Kahlil Whitney continues to be an important recruit for the Illinois basketball team.
Whitney should be the biggest target for the Illini right now. This kid is going to be special, and I want to see him in the Orange and Blue. He is a 6-foot-7, 195-pound wing player from Roselle Catholic High School in Roselle, New Jersey. He is rated as a five-star recruit who is the No. 23 player in the class of 2019.
In a recent interview with Scott Burgess of Prep Hoops, Whitney divulged some more information about his recruitment. He was still pretty close to the vest with his top eight, though. But, he did mention that he was coming out with that top eight after he talks with his parents. The list will come out in August, and he will make a commitment in the fall before the high school seasons tips off.
Whitney also mentions in the interview what he is looking for in a school. He said the relationship with the coach and a school that fits him the best are the two big factors. Earlier in the interview, Whitney says Brad Underwood showed him a lot of love on the visit he took to Champaign last month, so this is good news.
I truly believe – when the top eight for Whitney comes out – Illinois will be in the mix. The coaching staff has a good relationship with him, and Illinois is a program that fits Whitney’s game.
Whitney wants to run and score. He is a high energy athletic player who can do pretty much everything on the court but likes to play above the rim. Illinois is missing that on their team right now. He would fit in perfectly at the No. 3 or No. 4 spot on the roster. He would start day one as well, and he would also have two talented guards – Ayo Dosunmu and Trent Frazier – distributing the ball.
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Not only would a commitment from Whitney help the Illini win more games in the future, but it would also take us from a solid team with NCAA tournament aspirations to a team that could easily compete for a Sweet 16 and maybe more. Getting in his top eight is step one, though.