NBA Draft: Ole Miss Set To Host Illinois In Exhibition

Illinois will travel to take on Ole Miss in an exhibition game headlined by freshmen debuts and preseason All-SEC member Matthew Murrell

Mar 2, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Matthew Murrell (11) celebrates after scoring a three point basket against the Missouri Tigers during the second half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

As the NCAA season approaches, exhibition matchups have been catching eyes as we get our first looks at incoming freshmen as well as improvements made by returning players. Ole Miss is set to host Illinois on October 27 in a charity exhibition highlighted by the big-name debuts of Illinois freshmen Will Riley and Kasparas Jakucionis.

Here, we'll highlight the top NBA prospects from both sides of this matchup and how they could continue building on their current draft stock:

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Illinois  

Kasparas Jakucionis | Guard | 6’6” | 205 lbs | Freshman  

Nov 12, 2012; Champaign, IL, USA; A general view of Assembly Hall before the game between the St. Francis Terriers at Illinois Fighting Illini. Mandatory Credit: Bradley Leeb-Imagn Images / Bradley Leeb-Imagn Images

Kasparas Jakucionis is one of the top guard prospects in the 2025 NBA draft at this point and will surely draw attention in his Illinois debut. He has great positional size at 6-foot-6 and is dangerous with the ball in his hands. His strong suit is his playmaking ability, as he excels at setting the table for others following strong drives into the lane. The jumper looks great but is still a question mark in terms of productivity. Jakucionis has made his impact felt on the boards as well, using his positional size and activity to crash hard in order to grab-and-go. His lead guard upside is among the highest in this class, so this debut should be a great look at just how well he could fit on his new team.

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Will Riley | Wing | 6’8” | 195 lbs | Freshman

Nov 25, 2020; Champaign, Illinois, USA; A general view during the second half during a game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the North Carolina A&T Aggies at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images / Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Will Riley enters his freshman season as one of the most anticipated players in this class, boasting great size and a unique blend of on-ball creativity and long-term defensive upside. Despite being 6-foot-8, he does not excel on the interior, as he needs to continue adding weight and strength, but he has a great handle and vision for a player of his size. He can score from all three levels but relies on angles and touch while driving, which is intriguing but raises concerns about a player of his size who you may like to see finish through contact. Riley has also shown the ability to knock down tough pull-ups, which is not always the best shot selection, but the long-term potential of this from a player of his size is incredibly promising. This blend of guard skills and wing size is rare in draft prospects, so seeing how he is used in his debut will be very interesting and should set the stage for what to expect early in his freshman year.

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Tomislav Ivisic | Center | 7’1” | 255 lbs | Freshman

Jan 30, 2020; Champaign, Illinois, USA; A general scene of the I flag and cheerleaders prior to the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images / Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Tomislav Ivisic has not garnered too much attention as a draft prospect up to this point, but that could quickly change in his freshman season. He is a big and strong post player who excels after setting screens and can finish around the rim off of rolls or step out to the perimeter to hit spot-up threes. He is not overly mobile, which limits him on defense, but he is an effective rim defender and plays with a good level of aggressiveness. Ivisic may not be on the same level as the other two freshmen for Illinois, but he has great tools, and if given the opportunity, could easily climb up draft boards thanks to his floor-spacing ability and promising positional size.

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Ole Miss

Matthew Murrell | Guard | 6’4” | 205 lbs | Senior

Mar 2, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Mississippi Rebels guard Matthew Murrell (11) leaves the game after the win over the Missouri Tigers at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Matthew Murrell returns to Ole Miss following a very productive season and enters the year after being named to the preseason All-SEC second team. He is a deadly shooter from deep, connecting on nearly 40% of his attempts last season as the Rebels’ clear-cut first scoring option. He is a good lateral athlete, which can be seen on both ends in his quick first step and explosiveness into passing lanes for steals. Although Murrell is an older prospect, his scoring upside is undeniable. As defenses game-plan to take away his scoring, he also has solid vision and can find his teammates with good passes that lead to open looks. He looks like he will best translate into an off-ball role, as he is a great catch-and-shoot player and moves efficiently without the ball in his hands.

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John Bol | Center | 7’2” | 210 lbs | Freshman

Apr 2, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; McDonald's All American East center John Bol (7) dunks the ball during the first half against the McDonald's All American West at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

John Bol is set to make his NCAA debut following a productive season in the Overtime Elite league, where he averaged 7.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and a block per game. He is a tall and lengthy big man who impressed with his ability to make an impact on both ends around the rim. He is a solid vertical athlete and showcases a quick burst as a play-finisher. He is still raw as a prospect, but his physical tools and feel for the game are promising. Despite adding weight since high school, Bol still has a way to go in this aspect. He plays aggressively on the glass, which often results in second-chance points. While his game still appears to be a work in progress, his long-term potential is undeniable and he could quickly develop into one of the more interesting project players in the 2025 NBA draft.

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