Illinois Basketball: 3 most impactful Illini players for 2021-22

This Illinois basketball team is looking good as the 2021-22 season is just hours away.

Last year, Brad Underwood had his best season with the Illini going 24-7. Illinois also won the Big Ten Tournament and reached the Round of 32 in the NCAA tournament.

But, of course, last year’s team looked different. Ayo Dosunmu, Giorgi Bezhanishvili, and Adam Miller all departed the program. Both Dosunmu and Bezhanishvili went pro and Miller transferred to LSU.

Losing those three players hurts, but Illinois still has a good team. Underwood and his new coaching staff went out and filled the holes on the roster.

Omar Payne and Alfonso Plummer joined the team via the transfer portal. Luke Goode, Brandin Podziemski, and RJ Melendez were added to the squad as freshmen. Illinois also kept some key players such as Kofi Cockburn, Andre Curbelo, Trent Frazier, and Da’Monte Williams.

After having such a good season last year, expectations are even higher this season.

Here are the three most impactful Illinois basketball players for 2021-22.

3. Trent Frazier

Trent Frazier has spent four years wearing an Illinois basketball uniform. We’ve seen Frazier’s game change throughout those four years as he went from a player who was the primary ball-handler and scorer his freshman season to primarily being a 3-and-D player but still being a playmaker.

In his first season, Frazier averaged 12.5 points, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 steals. As a sophomore, he received more minutes and averaged 13.7 points, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Ayo Dosunmu joined the program during Frazier’s sophomore campaign, so the Florida native played more off the ball than he did the previous season.

Frazier struggled his junior year, averaging just 8.9 points, 1.9  assists, and 0.9 steals per game. His offensive production took a hit, but his defense improved. Last season, Frazier improved as he averaged 10.2 points, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. His great defensive abilities earned him a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team.

Now Frazier is in his redshirt senior year, and he will look to have more opportunities. He has taken a backseat role for the last two seasons and has mainly been a 3-and-D player. Now with Dosunmu and Miller gone, I expect him to handle the ball more even with Andre Curbelo in the backcourt with him.

I think Frazier will take a step forward and average around 13 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals per game. I also believe he will be in the conversation for defensive player of the year in the Big Ten.