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Illinois basketball could use a player like Malik Hall

By Rees Woodcock

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: Basketballs are shown in a ball rack before a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament between the Santa Clara Broncos and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena on March 6, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Gonzaga won 77-68. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: Basketballs are shown in a ball rack before a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament between the Santa Clara Broncos and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena on March 6, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Gonzaga won 77-68. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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The Illinois basketball team has six scholarships currently open for the class of 2019.

That number should dwindle a bit as the Illini have an opportunity to sign a great group of kids for 2018. This group should consist of a great point guard in Ayo Dosunmu and at least two other players who will help this program reach great heights once again.

Realistically, we are looking at around three scholarships remaining for 2019 when Brad Underwood is finished with the class of 2018. The big question then remains, who will fill those three spots in 2019? One candidate could be forward, Malik Hall.

Hall is a 6-foot-7, 200-pound forward from Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 89 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 3 player in the state of Kansas.

Many teams are still after Hall and more will soon join the mix. He currently only has eight scholarship offers. Besides for Illinois, some of the other notables are Oklahoma, Iowa and Saint Louis. Look for more scholarships to come Hall’s way, though.

Hall transferred down to Sunrise Christian from Metea Valley High School in Aurora, Illinois. This was a big move for Hall and recruiting as well. He is now closer to bigger programs like Kansas and that will likely make it easier to recruit him. Hall did post a picture of himself with 16 other school logos around him yesterday and the Jayhawks weren’t one of them. That usually signals he has cut his list to his top 16, but the recruiting process is long and I wouldn’t doubt if Kansas sneaks into the mix.


Without a doubt, though, Illinois could use a player like Hall. He is a 2019 recruit who has aged up in the Nike EYBL. That always catches my eye as he competes with the best of the best in the nation at a younger age. He did pretty well too.

Hall averaged 9.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in the 16 games he had a chance to play in during the AAU season. He and the Mokan Elite now take their talents into the Nike Peach Jam to see if they can come out victorious.

Next: Brad Underwood trying to correct recruiting struggles

Getting a player like Hall would be great for the Illini. This kid can play and having him in Orange and Blue would benefit the program for years to come.

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