The Illinois basketball team is still trying to figure out who is going to be signed up for the class of 2019.
There have been a lot of recruits come through the Illinois recruiting system over the past year. Some players seem to like what the Illini have to offer and others were clearly heading in a different direction. What was one thing every recruit so far has had in common? None of them decided to pick Illinois.
An old name in the state of Illinois but a new name in the Illini recruiting scene recently has been Chris Payton. I remember, over the past couple of years, Payton’s name has popped up but then disappeared as the Illini have attempted to land a few bigger fish.
It looks like Payton is now resurfacing as a potential target for this Illinois basketball team. According to Kedric Prince of Rivals.com, Payton will be attending an Illinois scrimmage this weekend. He also received a visit from Chin Coleman on Tuesday as well.
#Illini Basketball recruiting update - Bloomington, IL. 3- ⭐️ 6'7” power forward Chris Payton said: I will be going up this weekend to watch their scrimmage. pic.twitter.com/riOnw7ElSc
— Kedric Prince (@KedPrince4) October 23, 2018
Payton is a 6-foot-7, 200-pound power forward from Bloomington High School in Bloomington, Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 256 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 45 power forward in the nation. He is also the No. 7 player in the state of Illinois.
As an Illinois fan, I am not opposed to bringing in Payton and having him join the team. Of course, I want players who are in the top 100 because they usually turn out to be better than players outside of the top 100. But, in the case of Payton, I wouldn’t mind him in the Orange and Blue.
I see good and bad in Payton’s game. Some of the bad include his strength under the hoop. There is a good chance this kid will get bullied around underneath the basket in the Big Ten. But, he won’t be playing that role on the Illini, so I am not sure how much that will apply. His aggression seems to be another issue I have. I don’t see a lot of aggression on the court.
The good is really good, though. I love Payton’s shooting ability. He can knock down shots from just about anywhere on the court. He is a really smart player too. He knows when not to foul. I also like his athletic ability. The kid can fly around the court and Illinois needs more of that.
Payton would be a good addition to this Illinois team as a complementary piece. He should be the finishing touches on what is a solid class. Add him and a few top 100 players, and I will be happy.