Illinois Basketball: Illini gets return commitment from crucial piece

Illinois basketball fans get to load up into the car and take the highway into the Dainja Zone one more season.

While the Illini didn’t finish the 2022-23 campaign in an upbeat fashion, the offseason has started with a bang. Even though the transfer portal is a hot topic right now, Illinois fans don’t have to worry about our big man hitting the road anytime soon.

On Monday afternoon, Illini center Dain Dainja took to Twitter to announce that he isn’t going anywhere. He is returning for what would be his junior campaign in Champaign.

Illinois basketball is getting a developing center back in Dain Dainja

As a four-star recruit, Dainja would commit to the Baylor Bears in the class of 2020. Just three games into his freshman season, the big man decided to transfer out of the program.

Dainja would end up landing with the Illini midway through that campaign. He wouldn’t suit up for the Orange and Blue until this past season, though.

With the Illini, Dainja had some good and bad moments in year one. He would end up averaging 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per contest. He also shot 63.6% from the field.

I know some people have concerns about Dainja’s game, but I am encouraged by what I saw out of him in his first full season of college basketball. His touch around the hoop is some of the best I have seen in decades. He is also a capable rebounder and shot-blocker.

Just think, Brad Underwood was able to develop Kofi Cockburn into an All-American center. I think he can do the same or similar with Dainja. He isn’t that far away from being a first-team All-Big Ten player right now.

Illinois is now getting back their big man for the 2023-24 campaign. If Dainja works on his free throws and gets a little more aware in the paint, then I think we could have a really special player on our hands. The future is bright.