Illinois basketball hasn’t closed up the class of 2022 just yet, but the class of 2023 is going to be just as important.
There is a tremendous amount of talent coming from the 2023 class. The Illini should be in the mix for a lot of talented recruits considering some are from the state of Illinois. Winning in-state recruiting battles will be key to the future of the Illinois basketball team.
I have a few talented recruits I am eyeing. Here are the 5 recruits the Illinois basketball team should target for the class of 2023.
1. JJ Taylor – Chicago, Illinois
I think the obvious No. 1 target for the Illini is forward JJ Taylor. The talented Chicago, Illinois native is one of the best players in the country and is wanted by every team imaginable.
Taylor is a 6-foot-8, 185-pound small forward from Kenwood Academy and resides in Chicago, Illinois. He is rated as a five-star recruit and ranked as the No. 3 player in the class of 2023. He is also the best small forward in the country and the best player coming out of the state of Illinois.
Every recruitment is in the early stages right now, but Taylor is going to have a pick of any team in the country. He has roughly 15 scholarship offers right now with all of the blue bloods already eyeing him.
The most recent offer to Taylor came from the new coaching staff at North Carolina. The Tar Heels joined the rest of the big group in wanting Taylor to help improve their program.
Taylor would be the highest-rated recruit in the history of the Illinois basketball program if he decided to come to Champaign. I think the Illini might have a chance at Taylor as well. He suits up for the Mac Irvin Fire AAU program, and Illinois has a strong connection with them. Players like Ayo Dosunmu, Adam Miller and Da’Monte Williams have all come out of that AAU powerhouse.
It will be tough to land Taylor, but he has to be the top priority for 2023 right now. Taylor is a game-changer and someone who can continue making the Illini a national contender.
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