Recruiting has been extremely interesting for the Illinois basketball team over the last few weeks.
The Illini currently have the No. 20 recruiting class in the nation for 2018. They are led by five-star guard Ayo Dosunmu followed by four-star wing Tevian Jones, three-star big men Giorgi Bezhanishvili and Samba Kane, and three-star guard Alan Griffin.
These five players will improve this Illinois basketball team next season. While there were some players who departed from the program, I think the incoming freshmen are upgrades to a few areas on the team. Illinois isn’t done there, though. They still have two scholarships remaining and some big fish to catch.
Illinois has Andres Feliz visiting this weekend starting today. He is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound point guard who is transferring from Northwest Florida State in the junior college ranks. He originally committed to play for the USF Bulls but transferred out before he played a game. He would come into the Illinois program and be able to play immediately after spending a year as a JUCO.
Feliz was a solid player with Northwest Florida State. He averaged 11.6 points, 4.7 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. His best game was against Chipola where he finished the night with 23 points and 10 assists. There is a strong possibility he ends up committing to Illinois this weekend.
Getting Feliz would make the Illini guard heavy, which isn’t a bad thing, but it would only leave one scholarship open. That one scholarship will hopefully go to Courtney Ramey.
Ramey is the 6-foot-3, 170-pound guard who is ranked as the No. 43 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 12 point guard in the nation. He has been an Illini target for a while but momentum seems to be pushing him toward other programs. But, Brad Underwood isn’t giving up on this kid. He wants Ramey in the Orange and Blue.
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood is in today for top-50 guard Courtney Ramey, per source; OK State head coach Mike Boynton is expected in tonighthttps://t.co/LbYqIIPlEc@IllinoisRivals @OKStateRivals
— Corey Evans (@coreyevans_10) April 5, 2018
Corey Evans of Rivals first reported that Underwood went down and met with Ramey on Thursday afternoon. This is big considering many people thought we were out of the Ramey sweepstakes.
Next: Projected Illini starting lineup with Tevian Jones
Illinois is putting a full-court press on Ramey right now. If they can scoop up Feliz this weekend and then add Ramey, that would make for a tremendous backcourt. Will it leave the Illini a little short in the big man department? Sure, unless there is another player who is expected to transfer. But, Illinois was going to go small anyway. Give me a high-powered – guard-oriented – offense and I will show you a team who will be fun to watch and can compete in the Big Ten.