketball programs to begin recruiting high school players in the ninth grade.

Previously, college programs could not start recruiting a player until he or she reached the beginning of their junior year of high school

The rule change was made in an effort to give players and their families more time to make informed decisions about their future, and to give programs more time to develop relationships with potential recruits.

It is still too early to tell how this will change the recruiting landscape in college basketball but it will be interesting to see how it plays out over the next few years.

Recruiting analysis

The Basketball Recruiting season is in full swing and the Illini Coaching Staff is hard at work trying to put together a class that can help them compete for a national title.

The 2021 class is already shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory, with several 5-Star Prospects already committed.

However, there are still some holes to fill and the coaching staff will have their work cut out for them if they want to put together a complete class.

Here is a look at where the Illini stand with their top recruits in the 2021 class.