Illinois Basketball: Top 3 transfer portal options left for the Illini

3. No More Additions

This is a very real option regardless of who withdraws their name from the NBA Draft. Illinois has two scholarships remaining, but that doesn’t mean we have to use those scholarships for next season.

Brad Underwood has already mentioned in interviews that he doesn’t have to use those scholarships. He could leave them open for future recruits or transfers. This is something that is on his mind, so it could happen.

I would take either or both of Pete Nance and Courtney Ramey for next season. They would both be one-year players, so the scholarships open back up next season. But I also like the idea of not overloading the roster with transfers.

We have to think about the young guys on the team right now. Players like Luke Goode and RJ Melendez clearly have a ton of talent, and I want them to be around for years. I don’t want them to feel like they are going to get replaced with transfers every season.

If Illinois brings in too many microwave players, this will take away from the playing time that some of the younger guys could get. So, not adding another transfer doesn’t sound like a terrible idea. Either way, though, I will be happy. This has been a great offseason, and I expect the team to look like one of the best programs in the country by January 2023.