Illinois Basketball Makes List of Top-5 2027 Recruit AJ Williams

Last week, Illinois officially fell out of the recruitment sweepstakes for one five-star target – UConn commit NaVorro Bowman Jr. – but it now finds itself in the thick of the race for another: AJ Williams, the nation’s No. 5 recruit in the class of 2027.

On Monday, Williams released his top 10 schools – a list that included the Illini. Other notable programs still involved in his recruitment are Duke, Arkansas and Kentucky.

NEWS: 5⭐️ AJ Williams is down to 10 schools, he tells @Rivals.

The 6-7 senior is a top-five overall prospect in the 2027 class.https://t.co/MbOcnUC9LT pic.twitter.com/o8owyxXMHU
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) September 14, 2026

Background on Illinois target AJ Williams

Brad Underwood and his staff originally offered Williams back in late July, following his impressive Nike EYBL performance for Team CP3. At the time, Williams was the No. 1 prospect in the 2028 class.

But after playing up on Team CP3’s 17U squad and averaging 20.9 points and 8.1 rebounds, Williams made the leap into the class of 2027. Williams attends and plays his high school hoops for Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy in Georgia.

How would AJ Williams fit at Illinois in 2027-28?

In today’s fluid era of college hoops, any roster predictions being made a full year out is a crapshoot – but we’ll give it a shot (at least when it comes to Illinois’ wing rotation, where Williams would theoretically reside).

Technically, both Jake Davis and Andrej Stojakovic could return for another season with the new 5-in-5 eligibility rule. Presumably, though, Stojakovic would be off to the NBA, while Davis would return in a key reserve role.

Then there’s a bit of a traffic jam with freshmen Lucas Morillo, Zavier Zens and Lincoln Williams. We’ll say one member of that trio cracks the back end of the rotation in the upcoming season and cements himself as a starter or sixth man for 2027-28. Also, there are already a pair of 2027 wing commits set to arrive in Champaign in Quinton Kitt and Mason Martin.

Still, given Illinois’ five-out system and AJ Williams’ versatility, he could slot into any lineup – even if one of those wings works into the starting unit. Besides, Williams' talent would likely land him in the Illini's first five regardless.

On the court, Williams would make an impact in a variety of ways. He is a dynamic scorer who can get buckets at all three levels, but midrange would mostly be phased out of his game Illinois' scheme.

From deep, Williams, who has a smooth and compact release, would be a spot-up shooter – and a decent one at that (1.7 threes on 32.5 percent shooting in EYBL play and shot an encouraging 80.6 percent from the stripe).

He would also be a premier rim attacker, specifically on straight-line drives and in transition. Williams utilizes his lengthy steps, rock-solid frame (6-foot-7, 220 pounds) and strong handle to slash effectively.

AJ Williams was HOOPIN' today in @NikeEYB Peach Jam play!

🔥 32 PTS
🔥 7 REB
🔥 3 3PM
🔥 CP3 W pic.twitter.com/hivlaDWJxH
— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) July 15, 2026

He lives at the free-throw line (7.8 attempts per game in EYBL action), which the analytically focused Underwood surely loves. On offense, the only way Williams wouldn't be the go-to option would be if David Mirkovic, Stefan Vaaks or Quentin Coleman stick around for another year (which, at the moment, seems unlikely).

In other facets of the game, Williams brings additional punch. He’s an exceptional offensive rebounder (2.9 per game). And Williams is a solid defender who has the physical abilities to be a massive plus on that end from the jump.

The only bad news: Despite his clear comfort as a ball-handler, Williams, who is listed as a small forward, doesn’t appear to have combo-guard ability. The Illini have been able to shift shooting guards and even bigger wings into initiating roles in the past – obviously, Keaton Wagler as a lead guard but also Will Riley at times – but Williams is a pure scorer (just 1.4 assists per game). That means Illinois still needs to land a true guard in the 2027 class – or turn to the portal next offseason.

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