The class of 2021 is full of talented players, many of whom the Illinois basketball program has pursued at one time or another.
The last 48 hours or so have been rough for Illinois recruiting, as we have lost out on a couple of recruits and are projected to miss out on another big name. But that hasn’t stopped this Illini coaching staff, led by Brad Underwood, from pushing forward.
On Monday night, Illinois started targeting Wesley Cardet Jr., a new name to many basketball fans. Cardet wasn’t on the radar until recently when he piqued the interest of the Illini coaching staff.
Blessed to receive an offer from @IlliniMBB 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/cmYqphcOFj
— Wesley Cardet Jr (@WesleyCardetOne) September 1, 2020
Cardet, listed at 6-foot-6, 175-pounds, does not have your typical guard size. He has the build more for the No. 3 spot, but he told the Writing Illini that one of his goals is to enter the college ranks with a program that puts him in the backcourt.
The talented guard continued on to tell the Writing Illini a little more about what he wants in a program.
“Right fit, right coach and right system. I am 6-foot-6 but I play the guard position. Someone who isn’t going to play me at the No. 3 or No. 4. A fast-paced system. A team that has guys who are tough and like to make winning plays.”
Cardet sees himself as an impact player early on as well.
“Truthfully, I want to play for a coach who is going to give me a fair opportunity to contribute as a freshman.”
The vision is pretty clear for Cardet and what he wants in a college program. It wouldn’t shock me to see him play right away either. 247Sports lists the talented guard as a four-star recruit who is the No. 49 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 5 combo-guard in the nation. Someone with that type of talent has a solid chance to see early playing time.
Illinois has plenty of room on the roster for a player of Cardet’s caliber too. The No. 1 guard spot will most likely have some depth issues with Andre Curbelo the only projected player at that position currently on the roster for 2021. Cardet also has some ties to a former Illini player.
“I was happy when I got the news. Illinois is a good school and Andre Feliz played on my AAU team, Team Breakdown.”
The Illini still have a long way to go to land someone like Cardet. He mentioned to the Writing Illini that the coaching staff was going to call him on Tuesday, September 1. As of yesterday, they had only talked to his dad and high school coach.
Another worry that came to mind was how late Illinois entered Cardet’s recruitment. It might be hard to land a kid in the top 100 this late in the game. But Cardet put those worries to bed.
“I want to get more of a detailed look at schools before I make a decision. I haven’t cut my list yet. I may cut it to 10 in November. I am going to sign late, in April 2021.”
The saving grace for Illinois is that they now have some time to build that solid bond between the coaching staff, program and Cardet. Illini fans also know what Cardet wants in a program, but what would he bring to the table if he does end up in Champaign?
“The program would be getting a lead guard who can score and pass but loves to defend. I bring good energy to practice and games, and I am the ultimate competitor. I will be one of the hardest workers on the team, which is probably my biggest weakness. I overwork and don’t listen to my body. I think I am the best two-way player in the 2021 class. I worked extremely hard to get to this point, so I think the average fan will applaud the hard work.”
It sounds like Cardet has the mentality of a killer at the next level. He is going to bring a lot of big, bold, energy to whatever program he chooses. Personally, I can’t wait to see this kid develop in college. I just hope it is with the Orange and Blue.