Illinois Basketball: Top 5 Illini in-state recruits from the last decade

CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 08: Giorgi Bezhanishvili (GEO)(15) forward University of Illinois Fighting Illini sets a pick for Ayo Dosunmu (11) guard University of Illinois Fighting Illini against the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Runnin Rebels, December 8, 2018, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by David Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – FEBRUARY 27: Ayo Dosunmu #11 of the Illinois Fighting Illini brings the ball up court during the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena on February 27, 2019 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Throughout the past decade, the Illinois basketball program has had three head coaches all with different recruiting styles.

I would make an argument that none of them were ace recruiters, but they could all do a solid job at times. Some of the coaches could recruit state of Illinois kids and others struggled immensely. There were some coaches who could recruit certain positions and other coaches couldn’t snag a point guard or a big man, ultimately leading to their downfall.

One thing everyone can agree on in the recruiting game is that the state of Illinois always has some talented recruits who are wanted by programs across the country. Chicago has been the main hub for talented recruits, but the entire state can produce great players. The struggles the Illini have had snagging the best talent from the state of Illinois is well-documented too.

But we have had some great in-state recruits come to Champaign and do some good things over the past decade. There hasn’t been a ton of winning in this time, but there has been talent on the court for the Orange and Blue.

Here are the five best Illini in-state recruits over the last decade.

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