Big Ten Offseason Evaluation: Illinois Fighting Illini

In our Big Ten Offseason Evaluation series, we’ll break down the roster changes and outlook for all 18 Big Ten basketball teams heading into the 2024-25 season. First up is Illinois, which returns just two players from last season’s Elite Eight team.

Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood looks on in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Target Center. / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Illinois had a historic 2023-24 season, reaching the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005. But coach Brad Underwood will have to try to extend that success with almost a completely new roster.

All-Big Ten players Terrence Shannon Jr., Marcus Domask and Coleman Hawkins are the most notable departures from a team that went 29-9, Illinois’ most wins since 2005. And with Ty Rodgers and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn as the only returners, Illinois will rely heavily on an intriguing group of transfers and freshmen next season.

Here’s a full breakdown of Illinois’ offseason, plus its outlook for the 2024-25 campaign.

Who they lost

• Transfers: Coleman Hawkins (12.1 ppg, Kansas State), Dain Dainja (6.1 ppg, Memphis), Luke Goode (5.7 ppg, Indiana), Amani Hansberry (2.4 ppg, West Virginia), Sincere Harris (3.7 ppg, West Virginia), Niccolo Moretti (1.5 ppg, Florida Atlantic)
• NBA/graduation: Terrance Shannon Jr. (23.0 ppg), Marcus Domask (15.9 ppg), Quincy Guerrier (9.6 ppg), Justin Harmon (5.6 ppg), 

Who they gained

• Transfers: Jake Davis (9.0 ppg, Mercer), Carey Booth (6.4 ppg, Notre Dame), Tre White (12.3 ppg, Louisville), Kylan Boswell (9.6 ppg, Arizona), Ben Humrichous (14.7 ppg, Evansville)
• Freshmen: Will Riley (No. 12, per 247Sports Composite), Morez Johnson (No. 29), Jason Jakstys (No. 187), Tomislav Ivisic (unranked), Kasparas Jakucionis (unranked)

Returning

• Ty Rodgers (6.2 ppg), Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (2.4 ppg)

Reasons for optimism

Underwood has proven he can endure major player losses and still be successful. After losing Ayo Dosunmu from its No. 1 seed team, Illinois won the Big Ten the following season. Losing program pillars Kofi Cockburn and Trent Frazier didn’t keep Illinois from missing the NCAA Tournament, either. Underwood has established himself as one of the top coaches in the Big Ten, arguably just a step below Tom Izzo at Michigan State and Matt Painter at Purdue. 

It’ll certainly be a challenge to replace all but two players from last year’s Elite Eight team, but Underwood did well in the transfer portal and with high school recruiting. Kylan Boswell figures to step in as Illinois’ point guard after playing a key role in Arizona’s 55-16 run over the last two seasons. Freshman Kasparas Jakucionis, a 6-foot-6 point guard from Lithuania, is a projected first-round NBA draft pick in 2025 and will help fill the backcourt void.

Louisville transfer Tre White, Evansville transfer Ben Humrichous and Mercer transfer Jake Davis fit the mold of long, versatile wings who have had success in Underwood’s system. The latter two each shot over 38% from 3-point range last season, and White was a quality starter for USC and Louisville during his freshman and sophomore seasons.

Biggest concerns

The most unknown aspect of Illinois’ roster – and perhaps what could determine its success or failure – is its freshmen. Illinois only has seven non-freshmen, two of which are mid-major transfers. But the Illini got a big boost on June 23, when five-star small forward Will Riley committed and reclassified from the 2025 class to 2024. Riley could be a lottery pick in 2025, and like White, Humrichous and Davis, he’s the type of wing Underwood has developed well in past seasons.

Four-star power forward Morez Johnson and 7-foot Croatian center Tomislav Ivisic will also have to provide quality minutes in the front court right away. While they are talented, relying on freshmen can be tricky. Illinois also landed 6-foot-10 Notre Dame transfer Carey Booth, but the front court depth is uncertain and lacks the kind of star player it had in recent years, like Hawkins or Cockburn. While nearly every program undergoes significant roster turnover now, there’s always a risk that team chemistry never fully comes together with so many new faces. 

The bottom line

Illinois has made four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including three seasons with a top-four seed. That streak will most likely be extended to five next season. But determining the Illini’s ceiling isn’t easy, mostly due to frontcourt uncertainty and relying on so many freshmen. Boswell and Jakucionis will create one of the better point guard duos in the Big Ten, and Underwood has a slew of wings that play well in his offense. As it stands, I’d put Illinois safely in the top five of the Big Ten for next season, with potential to win a rather uncertain league.