Illinois Basketball: Illini in top 8 for wing Landers Nolley
It is Illinois football day but the Illinois basketball team took some of their thunder by making at top list for a recruit.
Landers Nolley took to Twitter to announce his top eight programs and included the Illini. The top eight teams that he released are Florida State, UConn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech and Illinois. This is a tough list for Illinois to go up against but they already have received an official visit from Nolley.
Back on August 24, Nolley announced where he will be taking his five official visits. He listed Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Georgia, UConn and Illinois. The only team that was left out was the Cowboys so I assume he isn’t visiting there anymore.
Making Nolley’s top eight was expected for the Illini. Since they did get an official visit, I had to assume they were going to be on his top list. But now the tough part is landing this talented wing player.
Nolley would fit great with the current Illinois roster, and he would be the first domino to fall for the class of 2018 that is supposed to be talent ladened. Illinois doesn’t have anyone else signed up for this class and having a top 100 player like Nolley commit would help ease the worries of other top recruits who are looking at this class but want to see what other pieces will come as well.
The recruiting sites have Nolley as one of the top players in the country. He is rated as a four-star by both Scout and 247Sports but Scout has him as the No. 57 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 13 small forward in the nation. 247Sports, on the other hand, has him as the No. 92 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 22 small forward in the nation.
Where Nolley is ranked doesn’t determine need for the Illini. He is a wanted man for the Orange and Blue and getting him would be a big reward for Brad Underwood. Illinois is entering 2018 with only Kipper Nichols to play the No. 3 spot. I expect that role to also be used for a third guard, but right now that guard isn’t on the team.
Getting someone like Nolley would automatically boost the roster and he would likely be in a timeshare with Nichols for that No. 3 spot. If there is another guard or two sign up for the class of 2018, Nichols would then likely move over to a backup No. 4 for 2018 and Nolley and the guard who signed up, hopefully Ayo Dosunmu, would share time at the No. 3.
Next: Recruiting update on the class of 2018
Nolley would give Underwood options and that is dangerous for the rest of the country. If he picks Illinois, this team could do some special things in the near future.