The Illinois basketball team could have the biggest autumn in program history. This is a period of time that lasts from September 22 through December 20.
Illinois will find out if they have landed one of the best recruiting classes in the last few decades or if they are left on the doorstep. There are four big recruits that I am keeping an eye on in the next few months and some of them are even committing here in the next few weeks.
Let’s start off with the scheduled commitments. Big man George Conditt is first up. He has scheduled his commitment date to be October 2, which is a week from today. Illinois is one of the top three – including New Mexico and Iowa State – that will be vying for his commitment. Landing Conditt would help create depth in the paint.
The other commitment date that has been set is by Landers Nolley. He is down to his final four teams which include Georgia, Georgia State, Virginia Tech and Illinois. He will make his decision on October 7. Getting another wing player also helps create depth, and he would be a tough matchup for most teams the Illini play.
There could end up being a commitment in between these two players, though. Colin Castleton is down to his final two – Illinois and Michigan – and he visited the Illini on September 1. He has a visit this upcoming weekend with the Wolverines. When I asked Castleton if he had a decision date in mind, he gave this answer.
“No, not yet, I don’t know,” Castleton said, “all depends on how the visit this weekend goes.”
My guess is that a decision will come down in October and likely next week. So that will put a decision between October 2 -6. Nothing is confirmed yet, though, and hopefully Michigan doesn’t have a better pitch than the Illini.
That leaves one more player who would tie everything together. Ayo Dosunmu is the big fish everyone wants to catch, and he has his list down to seven programs including Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, USC, Wake Forest, Xavier and Illinois. He has already scheduled three official visits as well.
USC received an official visit back on September 15. Wake Forest is getting one this weekend. Illinois then has one on October 10. The other two aren’t set yet but I would imagine they will be to Kansas and Xavier but we will see.
Since there are two visits remaining to be scheduled, I expect Dosunmu’s decision to come sometime in late November. He will probably have two visits toward the end of October or early November and then will make his pick of programs before the high school season starts in early December.
Next: Brad Underwood’s recruiting pitch to Colin Castleton
Autumn is huge for the Illini. The decision of these four recruits will change the future of the Illinois basketball program for the next half-decade.