Illinois Basketball: Projected Illini lineup after the Jayden Epps departure

No. 2 Guard

Starter: Luke Goode (JR)

I don’t think the departure of Jayden Epps is going to affect the No. 2 guard spot too much. I still have Luke Goode coming into the season and starting in this role.

I can’t help but think what last season could have been if Goode was healthy throughout the year. Illinois probably would have won more games. This would have given us a better seeding in the NCAA tournament. We might have been able to make the Sweet 16 with better seeding. But Goode didn’t come back until midway through the year. He was instantly the best shooter on the team. Goode would finish the season shooting 42.1% from three-point range. Look for him to be starting and hitting around 40% in the upcoming season.

Backup: Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (FR)

Illinois basketball is bringing in an impactful guard who can do everything on the court for the 2023-24 campaign. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn should come into the program and get minutes right away. In fact, I have him as the primary backup at the No. 2 guard spot.

Gibbs-Lawhorn likely won’t play just one role on the team. He should be subbed in for multiple positions because of his versatility. This high riser has a ton of energy and fire in him. I can’t wait to see what Gibbs-Lawhorn can do on the court. Epps’ departure opens up so many more minutes for him as a true freshman.

Backup: Scholarship #2

I think everyone can agree that Illinois needs more shooting. This is where Brad Underwood comes into play. He needs to land a few transfer portal players this offseason. Getting a guard who can come off the bench and give the Illini 15 minutes and eight points per game is important. That is what I want out of a solid backup.