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Illinois Basketball: 5 players to watch from the updated 2021 ESPN 100

By Rees Woodcock

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - FEBRUARY 18: The Illinois Fighting Illini logo on a pair of shorts during a college basketball game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Bryce Jordan Center on February 18, 2020 in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - FEBRUARY 18: The Illinois Fighting Illini logo on a pair of shorts during a college basketball game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Bryce Jordan Center on February 18, 2020 in University Park, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – DECEMBER 30: Detail view of the basketball goal and net during a game between the Purdue Boilermakers and Illinois Fighting Illini at Mackey Arena on December 30, 2008 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

1. Mac Etienne

The five players to watch on the 2021 ESPN 100 is a stout list, but the recruit who I have the most confidence will come to Illinois is big man, Mac Etienne.

Illinois has been after Etienne for quite some time. They even hosted him for an official visit back in early March, right before the Covid-19 pandemic flared up. This was a big visit for the Illini and one that might put them over the top.

In the new 2021 ESPN 100, Etienne checks in as the No. 64 player in the class of 2021. ESPN has the 6-foot-10, 220-pound center from Suffield Academy as a four-star recruit who is the No. 11 center in the class and the No. 1 player coming out of Connecticut.

No. 64 is a little lower than some of the other recruiting sites. But Etienne is a solid top 75 player. There is no doubt in my mind that if summer ball was still going on, this kid would have worked his way up into the top 50 nationally. I could still see that happening with high school ball this winter.

Etienne has been a top priority for the Illini. There were rumors about his reclassifying, but those are probably put to bed since we are quickly approaching the upcoming school year. Either way, Etienne would be a great replacement for whenever Kofi Cockburn leaves the Illini program.

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