Illinois Basketball: Illini depth chart with Samba Kane and Tevian Jones

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CHAMPAIGN, IL – JANUARY 22: A general view of the shoes worn by Illinois Fighting Illini forward Leron Black (12) during the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Michigan State Spartans on January 22, 2018 at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

No. 2 Guard

Starter: Ayo Dosunmu

No matter what is happening with the Illinois basketball team as far as transfers are concerned, one thing that keeps my mind at ease is the addition of Ayo Dosunmu. This kid is going to be sensational for the Orange and Blue from day one.

Dosunmu is a 6-foot-4, 172-pound guard from Morgan Park High School in Chicago, Illinois. He is rated as a five-star recruit who is the No. 26 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 1 player in the state of Illinois. Brad Underwood snagged him, and instantly he became the biggest get in Underwood’s coaching tenure.

There is no doubt in my mind Dosunmu will come into the Illinois program and start immediately. He is a great player and potentially a program changing. I am excited to see what this kid can do at the No. 2 guard spot.

Backup: Da’Monte Williams

I believe there will be two primary backups to Dosunmu next season. The first one would be Da’Monte Williams. I think last year he showed what he can do on the floor and now I want him to continue to grow and gain more confidence.

The stat line for Williams doesn’t jump off the page, though. He averaged 3.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and .7 steals per game. This all came in just 16.9 minutes of action per game as well. When Williams would get time, he would show what he could do on the court and I can’t wait until he starts playing on a consistent basis. That should come next season.

Backup: Alan Griffin

Illinois landed one of the most underrated recruits in the class of 2018 when Alan Griffin committed last week. This kid can get buckets from anywhere on the court and that is exciting to have on the team next season. He is rated as a three-star recruit who isn’t ranked nationally, but he is a 6-foot-5 guard who is sensational.

I have Griffin as a primary backup behind Dosunmu. He would likely be in a timeshare with Williams for playing time. I wouldn’t doubt if both Williams and Griffin saw time on the floor with Dosunmu, though. The lineup is going to be having some changes to it but finally, Underwood has some flexibility with his players.

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