Sophom*ore Guard Ty Rodgers coming back on defense after scoring a jump shot in the first half
Illinois fans will have to get used to a fresh contingent of faces this season at the State Farm Center. Brad Underwood and his staff brought in 10 new players during the offseason, with only four remaining from last season’s Elite Eight team. With a mix of international players, future NBA draft picks, win-now talent and building blocks for the future, Illinois has one of the most intriguing rosters in college basketball heading into the 2024-25 season.
Carey Booth: Sophom*ore transfer, Notre Dame
Booth is a 6-foot-10 forward/center who can step out and shoot the ball from long range, something Underwood prioritized in his big men on this year’s roster. Booth will likely come off the bench behind Tomislav Ivisic but should still see substantial minutes on the floor. His athleticism and willingness to run the floor should complement an Illinois team that loved to score in transition last season and will be looking to do the same this year.
Kylan Boswell: Junior transfer, Arizona
Boswell is an experienced, well-rounded point guard who will bring leadership to a relatively young Illini roster. Boswell, a Champaign-Urbana native, can facilitate, shoot the ball consistently and be a pesky defender. He averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 steals in his sophom*ore campaign at Arizona. He will likely be one of Underwood’s most used players and has the chance to form a dynamic duo in the backcourt with freshman Kasparas Jakucionis.
Jake Davis: Sophom*ore transfer, Mercer
Davis is a shooter, plain and simple. He averaged 38.7% from beyond the arc on 4.7 attempts per game as a freshman at Mercer. With the guard and wing rotations looking crowded, look for Davis to receive spot minutes when the Illini need some quick buckets.
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn: Sophom*ore, returner
After seeing his role increase toward the end of last season, Gibbs-Lawhorn will likely now be the primary backup guard for Boswell and Jakucionis with the departures of Luke Goode, Niccolo Moretti and Justin Harmon. Gibbs-Lawhorn is primarily a scorer, and he will likely always play with either Boswell or Jakucionis, alleviating any facilitating concerns. With a summer of training and development under his belt, look for the sophom*ore guard to have a potential breakout year as a key contributor off the bench.
Ben Humrichous: Fifth-year transfer, Evansville
From last season’s Illinois roster, Humrichous can be best compared on the offensive end to Quincy Guerrier. Like Guerrier, Humrichous is a bigger forward (6-foot-9) who shoots the three at a high clip (41.4% last season for Evansville). However, he will need to improve his rebounding and perimeter defense. The power and aggressiveness that Humrichous plays with, in addition to his shooting, is impressive, which could allow him to be one of Illinois’ highest scorers this year.
Tomislav Ivisic: Freshman, Croatia/SC Derby
Illinois hasn’t had a true center since Kofi co*ckburn in the 2021-22 season, with Coleman Hawkins playing the five the last two years instead of being a wing. However, that will change this season, as the 7-foot-1, 230-pound Ivisic will give the Illini a strong force in the paint who can protect the rim. Unlike co*ckburn, though, Ivisic can also stretch the floor; he shot 42.3% from three for SC Derby of the Adriatic League last season. Ivisic is 21 and has played against strong professional competition in the last few years. That experience, combined with his mix of touch and power, should allow Ivisic to be an immediate impact player for Illinois.
Jason Jakstys: Freshman, Yorkville (Illinois)
Jakstys is a project for Brad Underwood and is a candidate to redshirt this season with limited minutes available in the frontcourt behind Booth and Ivisic. He’s skinny but has already shown noticeable improvements to his body after working with strength coach Adam Fletcher this summer. At 6-foot-10, Jakstys is strong by the basket and likes to play above the rim. However, he also has great feel, can handle the ball, push the pace in transition and is very confident in his shooting from long range.
Kasparas Jakucionis: Freshman, Lithuania/FC Barcelona
Illini fans, get excited. Jakucionis is the real deal. He’s a young combo guard who makes the game look effortless on the offensive end. Jakucionis is a three-level scorer, making finishing at the rim look just as easy as his silky smooth three-point stroke. He’s also an extremely talented facilitator willing to make tough passes, which will be useful for an Illinois roster with multiple scoring threats. If his game translates from Europe to college as expected, Jakucionis could easily be one of the best, if not the best, freshmen in the Big Ten and solidify his projected status as a first-round NBA draft pick in 2025.
Morez Johnson Jr.: Freshman, Thornton Township (Illinois)
Johnson is a rebounding machine who will bolster Illinois’ frontcourt this season. He was a part of Team USA’s gold medal run at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup this summer and averaged eight points (on 62.1% shooting), nine rebounds and 1.2 blocks despite only playing 13.6 minutes per game. Expect consistent production from him all season on the boards and scoring in the paint. It remains to be seen if Johnson will start as a power forward, with Humrichous also having a strong case, but expect him to see substantial minutes either way.
Keaton Kutcher: Redshirt Junior walk-on, returner
Kutcher redshirted last season after transferring to Illinois as a preferred walk-on after two seasons at South Dakota. Look for Kutcher to play in garbage time in a blowout to register his first minutes as an Illini.
AJ Redd: Junior walk-on, returner
Redd played in 10 games last season for the Illini and scored his first college points, registering a free throw against Eastern Illinois and a field goal in the Braggin’ Rights win against Missouri. Buried in the depth chart, the Chicago native will again be a non-factor in games for Illinois this season.
Will Riley: Freshman, Canada
What’s not to like about five-star forward Will Riley? He is a gifted offensive talent who shoots efficiently from the midrange and beyond the arc while also using his 6-foot-8 frame to finish fearlessly at the rim. In a May 17 EYBL game, Riley shot 15/16 from the field (including 5-5 from three) en route to 42 points. Even as a freshman, Riley can easily be a starter with his talent, but he will face competition for minutes from juniors Tre White and Ty Rodgers. Riley needs to add muscle this year, but basketball-wise, he has all the makings of an NBA player. He surpassed Dee Brown in 2002 as the highest-ranked recruit to choose Illinois and is a projected first-round NBA draft pick in 2025.
Ty Rodgers: Junior, Returner
Rodgers enters his junior season as a leader on a much younger Illinois roster, this being his third season in Champaign. His role will once again be what it was last season: rebounding, playmaking for shooters and intensity on defense. Rodgers has been developing a jump shot all summer, which will add another threat to his game if he is able to shoot consistently this season. Look for Rodgers to be a multi-positional player that Underwood can slot in either the guard or forward positions, depending on lineups this season.
Tre White: Junior transfer, Louisville
White is a scorer, and he’s very comfortable in the midrange and finishing at the rim. His three-point shooting, however, has room for improvement after he shot a hair under 30% from long range last season for Louisville. On the defensive end, the 6-foot-7 wing’s length will allow him to guard multiple positions and be a competent rebounder for Illinois. He’ll likely split most of the minutes on the wing with Riley.
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