Illinois Basketball: 3 reasons landing Luke Goode is huge for the Illini

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ANN ARBOR, MI – JANUARY 25: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood smiles as he talks to his team in a huddle during a timeout during a regular season Big Ten Conference game between the Illinois Fighting Illini (21) and the Michigan Wolverines on January 25, 2020, at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Illinois defeated Michigan 64-62. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

3. Continues to show the ability of coaching staff

The final point I want to make about why landing Luke Goode was so big for the Illinois basketball team is the fact it continues to show the ability of the coaching staff on the recruiting trail.

Brad Underwood and his coaching staff have done a great job of keeping and landing big-time recruits. Underwood came into the program and had to hold onto Trent Frazier and Da’Monte Williams, both of whom have become big pieces to the success of this team.

That class was followed up with the class of 2018 which brought in Giorgi Bezhanishvili, Andres Feliz and some guy named Ayo Dosunmu. This was a great class that helped set the foundation for future success. The class of 2019 then brought in big-man Kofi Cockburn as well as a couple of other players who could be important in the near future.

The class of 2020 hasn’t joined the team yet, but they are coming in and filling some holes that are left by players departing the program. This class is one of the best in the conference and is in the top 20 nationally. Andre Curbelo, Adam Miller and Coleman Hawkins are going to take over Champaign.

Next. Projected Illini lineup without Ayo Dosunmu. dark

And now Goode has committed to the Illini for the class of 2021. The ability for this coaching staff to land a kid who is in the top 100, is from the state of Indiana and has a ton of teams after him is impressive to me. It shows how good this coaching staff is on the recruiting trail. Illinois is now a team that recruits high-level talent and needs to replace them on a moment’s notice. Underwood is showing the ability to adapt to this process.

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