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Illinois Basketball: 4 underrated recruits who could help the Illini

By Rees Woodcock

PISCATAWAY, NJ - FEBRUARY 25: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood during the first half of the College Basketball Game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 25, 2018, at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in Piscataway, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ - FEBRUARY 25: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood during the first half of the College Basketball Game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 25, 2018, at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in Piscataway, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: A basketball is shot through the hoop during warmups prior to Game Six of the 2019 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors at ORACLE Arena on June 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

1. Marcus Watson

It is only a matter of time before Marcus Watson’s stock shoots through the roof. This kid doesn’t have the big-time scholarship offers that he has earned. His ranking isn’t what it should be either.

Watson is a 5-foot-10, 155-pound point guard from Morgan Park High School in Chicago, Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit who is the No. 345 player in the class of 2020 and the No. 62 point guard in the nation. He is also the No. 8 player in the state of Illinois as well.

The lowest-ranked player on this list is Watson. The fact he is a sub-200 player, let alone the No. 345 player in the nation, is completely baffling to me. I believe this kid has the talent to be a really good college player who could help lead a team to the NCAA tournament.

The attributes that Watson brings to the game are fun to watch. I look for a point guard who has grit and is a bulldog. He checks both of these boxes. Watson isn’t a selfish, me-first, type of player. He is always looking to make the right play on the court whether that be driving the ball to the hoop or finding the open man. He makes the right play.

Watson’s vision is extremely underrated as well. His ability to see the open man before the man actually gets open is impressive. He knows where his teammates are going to be. I also like how he can get to the basket too. His ability to drive the ball to the hoop causes headaches for the opposing team. Watson can either finish at the rim or the defense breaks down and he finds the open man cutting or out on the three-point arc.

In trying to find a comp for Watson’s game, I keep coming back to Ayo Dosunmu. He is Ayo-ish. The size isn’t there, and I think that might be why he isn’t ranked as high as he should be. I love this kid’s game, though. He brings a level of tenacity and team-oriented basketball that is hard to find.

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