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Illinois Basketball: My dream class of 2021 for the Illini

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 11: Illinois Fighting Illini flag flies during the game against the Norfolk State Spartans at Assembly Hall on December 11, 2012 in Champaign, Illinois. Illinois won 64-54. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 11: Illinois Fighting Illini flag flies during the game against the Norfolk State Spartans at Assembly Hall on December 11, 2012 in Champaign, Illinois. Illinois won 64-54. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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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) /

Mac Etienne – Official and Virtual Visit

The departure of Kofi Cockburn is inevitable and will likely happen sooner rather than later. As an Illinois basketball fan, I feel lucky he didn’t leave after his freshman campaign.

I peg Kofi’s sophomore season as his last, though. The big man will probably be gone because the NBA will be calling. That leaves Illinois with a huge question mark at the No. 5 position. The player to fill in for Kofi needs to be Mac Etienne.

Etienne, a 6-foot-10, 220-pound center from Brewster Academy, is rated as a four-star recruit who is the No. 44 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 7 center in the nation. He is also the best player to come out of New Hampshire.

I cannot stress to you enough how important it is for Illinois to land Etienne for the class of 2021. I love the players we have on the team right now, but Etienne would be an instant upgrade at the center position. He would bring a talent and skillset to the program that we don’t have currently behind Kofi at the No. 5 spot.

Getting Etienne to Champaign is the tough part. Illinois is clearly one of his top choices, if not the top choice, right now. Etienne took his lone official visit back in March to Illinois, right before everything got shut down.

Since that official visit, Etienne has done multiple Zoom calls with the Illinois coaching staff. On May 19, the Illini were able to connect with the big man on one of those calls. The most recent call was just this past Thursday, September 24, when Brad Underwood talked with Etienne via Zoom.

While Etienne has had other Zoom calls during this time, Illinois seems to be the most consistent team to connect with him. With the great relationship the Illini have built mixed in with the immediate need of a big man like Etienne, this would seem like an obvious marriage made in heaven.

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