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Illinois Basketball: Top 5 Illini recruiting targets left for the class of 2021

By Rees Woodcock

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)
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) /
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Illinois basketball
CHAMPAIGN, IL – MARCH 01: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini salutes the fans following the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at State Farm Center on March 1, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Recruiting is something I really enjoy right now when it comes to the Illinois basketball team.

With the previous coaching regime, getting a top 100 recruit was something to be excited about. That wasn’t much fun and it translated onto the basketball court. But the current coaching regime, led by Brad Underwood, is doing some damage in the recruiting world.

The class of 2018 brought in Ayo Dosunmu. He was a gamechanger on the court and for Chicago recruiting. He put the Illini back on the map. But Underwood wasn’t done with just that class. He had more work to do.

Ayo needed a big man to go along with his great guard play. That is when Kofi Cockburn entered the picture in the class of 2019. This was a top 60 recruit landed by Underwood. Illinois wasn’t able to land big men during the previous regime, but Underwood managed to pull off one of the best No. 5’s in program history.

These two great classes were followed up by the class of 2020 which features two top 60 players in Adam Miller and Andre Curbelo. We are all waiting to see what this class can do on the court. But what about the future?

Illinois is continuing to recruit top players for the class of 2021. There are so many big fish still left in this talent-rich class. I think we might be able to do some serious damage on top of already landing top 100 player Luke Goode. Who are our top targets, though?

Here are the top five Illini recruiting targets left for the class of 2021.

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