One of the top 2022 targets for the Illinois basketball team looks to make his commitment in the coming days.
On Monday night, Illini target Isaac McKneely took to Twitter to announce that he will be making his college decision this Saturday, January 30 at 2 PM EST. This swift of a decision comes on the heels of cutting his list down to just eight teams back in November.
The eight programs to make McKneely’s top list included Kentucky, West Virginia, Purdue, Louisville, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana and Illinois. Just yesterday, four different 247Sports “experts” picked Virginia as the landing spot for the talented guard.
I will be announcing my college decision on Saturday, January 30th at 2pm EST.
— Isaac McKneely (@IsaacMcKneely) January 25, 2021
Obviously, McKneely would be a great pickup for any of the eight programs. He is a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 51 player in the class of 2022. He is also the No. 9 combo guard in the nation and the best player coming out of West Virginia.
Does Illinois have a chance with McKneely?
Do the Illini have a chance? Sure, but are they actually going to land him? Probably, not.
McKneely was pretty active in the virtual visit market late in 2020. Among the suitors then was the Illini, along with teams like Virginia. But with so much attention pointed toward the Cavaliers, I believe that is going to be the landing spot. One of his last virtual visits was with Virginia’s head coach, Tony Bennett.
But to say Illinois is completely out of it is not true either. While all signs point toward Virginia, the Illini were, I believe, the last reported virtual visit with McKneely. That last push might have helped Illinois get over the edge.
When it comes down to it, McKneely is likely heading to Virginia based on what I am seeing. Would it surprise me to see him with the Illini, though? No, it wouldn’t. He would be a great addition to the program and someone who could help Illinois go deep in the postseason.