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Illinois Basketball: Rerating every Illini recruit from the 2010s

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 08: Kofi Cockburn #21 of the Illinois Fighting Illini breaks up a scuffle between Da'Monte Williams #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini and Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the game at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 08: Kofi Cockburn #21 of the Illinois Fighting Illini breaks up a scuffle between Da'Monte Williams #20 of the Illinois Fighting Illini and Connor McCaffery #30 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the game at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – NOVEMBER 16: Darius Paul #24 of the Western Michigan Broncos drives to the basket against the Loyola-Chicago Rambers during the game at the Sun Dome on November 16, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – NOVEMBER 16: Darius Paul #24 of the Western Michigan Broncos drives to the basket against the Loyola-Chicago Rambers during the game at the Sun Dome on November 16, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images) /

30. Darius Paul (Old: 2-star/0.7667 – New: 3-star/0.8334)

One of the best players the Illinois basketball program has had over the past couple of decades is Brandon Paul. He was a sensational guard who could get buckets. So, naturally, you would think his brother, Darius Paul, would be cut from the same cloth.

Paul was a 6-foot-7, 200-pound power forward coming out of Warren Township High School and residing in Gurnee, Illinois. He was rated as a two-star recruit who was the No. 329 player in the class of 2012 and the No. 80 power forward in the nation. He also had a composite rating of 0.7667.

Out of high school, Paul decided to pick Western Michigan as his landing spot. This was a good choice considering the numbers he put up in year one. Paul finished his freshman season averaging 10.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

The great numbers Paul put up as a freshman got him some notoriety. He ended up being named the MAC Freshman of the Year. After the great run as a freshman, Paul decided to take his talents to the big stage. He picked Illinois as his transfer destination.

Paul never got a chance to suit up for Illinois, though. After sitting out his first year due to NCAA transfer rules, Paul ended up getting arrested on the team’s European trip the next summer. This arrest ended up getting him dismissed from the team.

Lamar State College-Port Arthur was the last known school Paul attended. He was sensational in the lone season with that program, averaging 17.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.

I think it is obvious Paul was a good player. He might have been a two-star recruit with a rating of 0.7667 coming out of high school, but that evaluation was wrong. I think this kid was more of a three-star with a rating of 0.8334.

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