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Illinois Basketball: Top 5 targets left for the Illini in the class of 2021 2.0

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 06: General view of Illinois Fighting Illini basketballs seen before the game against the IUPUI Jaguars at State Farm Center on December 6, 2016 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 06: General view of Illinois Fighting Illini basketballs seen before the game against the IUPUI Jaguars at State Farm Center on December 6, 2016 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – NOVEMBER 18: A. Illinois Fighting Illini logo is seen on the side of a basketball before the start of the during the college basketball game between the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and the Illinois Fighting Illini on November 18, 2019, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

3. Mac Etienne (6.5 out of 10 confidence)

Illinois is going to be in desperate need of a No. 5, potentially, this season. But by the 2021-22 campaign, it will be a guarantee that the Illini are going to need a big man. That is why I have wanted to land Mac Etienne.

Etienne is a 6-foot-10, 220-pound center from Brewster Academy and resides in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. He is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 50 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 8 center in the nation. He is also the best player to come out of New Hampshire.

At one time, Illinois was hot and heavy for Etienne. It seemed like the Illini were the likely landing spot for the big man. He even took an official visit to Champaign right before everything shut down. But the commotion has quieted lately.

In an interview just about three weeks ago, Etienne talked about six teams but none of them were Illinois. Now the context of the article doesn’t explain if he came up with those teams or if the writer asked about those programs, but the fact the Illini weren’t mentioned makes me a little nervous.

I still think we are in the running for Etienne. He would instantly be the starter at the No. 5 spot whether he reclassifies for 2020 or if he rides it out and suites up in 2021. Either way, I want him on the roster.

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