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Illinois Basketball: Illini one step closer to landing Brandin Podziemski

By Rees Woodcock

Jan 30, 2020; Champaign, Illinois, USA; A general scene of the I flag and cheerleaders prior to the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2020; Champaign, Illinois, USA; A general scene of the I flag and cheerleaders prior to the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois basketball is looking to build for the future, and landing someone like Brandin Podziemski would help this cause.

Scoring has been an issue for the Illini as of late, so next season there is a huge need for someone to come in and put up points. There should be plenty of room for a freshman to make an impact as well. Podziemski could be the impact player Illinois is looking for.

On Thursday afternoon, Podziemski decided to narrow the scope of his recruitment. While he had at least 15 scholarship offers to his name, the star wing player decided to cut his list down to just five programs. The five teams to make his top five include Kentucky, Miami (FL), Vanderbilt, Wake Forest and Illinois.


This is a big top five for Illinois to make. Podziemski is one of the best players still available for 2021. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 72 player in the class of 2021 and the No. 16 shooting guard in the nation. He is also the No. 3 player coming out of Wisconsin.

What are Illinois’ chances of landing Podziemski?

Over the past four months or so, I have seen a ton of comparisons of Podziemski to Tyler Herro of the Miami Heat. Podziemski played AAU ball for Team Herro as well. Herro played for Kentucky, so I believe there is a connection there.

I also think Illinois is right in the running for the talented shooter, though. The Illini coaching staff has been on Podziemski for quite some time. They recently had a virtual visit with the Wisconsin native back on January 3.

Illinois is also losing a lot of talent after this season. There is going to be plenty of room when Ayo Dosunmu departs for the NBA and Trent Frazier and Da’Monte Williams graduate. That leaves playing time and scholarships available for Podziemski.

Next. 4 observations from the Illini loss to Michigan State. dark

Do I think Illinois has a shot here? Of course, I think they are one of the top two teams for Podziemski. They are competing with the Wildcats, though. We know how that goes sometimes. I would venture to say Kentucky is 1-A and Illinois is 1-B right now. Let’s keep an eye on this recruitment.

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