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Illinois Basketball: Everything about Talen Horton-Tucker says superstar

By Rees Woodcock

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: Basketballs are shown in a ball rack before a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament between the Santa Clara Broncos and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena on March 6, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Gonzaga won 77-68. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: Basketballs are shown in a ball rack before a semifinal game of the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament between the Santa Clara Broncos and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena on March 6, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Gonzaga won 77-68. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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The Illinois basketball team landed five-star guard Ayo Dosunmu last Thursday. Now the Illini are on pace to potentially land another top recruit.

Talen Horton-Tucker is a four-star small forward from Simeon Career Academy in Chicago, Illinois. He is ranked as the No. 54 player in the class of 2018 and there were a multitude of teams after his services.

Horton-Tucker’s recruitment seemed to have been coming to an end a while ago and Michigan State was the landing spot. But, they ended up running out of available scholarships so he had to rethink his options. He eventually cut his list to seven programs he was deciding between. Those seven teams were Ohio State, Georgetown, Iowa State, Georgia Tech, Saint Louis, Xavier and Illinois.

After official visits to Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Xavier and Illinois, Horton-Tucker has now officially cut his list down to three teams which include Xavier, Iowa State and Illinois. Since his break with the Spartans, Horton-Tucker has seemed to take a liking to Iowa State. They have been his leader in my mind for quite some time but this last visit to Illinois has closed the gap.

Horton-Tucker’s recruitment is about to come to an end, though. He has set a commitment date for October 26 – this Thursday – at 6:30 PM CT at Simeon Career Academy.

Illinois would benefit greatly from having a player like Horton-Tucker on the team. Any team would benefit for that matter. But, Illinois especially could use him early on in his career. I am thinking, in 2018, the starting lineup could possibly be Mark Smith, Ayo Dosunmu, Talen Horton-Tucker, Leron Black and Michael Finke. That is a lineup that can contend in the Big Ten.

Coming off the bench would be Te’Jon Lucas, Trent Frazier, Da’Monte Williams, Kipper Nichols, etc. Wow, that would be a really good team and that is why Horton-Tucker is needed for 2018. Illinois would also add another solid player as well to fill the third scholarship spot.

Next: Talen Horton-Tucker means taking back the state

I love everything about Horton-Tucker’s game. He has a chip-on-the-shoulder mentality. He can drive the ball and take hits. His shooting is solid as well. Everything about this kid says superstar, now let’s get him to Champaign.

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