Illinois Basketball: Projected lineup if Jordan Nesbitt picks Illini

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CHAMPAIGN , IL – NOVEMBER 13: The Illinois Fighting Illini logo on the floor before a college basketball game against the Georgetown Hoyas at the State Farm Center on November 13, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

No. 4 Guard/Forward

Starter: Jacob Grandison

The No. 2 spot for the Illinois basketball team is kind of up in the air, in my opinion. This spot could completely change if we end up adding a big man from the class of 2021. But, if we don’t, then I would have Jacob Grandison starting at the No. 4 spot for the Illini during the 2021-22 campaign.

Grandison, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound forward, entered the Illinois program last year but had to sit out due to NCAA transfer rules. The former Holy Cross star averaged 13.9 points, 5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game as a sophomore and looks to bring those numbers to Champaign. I would love to see development and meshing from Grandison this season. Let’s get him into the flow of the game. By his senior year, he should be ready to take over a starting role at the No. 4 spot. His athletic ability is exciting, and his court vision is extremely underrated.

Backup: Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk

I would imagine some Illinois fans would have Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk as the starting No. 4 for the Illini, but I have him right behind Grandison as the primary backup. The only reason Verdonk isn’t getting more love is the fact we haven’t seen him much at the college level.

Verdonk, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward, has an amazingly strong body and will be able to hold his own in the Big Ten. But we only got to see the athletic forward for nine games as a true freshman, and then he took a redshirt. Getting him more acclimated to the college game and more integrated into the Illinois lineup is going to be important this season. This will help him as a primary backup in 2021-22.

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