Illinois Basketball: Morez Johnson lands in top 50 in new Rivals rankings

The Illinois basketball coaching staff is always looking to build for the future, and that is why keeping an eye on the class of 2024 is important.

The Illini have actually already landed a talented recruit for 2024. Morez Johnson pledged his commitment to the Orange and Blue back on November 5, 2021. He is a talented kid out of St. Rita High School in Chicago.

In the new Rivals top 70 rankings for 2024, the 6-foot-8, 209-pound power forward checks in as the No. 43 player in his class. Johnson wasn’t ranked before Rivals expanded to 70 players in the class, so this is a big jump for him.

Illinois basketball is also eyeing other top recruits for the 2024 class.

So, as of right now, the Illini have a top 50 recruit already committed for 2024. There are a few other talented recruits who the Orange and Blue are eyeing as well.

Johnson’s teammate, James Brown, is a big target for the Illini right now. Rivals has Brown ranked as the No. 19 player in the class of 2024. The 6-foot-8, 210-pound center is going to be wanted by every team in the country. It would be nice to have these two teammates team up at the college level in Champaign.

Those are two of the biggest recruits for the Illini in 2024, but there are a handful of other players who Illinois is recruiting hard as well.

Tre Johnson out of Dallas, Texas is someone to keep an eye on. He is the No. 2 player in the Rivals rankings.  Trentyn Flowers (No. 9), Liam McNeeley (No. 11), Johnuel Fland (No. 12), Jahki Howard (No. 13), David Castillo (No. 14), Jamari Phillips (No. 17), Jason Asemota (No. 25), RJ Jones (No. 27), Dallas Thomas (No. 28), Asa Newell (No. 33), Jon Bol (No. 34), Malachi Palmer (No. 35), and Curtis Givens (No. 60) round out the players Illinois has offered in the top 70.

So, there are plenty of options available for the Illini. We already have a top 50 recruit commitment. Let’s make the 2024 class one of the best this program has ever seen.