The Illinois basketball team has a chance to do some special things for the upcoming 2020-21 campaign.
With whom we have on the roster right now, I think the Illini are an NCAA tournament team. The incoming class of 2020 has some serious talent. This talent, while young, fits well with the players we already have on the roster.
The class of 2020 will be joining a ton of experience. Illinois’ roster is deep with seniors who have been through a lot. The mix of young with old usually bodes well for teams. While this Illinois program probably will make the NCAA tournament with the current roster, there is always a possibility for things to get even better.
Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn are both in the NBA Draft pool right now. They haven’t hired an agent, though. That means there is a chance they come back to Champaign and play one more year with the Illini.
If one or the other comes back, Illinois is instantly a top 25 team with the aspirations of, at least, making the Sweet 16. The national title would be in sight, but let’s be more realistic with the expectations. Sweet 16 would be a great goal.
Why stop there, though? What if both Ayo and Kofi return to Illinois? Well, let me tell you, this would be a national title contending team. I am talking, we could win it all. We could do something Deron Williams, Dee Brown, Nick Anderson, Dave Downey, Eddie Johnson and others all failed to do. We could sit atop the college basketball world.
But getting to that point would mean both Ayo and Kofi return. This would help form a dream team for the Illini. What would that lineup look like, though?
Here is the projected Illini dream team lineup for 2020-21.