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Illinois Basketball: Breaking down the guards for 2017

By Zachary Leslie

Feb 18, 2017; Iowa City, IA, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Peter Jok (14) shoots the ball as Illinois Fighting Illini guard Te'Jon Lucas (3) defends during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2017; Iowa City, IA, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Peter Jok (14) shoots the ball as Illinois Fighting Illini guard Te'Jon Lucas (3) defends during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 21, 2017; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Moritz Wagner (13) and Illinois Fighting Illini guard Aaron Jordan (23) wrestle for the ball in the second half at Crisler Center. Michigan won 66-57. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2017; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Moritz Wagner (13) and Illinois Fighting Illini guard Aaron Jordan (23) wrestle for the ball in the second half at Crisler Center. Michigan won 66-57. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 5 Da’Monte Williams (Freshman) and No. 6 Aaron Jordan (Junior)

Aaron Jordan will be typical Aaron Jordan next season. He will work hard in practice and may be called upon in dire situations. Last season under John Groce, he averaged 6.9 minutes, 1 point and 1.1 rebounds per game.

Da’Monte Williams, on the other hand, is a complete mystery. He missed all of his senior season with a torn ACL, and it will be interesting to see how he plays when he returns to full health.

Thanks to injuries through the last year and a half of his high school career, Williams is now a three-star in the recruiting ranks. He was originally a four-star in the top 100 but injuries derailed his status.

Neither player will get a ton of minutes, but they each might get enough here or there. Look for both of them to work extremely hard regardless of playing time, and also look for them to be great locker room guys for this team.

Next: Player expectations for 2017-2018 season

There is a possibility that Williams might get a redshirt his first season in Champaign as well. Of course, injuries could also factor into their playing time, but as of now it looks pretty limited.

Prediction: End of rotation

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