Illinois Basketball: Needs and Wants for the Class of 2017

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Mandatory Credit: FightingIllini.com
Mandatory Credit: FightingIllini.com

C Jeremiah Tilmon

Next: Need No. 2

I think we can all agree on Jeremiah Tilmon being a big need for the Illinois basketball team in 2017.  He is one of the best centers and the 16th best player in the class.

Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois Fighting Illini

There have been reports of Tilmon leaning toward Illinois over the last few months.  I take every report with a grain of salt because these players can change their minds in an instant.

There are enough outlets out there mentioning that he is in favor of the Illini so where there is smoke there has to be fire.

Recent reports now are saying that Tom Izzo, Steve Alford, Roy Williams and Bill Self are all taking visits to Tilmon in hopes of convincing him to pull away from the Illini.

These are a lot of powerful men who have winning on their side.  It is now up to Groce to pitch the future and what they can accomplish together.

Illinois also is in need of a great center.  That is why Tilmon is a need.

Heading into 2017 Illinois really doesn’t have a true center.  They will have Michael Finke who is more of a stretch five who can’t rebound.  He is going to be used in different areas of the floor and potentially could play the four in the future.

Besides for Finke our next tallest player I believe is Leron Black who 6’ 7” tall.  We need a big man to fill the center of the lane and that is Tilmon.