Illinois Basketball: 5 options for the Illini in the transfer portal 2.0

The offseason is in full swing right now, and the Illinois basketball team is in the middle of the transfer portal talks.

As of right now, the Illini are 1-1 in the transfer portal. We had Andre Curbelo depart the program on Monday, but let’s not forget that Dain Dainja transferred in this past season. He should be good to go for the 2022-23 campaign.

With that being said, the transfer portal seems to change by the minute. There are so many options out there, and Illinois is contacting quite a few of the players who enter the portal. That means the options for the Illini continue to change frequently.

Here are five options for the Illinois basketball team in the transfer portal 2.0.

1. Jeremiah Williams

At this point in the game, Illinois basketball needs a point guard. The Illini aren’t being reported as having contacted a lot of No. 1 guard options in the transfer portal, but one option that is out there is Jeremiah Williams.

Coming out of Simeon High School in Chicago, Illinois, Williams was rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 92 small forward in the nation and the No. 9 player coming out of Illinois.

Williams picked Temple as his landing spot and spent two seasons with the Owls. He would quickly turn into a ball distributor in year one, as Williams averaged 9.3 points, 4.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.

By year two, Williams’ numbers were staying strong. He would average 9.5 points, 4.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game. With three years of eligibility remaining, Williams is now looking for a new home.

I think Williams would be a great transfer option for the Illini. With Andre Curbelo departing, Illinois is going to need another option at the No. 1 guard spot. I think having Williams come into the program would be great. He would compete with incoming freshman Jayden Epps for the starting point guard job. The more competition, the better the team will be in the future.