Illinois Basketball: 3 options for the Illini to replace Andre Curbelo

Option 3 – Transfer Portal

Illinois has a few options on the table still for this offseason now that Andre Curbelo has departed. I went over the worst and best-case scenarios. But there is also another scenario where Illinois can improve their team.

Let’s say Illinois doesn’t land Skyy Clark. That would hurt, but there is always the chance we can pull in a talented player from the transfer portal. That is an option that is currently on the table right now.

One of the main players I am looking at from the transfer portal is Jeremiah Williams. Coming out of Simeon High School up in Chicago, Williams was a three-star recruit and the No. 9 player from the state of Illinois. The Illini didn’t recruit him the first time around, so he ended up picking Temple as his landing spot.

As a true freshman, Williams performed well for the Owls. He finished the season averaging 9.3 points, 4.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game. He also shot 43.4% from the field. Last season, the numbers stayed strong as Williams averaged 9.6 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 41.7% from the field.

It would be nice to get a Simeon player back into the Illinois program. I believe Kendrick Nunn was the last Simeon player to suit up for the Illini. Williams would also bring stability to the backcourt. I believe I would still have Jayden Epps starting as a freshman, but having a third-year sophomore come into the program would give me some peace of mind.

This isn’t the optimal option but it is one that would help Illinois win games. We need more depth.