Illinois Basketball: Illini transfer portal target withdraws name from 2022 NBA Draft

Head coach Brad Underwood and the Illinois basketball team just got one step closer to landing one of the biggest names in the NCAA transfer portal.

Matthew Mayer, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound power forward from Baylor, withdrew his name from the 2022 NBA Draft on Saturday, keeping the Illini’s hopes to land him very much alive.

Since entering the transfer portal, Mayer has heard from the likes of Alabama, Arkansas, Memphis, North Carolina, USC, Texas Tech, and Illinois so far.

Mayer was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, and he was ranked the No. 93 overall prospect in the nation by 247Sports. He was also the No. 20 small forward in the nation and the No. 4 player coming out of Texas.

The Texas native averaged 9.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game last season. He also shot 40.9% from the field and 32.4% from three-point range.

Transfer portal target Matthew Mayer would have a big impact on the Illinois basketball roster.

Following the departures of big men Kofi Cockburn, Omar Payne, and Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk, landing Mayer would fill that void in the paint.  Coleman Hawkins (6-foot-10), Brandon Lieb (7-foot), and Dain Dainja (6-foot-9) are the current bigs on the Illini roster.

Mayer would be an immediate starter alongside Hawkins in the paint. This would give the Illini a monstrous and versatile post presence given that both players can shoot the three-point shot, post up, and play along the perimeter.  The two combine for a career average of 31.4% from three-point range.

The 2022-23 starting lineup would likely be:

1. Skyy Clark, Fr.
2. R.J. Melendez, So.
3. Terrence Shannon Jr., Sr.
4. Matthew Mayer, Sr.
5. Coleman Hawkins, Jr.

If the coaching staff is able to seal the deal, Mayer would be the fifth addition to the Illini’s class of 2022, which ranks seventh in the country.