Illinois Basketball 2024-2025 Scouting Reports: Tre White

A 6-foot-7 guard, White may be the Illini's least heralded but most versatile member of a talented transfer group

Mar 2, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Tre White (22) shoots against Syracuse Orange forward Maliq Brown (1) during the second half at KFC Yum! Center. Syracuse defeated Louisville 82-76. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Every day over the two weeks leading up to Illinois' Nov. 4 regular-season opener at Champaign's State Farm Center, Illinois on SI will share a scouting report highlighting each Illini player listed on the team's official roster. Today, in the 14th of 14, we shine a light on guard Tre White.

More scouting reports

• G Ty Rodgers
• F Will Riley
• G AJ Redd
• G Keaton Kutcher
• C Morez Johnson Jr.
• G Kasparas Jakucionis
• F Jason Jakstys
• C Tomislav Ivisic
• F Ben Humrichous
• G Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn
• F Jake Davis
• G Kylan Boswell
• F Carey Booth

Tre White, 6-foot-7 guard

Where he's from

A Dallas native who graduated from Prolific Prep in Napa, California, White signed with USC out of high school. After a freshman year with that saw him make the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team and help lead the Trojans to a 22-win season, White transferred to Louisville. After a productive sophomore season with the Cardinals, he signed with Illinois last April.

What he's done

Most players who move as much as White has in his college career raise suspicions about their character and willingness to push through difficult stretches (often due to playing time battles they find themselves losing). But White produced results while starting nearly every game in his first two college seasons, and nothing indicates that he was or is anything but a valued presence by coaches and teammates.

Meet the Newcomer ➡️ Tre White#Illini | #HTTO | #EveryDayGuys pic.twitter.com/Bl5gEUUBQ6

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) July 16, 2024

How he helps

White, perhaps even more so than Ty Rodgers, is Illinois' X-factor and most versatile player. He can defend at least three positions – and really get after it, by the way – while also providing scoring, playmaking and athleticism from the wing spots. The difference-maker: White can knock it down from the perimeter. Although he shot only 29.9 percent from 3 last season, White wouldn't have to improve that figure by much to be a plus all-around starter on an Illini club chock full of talent.

What they're saying

Especially in the short term, Illinois coach Brad Underwood needs at least one anchor in the lineup – an experienced starter who consistently delivers as expected consistent, and from the sounds of it at the moment, White may be that guy:

"Tre, maybe from day one in June, has maybe been as consistent a player as we've had," Underwood said at Illinois' media day. "Every day you look up, and he's got the same line. It's all a lot of positives at a very efficient rate.

"I love his IQ and feel, and his versatility allows him to play in a lot of different ways. He's a much, much better shooter than I thought. His importance on this team is very, very high. You can count on him being a guy that's got 60-plus games under his belt."

What we expect

White will play, obviously, and he may continue to start – especially while prized freshman Will Riley gets his legs under him at the college level. Given that he's a double-digit scorer whose jumper opponents have to respect, his offense plays even on this squad. Combine that with his length, rebounding (5.4 per game in his first two seasons) and ability to cover ground as a defender, and White is virtually assured of being, at worst, a 20-plus-minutes-per-game supersub with the Illini.

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