Illinois Basketball: Chris Payton reemerges as Illini recruiting target

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.

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.