Illinois Basketball: Frontcourt depth top of mind with latest Illini offer

Illinois basketball is looking to bolster their frontcourt depth with one of their recent scholarship offers.

The class of 2023 is just about finished up for the Illini. We have pulled in some great talent like Amani Hansberry and Company, but now it is time to start shifting focus more on some of the talented players from the 2024 class.

Morez Johnson Jr. is the only player committed to Illinois for the class of 2024 thus far. That will obviously change, but it is a great start for the Orange and Blue. Johnson is going to be an all-timer in Champaign.

On Monday, the Illini started to target another recruit from the class of 2024. Jason Jakstys took to social media to announce that he had received a scholarship offer from Illinois.

Jason Jakstys is a local big man who can help build the Illinois basketball frontcourt depth

Jakstys is a 6-foot-10, 185-pound power forward from Yorkville High School in Illinois. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 50 power forward in the country. He is also the No. 6 player coming out of Illinois.

The scholarship offers are starting to pile up for Jakstys. While I believe Illinois is his first power-five offer, he still has offers from teams like Illinois State, Yale, and Penn.

Opinion

Jakstys seems like one of those “you never know” type of players. He hustles all over the court, and he doesn’t stop moving. The constant movement enables him to get open, and this is something Illinois has been missing for years.

I am also intrigued by Jakstys ability to shoot the ball. He can step back and knock down a three-pointer or stay in the paint and finish at the rim. His overall basketball IQ seems pretty solid.

If I had to guess, I would say Jakstys ends up being a solid reserve who averages 5-10 minutes in each game throughout his career. He is someone who will spark the team at times. This scholarship offer piques my interest.