Illinois Basketball: 2022-23 preview of Illini guard RJ Melendez

There are so many players on the Illinois basketball team who have an extremely high ceiling.

Brad Underwood has been able to secure the commitment of some of the most talented players in the country. Ayo Dosunmu was the first NBA talent Underwood recruited and developed, and it won’t be his last with the Illini.

A current Illinois player who has NBA potential is RJ Melendez. He has NBA scouts eyeing him, and there are already NBA mock drafts that have Melendez going in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft. This should be a pretty big season for the talented Puerto Rico native.

Here is the 2022-23 preview of Illinois basketball guard RJ Melendez.

Past Development

Melendez was the highest-rated recruit coming out of the class of 2021 for the Illini, and he showed why nearly every team in the country wanted him in year one.

Much like Luke Goode, Melendez’s numbers aren’t incredible by any means. He only averaged 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds per contest as a true freshman. But, if you watched the Illini last season, you will know that this kid has all of the potential in the world.

The ability for Melendez to hit shots from anywhere on the court was exciting. He was hitting his three-point shots at a clip of 60%. He would also have some big games down the stretch. Melendez put up nine points, three assists, and two rebounds against Houston in the NCAA tournament. He would also have games against Northwestern and Rutgers where he would put up 14 points and 10 points, respectively.

Present Impact

This is the season for Melendez. I think we are going to see him break out of his shell and show the world his true talent.

Melendez is going to be a starter for Illinois at the No. 3 spot this season. He was one of the best players in the exhibition game against Quincy as well. He would finish that game with 15 points, four rebounds, and one block while going 6-of-10 from the field.

I think there are a few players who could step up and claim Illinois as their team. Melendez is one of those potential leaders. He is poised to have a huge year. I am honestly expecting Melendez to average north of 20 minutes in each game and put up something like 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 60% or better from the floor and 40% or better from three-point range. The sky is the limit.