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Illinois Basketball: 2023’s Jalen Hooks enjoys Illini unofficial visit

By Zain Bando

CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 06: General view of Illinois Fighting Illini basketballs seen before the game against the IUPUI Jaguars at State Farm Center on December 6, 2016 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 06: General view of Illinois Fighting Illini basketballs seen before the game against the IUPUI Jaguars at State Farm Center on December 6, 2016 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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A key 2023 priority recruit was in Champaign on Monday and liked what he saw from the Illinois basketball program and coaching staff during his visit.

Jalen Hooks, a four-star 2023 recruit, was in Champaign to visit campus on Monday. After a year of uncertainty with the Coronavirus pandemic and with prospects unable to visit schools, there is a sense of normalcy around college athletics returning to a pre-COVID state.

The 6-foot-6, 180-pound small forward and No. 2 player in Indiana took to Twitter to express his excitement about Illinois being in the running as a potential future college choice in the coming years. Including the Illini, Hooks has interest from DePaul, Georgia, and LSU, to name a few.


Hooks attends Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is quickly becoming a high-profile prospect for his age group.

“How we feel [about] Illinois,” Hook wrote on Twitter. “Great unofficial visit.”

Hooks was originally offered by the Illini just before the New Year began, which is when his recruitment really started to take shape.

Unlike other states, Indiana forged ahead and played the 2020-21 high school basketball season as originally scheduled. This proved to pay dividends for the Tigers, as they finished 18-7 overall.

Unfortunately, the season would end in the second round of the postseason, falling to North Central, 72-59. However, the Tigers found success throughout the regular season, as the team started off 6-0, dominating nearly every game during that stretch.

What would a Jalen Hooks commitment mean for Illinois basketball?

A Hooks’ signing would be a homerun for head coach Brad Underwood and company. Since Underwood’s arrival in 2017, he has stressed the idea of getting the best talent possible regardless of the state. Thankfully for Underwood, he has made Midwest recruiting a priority, with names like Ayo Dosunmu and Adam Miller coming through the program.

Check out a mixtape featuring Hooks and other recruits from the 2020 AAU season below.

Next. Illini recruiting big board for 2022 as of June 14. dark

Let’s see if the Illini can reign in a critical future prospect that will only look to get better with more experience.

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