Illinois basketball: 2022 four-star forward Isaac Traudt attracts Illini interest

Brad Underwood and the Illinois basketball coaching staff have reached out to a stud four-star recruit.

2022 forward Isaac Traudt tells Recruits Zone that the Illinois Fighting Illini have recently contacted him.

Traudt is a 6-foot-8, 200-pound stretch forward out of Grand Island Senior School in Grand Island, Nebraska, where he averaged 17 points and 6 rebounds per game as a sophomore

The Grand Island native is rated as a four-star recruit by recruiting sites 247Sports and Rivals.  247Sports ranks him as the No. 1 overall player in Nebraska and the No. 66 overall player nationally for the 2022 class.

The 6-foot-8 forward currently has 19 offers from schools including Ohio State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Oregon, and others.

How would Traudt fit on the Illini roster?

After watching his film, it’s easy to see why Traudt already has 19 offers as a junior.  The Illini would be getting a guy who can do it all.

The two biggest traits that jumped out to me were Traudt’s length and athleticism.  It’s not often you see 6-foot-8 players making athletic moves to the basket as often as Traudt.  One notable play on his tape includes him bringing the ball up the court while dribbling between his legs, making his defender fall with a spin move, and finishing with a successfully contested lay-up.

Traudt also uses his length to make strong finishes under the basket, whether it’s an alley-oop dunk, a standing dunk, or a lay-up.  The four-star forward is also dangerous from the perimeter, as he’s seen hitting multiple three-pointers on his film.

Traudt would likely see many minutes at both the No. 3 spot as a wing, and the No. 4 spot with his length in Underwood’s offense.  He would make an immediate impact at either position.

Underwood would be getting a huge gift in Traudt, as he possesses the potential to start for any team in the Big Ten.