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Illinois basketball players who have the most NBA talent

By Rees Woodcock

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 18: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks reacts in the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Barclays Center on March 18, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 18: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks reacts in the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Barclays Center on March 18, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – APRIL 03: The ball goes through the hoop during warm ups before the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – APRIL 03: The ball goes through the hoop during warm ups before the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

No. 1 Trent Frazier

Of course, it is difficult to predict who will become NBA players and who will not. Illinois hasn’t exactly been NBA heavy over the last decade. But, with a player like Trent Frazier coming into the program, that dry spell will end.

Frazier is coming into the Illinois basketball program as a highly rated recruit. He was rated as a four-star point guard who was the No. 85 player in the class of 2017 and the No. 21 point guard in the nation. This kid was wanted by numerous teams for a reason.

Illinois snagged Frazier and they are getting a great talent. The team is currently deep at the guard position, though. With Te’Jon Lucas likely to start at the No. 1 and Mark Smith at the No. 2, Frazier will have to be the best sixth man in college basketball. He will get his chance to shine, though.

Lucas will be departing a year before Frazier, most likely, and Smith might be heading to the NBA a year or two early. That will leave plenty of starting time for Frazier. He will also see around 20 minutes per game this upcoming season as well.

It is early, but right now I could see Frazier being a high second round draft pick just looking at what he has done at the high school level. This kid has all the ability in the world and now he needs to show it on the court.

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