Writing Illini
Fansided

Illinois Basketball: Illini can provide everything for Francis Okoro

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 30: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini is seen before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at State Farm Center on January 30, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 30: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini is seen before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at State Farm Center on January 30, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Illinois basketball team needs another big, and that is a sentiment everyone can agree on.

The No. 5 spot is pretty much set moving forward into the class of 2019. Even though the Illini lost Matic Vesel this past week, they still have a lot of bigs for the future. I imagine Greg Eboigbodin and Samba Kane will share the duties at the No. 5 with Giorgi Bezhanishvili filling in where minutes are needed. But, the big hole on the team right now is at the No. 4.

Illinois had Leron Black at the No. 4 last season. He had by far his best season in the Orange and Blue in the only year under Brad Underwood. Black finished the season averaging 15.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Those are great numbers, and his progress was enough to get noticed by NBA scouts. He then declared for the NBA Draft leaving the Illini looking for answers.

The best solution to fill the void left by Black is big man Francis Okoro. Okoro is 6-foot-9, 225-pound, big man from Normal Community West High School in Normal, Illinois. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 40 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 1 player in the state of Illinois.

There have been rumors about Okoro possibly reclassifying for the class of 2018 but that still remains to be seen. Whether he ends up in the class of 2018 or 2019 the fact still remains, Illinois needs to land this kid for the sake of the program.

In a recent recruiting video by Scott Burgess of Prep Hoops, Okoro comments that his visit a few weeks ago to Oregon went well. They want to run him and think he is best on the go. He just took a visit to Purdue as well. He said Matt Painter continues to tell him how dominant he will be. Toward the end of the interview, Okoro also mentions that he wants to visit Illinois this week and then make a commitment shortly after.

So, what we can say for sure is this is a three-team race. Oregon, Purdue and Illinois are all vying for Okoro’s commitment. That has been the case for a while, but Okoro essentially said it in the interview. Let me just say, Illinois can provide everything the Ducks and Boilermakers can provide and then some.

Illinois likes to run the ball and will be an up-tempo team this season. Whatever is happening with that at Oregon will be happening with the Illini as well. And what Purdue is pitching, Illinois can easily do that too. The usage of Okoro in Champaign is going to be extremely high. He will also have amazing guard play from Ayo Dosunmu and Trent Frazier who both can get him the ball in the paint or on the break.

Let me throw one more thing out there. In only one year under Underwood, Leron Black transformed from a player who was so far off the NBA radar to a player who NBA scouts honestly think can make the NBA right now. Black almost doubled his points per game production. He was sensational within 12-feet of the hoop. He had to play both the No. 4 and the No. 5 roles as well.

Next: Ranking the last 10 Illini recruiting classes

I promise you, Illinois will do wonders with Okoro. This kid would come in and be dominant year one with the fun and gun offense. He will have the ability to play the No. 4 and No. 5 at times. Okoro will shine at Illinois. They are set up to have a great team already. I can’t even imagine if Okoro would join the crew.

Home/Illinois Basketball Recruiting