Illinois Basketball: Illini crack top 9 for Bryce Hopkins

Head coach Brad Underwood and the Illinois basketball team received good news this past weekend.

Big-time Illini target Bryce Hopkins announced his top nine list of schools via Twitter, which included Kentucky, Iowa State, Texas, Michigan, Providence, Oregon, California, Indiana, and the Fighting Illini.

Hopkins is a 6-foot-7, 220-pound power forward out of Fenwick High School, located in Oak Park, Illinois.  Recruiting sites 247Sports and Rivals both have him rated as a four-star recruit.  247Sports ranks him as the No. 33 overall recruit nationally, and the No. 2 overall recruit in the state of Illinois for the class of 2021.

The 6-foot-7 forward has also been compared to Georges Niang and is projected a power-five starter by Evan Daniels of 247Sports.

What would Hopkins bring to the table?

Hopkins’ film show that he is a versatile forward.  He is listed as a power forward but has shown he can also play along the perimeter as a wing.  Hopkins’ versatility would be a huge gift for Underwood’s Illini team both offensively and defensively.

To have a 6-foot-7, 220-pound big man on the court who can play both in the paint and along the perimeter would give Underwood plenty of options and flexibility with his lineups. Hopkins’ film also indicates he can score from anywhere on the court.  He is a dangerous shooter who can hit from both mid-range and beyond the arc.

Additionally, the Illinois native can dominate in the paint both offensively and defensively.  Hopkins hauls in rebounds on both ends of the floor, blocks shots, and uses his strength to score on contested finishes down low.

Ultimately, the Fighting Illini would be getting a player who could potentially dominate at any level of the game, whether it’s in the paint or along the perimeter.

The Illini coaching staff (and players) have some recruiting work to do, however, as all six of Hopkins’ Crystal Ball predictions have him going to Kentucky.  Although, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from watching this Illini team recently, it is to never count them out.