One of the more unknown names that have jumped onto the Illinois basketball radar lately is Kevin Cross.
Cross is a 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward from Mills University Studies High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. He is ranked as the No. 192 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 3 player in the state of Arkansas. His recruitment has been a little slow, though. He is starting to gain some traction with programs across the country.
The ability Cross displays on the basketball court is enticing. He has good post moves and the ability to put the ball in the hoop from a multitude of places on the floor. Cross was also able to confirm with the Writing Illini that his numbers during his senior season came out to, roughly, 18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 1 steal per game. Those are some impressive numbers.
No basketball player is perfect, though. Each player knows their strengths and weaknesses. I wanted to know what Cross’ was and what he wants to work on.
“The thing I love about my game is that I can play every position on the floor,” said Cross, “I can improve on my feet and quickness.”
Quickness is one thing that Brad Underwood’s offense needs. They need players who can run up and down the court at a fairly frequent pace. Of course, with the proper training staff at the college level, improving quickness shouldn’t be a problem for this up-and-coming recruit.
Cross has attention from some solid teams across the nation. Despite the recruiting attention, his offer from the Illini wasn’t expected.
“I was kind of shocked,” said Cross, “I quickly looked up the location and the history of the school, and I was very excited.”
The main communication between the Cross family and the Illini have been through Coach Orlando Antigua and Cross’ dad. This relationship continues to build, which is great news for the Orange and Blue. But, as previously mentioned, there are other programs eyeing this kid.
Cross mentioned to the Writing Illini that Oklahoma State, TCU, Southern Miss, DePaul, Eastern Washington and Arkansas have all shown the most interest so far. He was on an official visit this weekend to Southern Miss as well.
Illinois looks to be right in the mix after their recent offer, though. When asked if he had any intentions of taking some type of visit to Illinois, Cross responded by saying probably an official.
Next. 2018-19 Illini season wrap-up for Da’Monte Williams. dark
If Illinois can make some ground up quick on this kid, they will have a solid chance at landing him. Cross continues to climb up the recruiting boards for many programs. He is now one of the targets for Illini.