Illinois Basketball: Top transfer targets the Illini are pursuing 3.0

CHAMPAIGN, IL - NOVEMBER 18: Illinois head coach Brad Underwood smiles during a time out in a huddle during a college basketball game between the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and Illinois Fighting Illini on November 18, 2018 at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - NOVEMBER 18: Illinois head coach Brad Underwood smiles during a time out in a huddle during a college basketball game between the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and Illinois Fighting Illini on November 18, 2018 at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Illinois basketball
COLUMBUS, OHIO – NOVEMBER 22: D.J. Carton #3 of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts after getting fouled in the game against the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons during the first half at Value City Arena on November 22, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

2. DJ Carton

The highest-rated transfer target who is still out on the market right now is DJ Carton. He is a player just about every team in the country wants, but only one team will eventually win out.

Carton came out of Bettendorf High School in Iowa as the No. 34 player in the class of 2019 and the No. 4 point guard in the nation. The recruitment for Carton was heavy, but Ohio State ended up winning out.

In his lone year with the Buckeyes, Carton finished the season averaging 10.4 points, 3 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game. He was able to see action in 20 games as well. The transfer announcement came as a bit of a surprise to me, but now the kid has a chance to have a fresh start.

Carton is one of the few transfers on the market today who won’t be eligible immediately. His re-recruitment has been quiet, though. There isn’t an inkling about where he is going to go or what is going through his mind.

Illinois would benefit greatly from having Carton join the team for the 2021-22 campaign. We are going to need more guard help for that season, and he would be a perfect fit on the team. Hopefully, Illinois is still in contention for landing this talented transfer.