It looks like the Illinois basketball coaching staff is putting the full-court press on one of the biggest big men available.
Just a few weeks ago, there were reports starting to swirl that Illinois was going to get a virtual meeting with the now-available center, Enoch Boakye. Those rumors are now starting to get some teeth as Jake Weingarten of Stockrisers is reporting that Brad Underwood will have a second virtual meeting with Boakye next week, after the Big Ten Tournament.
This is some big news for Illini Nation, as Boakye is one of the biggest talents still left on the board for 2022. He is a five-star recruit who is the No. 20 player in the class of 2022 and the No. 4 center in the nation. He is also the best player coming out of Ontario.
Despite reports, Illinois’ Brad Underwood will virtually meet with five-star junior Enoch Boakye NEXT week and NOT this week, a source told @Stockrisers.
— Jake (@jakeweingarten) March 11, 2021
The Illini are preparing for the Big Ten tournament. Any report of a zoom call occurring this week are incorrect.
The 6-foot-10, 240-pound center was once committed to Michigan State. After being committed to the Spartans for about six months, he decided to reopen his recruitment and look at other options. Now the playing field is wide open, and Illinois is looking to pounce.
What would Boakye bring to the Illinois basketball program?
First off, let’s get this kid to Champaign. Nailing this virtual visit should be priority No. 1 when it comes to recruiting.
Beyond actually landing Boakye, I believe his presence on the roster is completely necessary. Illinois needs a big to start in 2022, and Boakye would be perfect. By 2022, the Illini will have the No. 5 spot wide open. The best option would be Coleman Hawkins, but I believe he is more of a No. 4.
There is also the chance Boakye has his grades on-point and can reclassify for the class of 2021. That would be even better for Illinois. I believe Kofi Cockburn is gone after this season, so we need a No. 5 to step into the starting job in 2021-22. If Boakye picked the Illini, he would start from day one.
Illinois still has a long way to go to land Boakye. Getting a foot in the door is something that needs to happen first. I think we have a lot going for us, though. Being a good team helps a lot. Having Kofi develop as a center helps a lot. If we do end up landing Boakye, I would imagine those two things will be huge factors in the decision.