Illinois Basketball: Top Illini recruiting target talks about the program

One of the biggest recruiting targets for the Illinois basketball team has some glowing remarks about the program.

The class of 2024 is building for the Illini. We now have two commitments, both of which are in the frontcourt.

Morez Johnson is going to lead the way, as he is a top-50 recruit and is one of the best players in the country. Jason Jakstys will help balance out the roster as well. He is a big man who can stretch the floor.

Illinois’ backcourt is going to need some help in 2024, though. We don’t have a commitment yet and will be losing a talented player like Terrence Shannon Jr. after this season.

Landing a player like Mikey Lewis would be big for the program. He is a 6-foot-3, 170-pound shooting guard who currently attends Prolific Prep but is from Colorado. Lewis is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 59 player in the class of 2024. He is also the No. 12 shooting guard in the country and the No. 8 player coming out of California.

Mikey Lewis talked about Illinois basketball and what he liked about the potential of playing in Champaign

There are plenty of teams coming after Lewis, but there are only a handful who have been recruiting him the hardest. In an article by Jamie Shaw of On3.com, Lewis mentions St. Mary’s, LSU, Syracuse, San Diego State, and Illinois as the teams that have been recruiting him the hardest.

Lewis would then go on to talk about each program. He had some specific things he liked about the Illinois basketball program.

"“My relationship is really good with Coach Chester Frazier. He has become really close with me and my family. They have a tradition of winning there, and they give guards freedom to play like I like to play. I want to be a part of something like that.”"

As of right now, On3.com has St. Mary’s as the favorite to land Lewis. They actually have Illinois tied as the fourth favorite with Syracuse.

Opinion

I am a bit surprised that Illinois isn’t more favored to land Lewis. I think we have put a ton of resources into recruiting this kid, and there will be plenty of open minutes next season.

Landing Lewis would be huge for the Illini. Adding a top 60 guard to a top 50 big man in Johnson would give us one of the scariest one-two punches in the college game. I would venture to say the duo of Lewis and Johnson, and the rest of the talented roster, would make Illinois a top-15 team in the country.

This is a recruitment to watch if you are an Illinois fan. Lewis is one of the best guards in the class of 2024, and the Illini are putting on the full-court press. This is a huge battle.