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Illinois Basketball: Roles of the five returning Illini players

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 30: Kipper Nichols #2 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: Kipper Nichols #2 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) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – JANUARY 24: Aaron Jordan /

1. Aaron Jordan

One of the players I am most excited about next season is Aaron Jordan. This kid is the most veteran player on the team and someone I think Brad Underwood can look to for leadership and points off the bench.

The year before Underwood took over last season, Jordan struggled mightily under the previous regime. He only averaged 1 point and 1.1 rebounds in the 6.9 minutes he was getting per game. Those stats during his sophomore campaign made much of the Illini fan base think there was no way he was going to stick around. He wasn’t receiving minutes and seemed to have been in the doghouse with the previous regime.

In steps Underwood and his great coaching staff. Jordan showed massive signs of improvement and trust in this staff. He received 20.1 minutes per game during his junior season and dropped 7.9 points and pulled down 3.1 rebounds per game. It was like he was a completely different player with Underwood leading the way.

Will Jordan start his senior season in Champaign? I think that is unlikely with the new talent that is coming into the program. But, that doesn’t mean Jordan won’t play a huge role on the team. There is a possibility he starts with the lack of No. 4 coming into the program, but I could see him as a primary backup at the No. 2 or No. 3 spot for the Illini.

Jordan inserted himself into the conversation of being a starter with a great season as a junior. I think he would work best as a backup, but his experience and knowledge are invaluable to a team that is going to be pretty new next season.

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