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Illinois Basketball: Projected Illini starting lineup with Francis Okoro

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - FEBRUARY 08: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood looks on during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 8, 2018, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - FEBRUARY 08: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood looks on during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 8, 2018, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NC – DECEMBER 20: Two basketballs are stuck in a net prior to the game between the Wofford Terriers and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Dean Smith Center on December 20, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Wofford won 79-75. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

No. 4 Forward

Starter – Francis Okoro

The golden goose in the recruiting world right now is Francis Okoro. He is a 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.

Yes, he is in the class of 2019 right now but there are signs that he reclassifies to the class of 2018. This roster scenario is based on that happening. He would be a huge get for the Illini as well. Illinois needs to fill the hole left by Leron Black, and Okoro solves that problem.

I see Okoro stepping into the Illinois roster year one and starting. He will play a lot of minutes for this program and should be dominant. I don’t see anyone really competing with him for the starting job. He should put up some great numbers in the Big Ten.

Backup – Giorgi Bezhanishvili

Illinois also added big man Giorgi Bezhanisvili to the class of 2018 as well. He is a 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward from St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 309 player in the class of 2018 and the No. 10 player in the state of New Jersey.

I think this was a solid pickup for the Illini. I don’t see him getting too much time in the lineup early on, but he still should see 5-10 minutes per game. He will be important to get Okoro some rest.

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