Report: Ty Rodgers Expected to Return to Illinois Basketball in New Role
When the last-second news broke that Illinois junior swingman Ty Rodgers would redshirt the 2024-25 season, speculation immediately turned to 1) why and 2) whether the team's most experienced returner would actually return to Champaign at all.
Rodgers' was supposedly an odd man out. The Illini were starting over. His game was a poor fit for coach Brad Underwood's new offensive style. He would surely sour on riding the bench and watching a collection of youngsters and transfers fill what should have been his minutes.
And with college basketball's transfer portal doors flung wide open and the draw of NIL money and greener-grass opportunities on other campuses now tugging on players across the country, Rodgers was thought by many to be a goner after this season.
But perhaps not.
During Illinois' 91-52 shellacking of Penn State at the State Farm Center on Wednesday, Big Ten Network sideline reporter Andy Katz shared details he had reported of Rodgers' situation on the game broadcast:
"Rodgers decided on his own to redshirt," Katz said midway through the first half. "Why? Because he really wanted to work on his game to adapt to this new position of playing the point. They don't expect [Kasparas Jakucionis] to be back next season. Obviously, he's a likely [NBA Draft] lottery pick.
"So if [Rodgers is] going to try to be much more of a true point guard, he wanted to work on that craft. You don't see that in today's era – someone voluntarily saying, 'You know what, I would rather stay, redshirt and work on my game to be a better player next year."
Rodgers has already been working with Illinois strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher to get leaner and emphasize quickness, according to Underwood. If, with his experience and skill set, Rodgers is able to return next season also as a more polished facilitator and distributor, his experience and defense alone at the point guard position would make him a huge "addition" – particularly if Jakucionis leaves as expected.
What has stood out as much as anything has been Rodgers' continued contributions and demeanor in the meantime. He heads the scout team in practices and serves as an unofficial player/coach. He is routinely engaged during games, at work with younger players, smiling and actively rooting on teammates from the bench. He admirably represents the program and university in the community:
"You're talking about a really, really good human being – a good kid," Underwood said of Rodgers in a press conference earlier this season. "He always cares about his teammates. He pulls guys aside and talks to them about situations, he talks in the huddle and pulls guys over to talk to them."
Even if, for the sake of argument, Rodgers decided in the offseason to move on from the Illini, he is putting in the time, energy and know-how to do what he can to elevate them right now.
"I go down a good amount in the course of a game and ask him what he sees, what he likes," Underwood said. "Is there anything he's seeing that I may not be. There's a different perspective sometimes when it's a player. He's been outstanding."