
3. Keion Brooks
The top of the transfer portal is starting to shake out, but a name that sparks my interest is Keion Brooks. He is a player who could help the Illini in the frontcourt next season.
Brooks was originally a five-star recruit who was the No. 14 player in the class of 2019. The Fort Wayne, Indiana native attended North Side High School but finished his career with prep powerhouse La Lumiere School.
Like every five-star recruit, every program in the country wanted Brooks. He took official visits to Indiana, North Carolina, UCLA, and Kentucky. Brooks would eventually choose the Wildcats as his landing spot, though.
In three seasons with Kentucky, Brooks’ game has been solid. This past season, he averaged 10.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He has now entered his name into the transfer portal and NBA Draft. Brooks has also been invited to the NBA G-League Camp.
I could see Brooks staying in the NBA Draft and eventually landing in the G-League. This might be best for his development, but if he does come back, Illinois should pursue this kid heavily.
Underwood has done a good job recruiting the state of Indiana and was even able to land Luke Goode from Fort Wayne. We have that connection already established, so having two Fort Wayne kids wouldn’t be a bad idea. Do I think Brooks would be a long shot? Sure, but with the recruiting ability of Underwood, anything is possible.