Illinois Basketball: 4 observations from the Illini win over Arkansas State

4. Bosmans-Verdonk is going to be a staple

I have supported Illinois basketball for as long as I can remember. This program has had some special players throughout time, but I can honestly say that I have never been as surprised by the emergence of a player more than Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk

This is the third season for Bosmans-Verdonk. In the first two years, he dealt with some foot injuries, but even when he was healthy, he didn’t see much playing time.

In his first season with the Illini, Bosmans-Verdonk averaged 1.2 points and 0.7 rebounds per game. In year two, he averaged 0.3 points per game. There was no reason for me to believe that he was going to be anything more than a deep reserve on the bench.

Boy howdy was I wrong. Brad Underwood came into the 2021-22 campaign with a plan on how to use Bosmans-Verdonk, and he is executing that plan to perfection.

Through just two games, Bosmans-Verdonk is averaging 6.5 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. His physical size has been huge for the Illini. When you mix the size and athletic ability together, you get a player who can pull down 10 rebounds per game.

I am pretty confident, even when Kofi Cockburn returns, that Bosmans-Verdonk is going to be a staple in this Illinois lineup for the rest of the season. If nothing else, he has earned his playing time. If he can just be a little smarter about some of his fouls, then there is no telling how good Bosmans-Verdonk could be for this program.