Illinois has gotten two key players back for the 2021-22 basketball season. Guard Trent Frazier and forward Demonte Williams have both returned for a fifth year at the University of Illinois.
With getting Williams and Frazier back, they also got some big recruits coming in. They have RJ Melendez, Brandin Podziemski and Luke Goode. All of these guys can shoot the ball and, they are all 6'5 or taller.
The transfer portal has been absolute madness this year and, Illinois got Omar Payne from Florida. This is a huge get for the Illini. Payne was ranked just one spot ahead of Kofi Cockburn in the 2019 national rankings. Payne is a 6'9 power forward. If Cockburn comes back for the 2021 season, Illinois will have one of the taller lineups in the country.
Those are all of the players that returned to Illinois or came to Illinois. We can't forget about the players that we already have. Illinois still has Andre Curbelo, Jacob Grandison, Austin Hutcherson, and Coleman Hawkins. I do not think there is a single team in the country that has a deeper beach than us. The starting line is probably going to be Curbelo, Fraizer, Grandison, Hawkins, and Payne. If Cockburn returns, it would be Payne at the 4 instead of Hawkins and Cockburn at center.
Illinois is still going to be one of the best teams in the country. We all saw what they were able to do whenever Ayo went out with a facial injury last year.
Last year one of Illinois' main issues was depth and I definitely think they have that issue covered this year.
Commentaires