Illinois Basketball: Illini showing interest in Serbian wing Stefan Todorovic

While the Illinois basketball program continues to build on the class of 2021, they also have some of their focus on building the team for 2022.

The Illini coaching staff has had somewhat of a reputation for thinking outside the box when it comes to recruiting. Giorgi Bezhanishvili comes to mind as one of these players. Plucked from Elizabeth, New Jersey but hailing from the country of Georgia, Giorgi was the No. 373 player in the class of 2018. Illinois coaches saw something in Giorgi, though. The pursuit of the talented big man paid off.

One of Illinois’ most recent targets is someone who fits the mold of the coaching staff’s mindset. On Monday, Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers.com reported that Stefan Todorovic has been drawing interest from various programs but one of the high-major teams to look at the kid is Illinois and head coach Brad Underwood.

Todorovic, a 6-foot-8, 190-pound small forward, hails from Serbia but transferred into the high school powerhouse, Prolific Prep, for his final two years of high school basketball

It is extremely smart for Underwood and the Illinois coaching staff to get in early on Todorovic. When you watch what he can do on the court, you will instantly see that this kid is going to be a pretty good player.

A smooth buttery feel to his game, Todorovic will become a fan-favorite wherever he ends up. The ability to shoot from the outside at his size makes him an extremely dangerous player. While Todorovic has the outside shot nailed down, his ability to get into the paint and score from various positions is also impressive. A long-distance shot of Luke Doncic and the fadeaway of Dirk Nowitzki makes Todorovic the complete package.

Let’s not discount the vision and passing ability from the young Serbian either. Todorovic draws so much attention on the court where his passing has become a crucial part of his game. Prolific Prep already has an embarrassment of riches, so bringing someone like Todorovic into the mix will just add to it.

As I mentioned earlier, Illinois getting in on Todorovic’s recruitment now is a good idea. The Illini also have a connection to Prolific Prep. This is the program where Underwood was able to snag 2020 big man Coleman Hawkins from this past year.

Hopefully, Illinois can continue a strong relationship with Todorovic moving forward. He is going to be a really good player at the college level and might even develop into a top pick in the NBA Draft.