Illini Lands Priority Recruit In Four-Star 2025 Shooting Guard Brandon Lee

Coach Brad Underwood added another critical piece in 2025 standout Brandon Lee to build for further NCAA Tournament success.

Mar 30, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts against the Connecticut Huskies in the finals of the East Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Illinois men's basketball program took a step in the right direction toward future NCAA Tournament success.

Fresh off an Elite Eight appearance in March and its best season since 2005, coach Brad Underwood went back to work on the recruiting front. His latest pledge sees 2025 four-star shooting guard Brandon Lee come to Champaign as New Jersey's No. 1 prospect and the 18th-best player in the class.

The news was first reported by On3, which rated Lee an 89 in overall ability at his position. Lee is 6-foot-3, 185 pounds and attends The Patrick School, one of the premier programs in the state.

Prior to his commitment, Lee held offers from Rutgers, Missouri State, Mississippi State and NJIT to name a few.

He told On3's Joe Tipton his commitment to Underwood was simple – environment.

“I chose Illinois because I felt that they had the necessary resources for me to continue to grow as a basketball player but most importantly as a student and person overall,” Lee said.

Lee cited the need to play for Illinois. He said his dream is to eventually make it to the NBA and become successful. Underwood has sent key players during his Illini tenure, including current Chicago Bulls point guard Ayo Dosunmu and rookie Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Terrence Shannon Jr. since arriving in 2017.

Lee joins Keaton Wagner as the first two commitments in Underwood's 2025 class. The Illini rank 41st in recruiting, according to 247Sports and are molding a brand-new team heading into November.

Whether or not Illinois maintains the same on-court success since 2020 is unknown. However, Underwood recognizes his window to finally win championships is now.

Zain Bando is a contributor to Illinois Fighting Illini On SI. He can be reached at zainbando99@gmail.com or follow him on X @zainbando99

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