The recruiting news around the country has certainly been busy and one program has really made a big splash in the 2022 class and now even more in the future. Illinois has been a premier program, a top-25 team, on the national stage over the years and it doesn’t seem like they are slowing down, as the staff has done an exceptional on the recruiting trail. Currently, they have landed four commitments for 2022 and a key transfer, while also making an early mark in 2024 as well.
We spoke with Rivals analyst Dough Bucshon, as he covers Illinois basketball and recruiting, to learn the latest about his thoughts on what the program has done and where the program is heading towards next season.
– Illinois recruiting has really elevated over the years. First off, let’s start with the 2022 class and how strong it is. What do you see, overall, in how this group can help this program elevate and continue its rise'
Doug Bucshon: Rivals.com ranks the Illinois 2022 class No. 9 in the nation, so it’s a foundational class for Brad Underwood. You’ll see a change in the style of play with this influx of buck-getters. Skyy Clark, Jayden Epps, and Sencire Harris are all guys who can put the ball on the floor and get their shot, so the Illini will have a more attacking style rather than the post-ups and spot-up threes that we saw a couple of years.
– How big was the commitment from Skyy Clark for Illinois and what does it mean for the program in general'
DB: With Andre Curbelo throwing his name in the portal, and Trent Frazier playing out his eligibility, Illinois needed a primary ball-handler who’s ready to step in and play right away. They’re getting that with Clark, and he can play off the ball as well. Clark is still making his way back from a partially torn ACL, but when he’s healthy he’s dynamic. He has the ball on a string, can stop and go on a dime, and can pull up and make shots. He may be the best ball handler in the class of 2022.
– Jayden Epps is another terrific guard we are familiar with, while they also have SG Sencire Harris as well. How can they help the program early on, as far as what the roster is looking like in 2022-23'
DB: Both will play right away. What Underwood lovers about the guard recruits are that they are two-way players. They’re scorers from all three levels, and they also defend at a high level. Harris probably has the highest ceiling as a defender of any of the four incoming freshmen. Epps is more of a scoring lead guard than a pure point guard. They’ll need him to be strong with the ball and improve his ability to facilitate and get everyone involved. Still, he can beat defenders off the bounce and knows how to use strength to muscle his way into the lane.
– They also added some size in Ty Rodgers (6’6) and Dain Dainja (6’9). What are their expectations from them'
DB: Kofi Cockburn declared for the NBA Draft, so Dainja should step in at the “5” spot for the Illini. He’s different than Cockburn, who was a post-up, back to the basket player. Dainja can catch the ball away from the basket and drive. Versatility is the name of the game with Rodgers. He can play and guard the 1 thru 4 and is a terrific passer. Underwood loves his toughness and he’s very active on the offensive glass. He improved his jumper this past year at Thornton Township, but he isn’t known as a knock-down long-range shooter.
– Illinois’ recruiting has really elevated overall, including adding a big piece in 2024 already. What have you seen to be the difference or when did you see the difference with this program and how well they are recruiting'
DB: First of all, they’ve been winning. Although the Illini haven’t made a deep run in the NCAA Tournament yet, they’ve won 20+ games the past three seasons and took home a Big Ten Tournament championship then shared the B1G regular-season title this year. Following the 2020-21 season, all three assistant coaches left to take jobs elsewhere. Underwood’s hires to replace them turned out to be recruiting gold. Tim Anderson, who has years of experience coaching on the grassroots circuit in the Chicago areas, is one of the rising stars on the recruiting trail in college basketball. He locked up Rodgers and Clark. Underwood hired former Illinois point guard Chester Frazier away from Virginia Tech, and he brought his extensive recruiting contacts along with him when he made the move to Champaign. Together, Anderson and Frazier are the best recruiting duo that Illinois has had in many years.
– Though it is early and things still may change, but as it stands, what are the expectations for this team in 2022-2023, and how good can they be' Where are their strengths early on that you see'
DB: With the way Underwood has been recruiting, the expectations every year should be to compete well in the Big Ten and qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Beyond that, it’s tough to predict how good they’ll be. There has been a lot of turnover, and new faces will be in the lineup. Much may depend on how the roster eventually shakes out. The Transfer Portal and NIL have completely changed the landscape. Illinois could still add as many as three more players from the Portal this offseason, and that could change the outlook for the 2022-23 season. The team’s strengths should be the ability to spread the floor and attack. The newcomers can all get their own shot, as I said before. Versatility will also be a strength, and Underwood will be able to put several different combinations of players on the floor.