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Illinois Basketball: Remaining Illini targets for the class of 2018

By Rees Woodcock

ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 06: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood shouts instructions to his players during the first half of a regular season Big 10 Conference basketball game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Michigan Wolverines on January 6, 2018 at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Illinois 79-69.(Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - JANUARY 06: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood shouts instructions to his players during the first half of a regular season Big 10 Conference basketball game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Michigan Wolverines on January 6, 2018 at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Illinois 79-69.(Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 09: Illinois Fighting Illini fans hold up signs in the first half of the Illinois Fighting Illini and Michigan Wolverines game during the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at Verizon Center on March 9, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

2. Bryan Penn-Johnson

Obviously, the Illinois basketball team needs a big man to help in the paint for 2018. This position has eluded the Illini since Meyers Leonard came aboard a little less than a decade ago. Bryan Penn-Johnson is an option for Brad Underwood, though.

Penn-Johnson is a 7-foot, 215-pound big man from Wasatch Academy in Herber City, Utah. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 102 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 1 player in the state of Utah.

Illinois was once considered in the mix for Penn-Johnson, but I thought it was an extremely long shot. The kid is toward the west coast and it is extremely difficult to pull players east. In addition to that, Illinois also has to compete with some big-time programs out in the west for his services.

Penn-Johnson has been on three official visits so far. He visited DePaul on October 13, UCLA on September 29 and Washington on October 27. While DePaul is the favorite, I don’t see him landing there. I don’t think he comes east.

Also, Corey Evans of Rivals just came out a few days ago with a write-up about Penn-Johnson. He says it looks like his commitment will be celebrated by one of those two programs, referring to Washington and DePaul. I don’t have confidence Illinois is really in this recruitment anymore. I wish they were because Penn-Johnson is going to be a good player and Illinois needs size. But, I think he is done and will stay west. He will commit to Washington.

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