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Illinois Basketball: Projected Illini starting lineup for the 2020-2021 season

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 10: Illinois Fighting Illini Head Coach Brad Underwood and Illinois Fighting Illini guard Alan Griffin (0) look on during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 10, 2019, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 10: Illinois Fighting Illini Head Coach Brad Underwood and Illinois Fighting Illini guard Alan Griffin (0) look on during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 10, 2019, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 21: Alan Griffin #0 of the Illinois Fighting Illini dribbles around Keonte Kennedy #11 of the Xavier Musketeers during a consolation game of the Maui Invitational college basketball game at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 21, 2018 in Lahaina Hawaii. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 21: Alan Griffin #0 of the Illinois Fighting Illini dribbles around Keonte Kennedy #11 of the Xavier Musketeers during a consolation game of the Maui Invitational college basketball game at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 21, 2018 in Lahaina Hawaii. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

No. 2 Guard

Starter – Alan Griffin

If you look at what Illinois has on the roster right now and then look at what they could have in 2020-2021, the future looks a little grim at the No. 2 guard spot. I realize there are still players to be added, but Illinois is going to need to load up on more talent. With that being said, I do like the idea of Alan Griffin starting at the No. 2 guard spot for the Orange and Blue.

Griffin had a weird freshman campaign. He didn’t play much and when he did, he didn’t perform that well. I think more playing time would have gotten him more acclimated to the college game. The season was lost pretty early on, so Griffin should have been playing more. But he will be a crucial piece to this program moving forward. He needs to get a little sharper at his long-distance shots, and I would like to see his defense improve. If he focuses on these two things this upcoming season, the 2020-21 campaign should be tremendous.

Backup – Scholarship Open (2)

The backup role at the No. 2 spot needs to be filled. There isn’t a player on the current roster who could be a solid backup at the No. 2 spot. I have Illinois using a scholarship to fill this role from either the class of 2019 but, most likely, from the class of 2020. We are going to need another knock-down shooter on this team. If the Illini coaching staff could add one of those to the team, the future will be extremely bright.

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