Illinois Basketball: Recruiting success unmatched in recent Illini history

Illinois basketball has had a two-year run of success that fans have been yearning for the last couple of decades.

In 2019-20, the pandemic was the only thing that could stop the Illini from getting back to the NCAA tournament for the first time in seven seasons. That same great team, plus a few key additions, returned this past season and entered the Big Dance as a No. 1 seed for only the fourth time in school history.

Brad Underwood has now spent four full seasons with the Illini, and the last two have been extremely successful on the court. But the success Underwood brings to Champaign doesn’t start when the referee throws the ball up for the opening tip-off. Success for the Illini starts off the court, in the recruiting game.

Before Underwood showed up in Champaign, the Orange and Blue had only made three NCAA tournament appearances in the prior 10 campaigns. That is a run no Illinois fan thought they would see after making the NCAA title game in 2004-05.

During this rough 10-year patch, Illinois was able to bring in some solid talent via the recruiting market. Even though the prior Illini coaches were able to bring in some talent, they were not able to do what Underwood has done in the first four seasons with the program.

What impact has Underwood made on Illinois basketball recruiting?

The final ESPN rankings for the class of 2021 were released on Thursday, and they had a couple of Illinois recruits listed in the top 100. The highest of the recruits was RJ Melendez, who checked in at No. 54 in the ESPN 100. Luke Goode was also on the list at No. 80.

Melendez cracking the top 60 has been a trend with Underwood since arriving at Illinois. In fact, he has now had a top 60 recruit in each of his first four recruiting classes.

Ayo Dosunmu arrived in 2018 as the No. 36 player in his class. In the class of 2019, Illinois was able to land Kofi Cockburn, who ranked No. 50 in the ESPN 100. Underwood was then able to bring in two top 60 players with Adam Miller, No. 30, and Andre Curbelo, No. 44, in the class of 2020. And now Melendez joins the crew of Illini recruits as the No. 54 player in the class of 2021.

So, in all four of Underwood’s recruiting classes, he has been able to bring in a top 60 player. Has this happened in recent Illinois recruiting? ESPN’s rankings only go back to 2007 but, in that time, it has not happened with the prior two coaches for the Illini.

2014 brought in Leron Black, who was the No. 44 player in this class. Jalen Coleman-Lands was in the class of 2015, and he was the No. 34 player that year. But Illinois didn’t have anyone in the top 60 in the class of 2013 or 2016. So, a two-year run of top 60 players was the best John Groce could do.

In 2009, Illinois secured a commitment from DJ Richardson, who was the No. 46 player. The following year, Jereme Richmond, No. 23, and Meyers Leonard, No. 47, were both top 60 players in the class of 2010. But the class of 2008 didn’t have a top 60 recruit and neither did 2011. So, the run ended again at two years.

So, while there are some people down on Illinois right now, just know that Underwood and his staff have done a great job of pulling in top talent. He has had four straight recruiting classes with a top 60 player, according to ESPN. That is an impressive run that will hopefully continue as long as he is at the helm.