Illinois basketball is looking to land a big-time guard for the class of 2025.
The Illini coaching staff has done a great job recruiting since coming to Champaign. We have landed players like Ayo Dosunmu, Kofi Cockburn, Ty Rodgers, and Morez Johnson, to name a few of the stars.
That recruiting momentum has not slowed down whatsoever. Illinois continues to be top-of-mind for a lot of recruits, and that could be the case with Kaden Magwood as well.
On Wednesday, Magwood posted pictures on social media of an unofficial visit he just finished up at Illinois. The caption of the post reads, “Had a great unofficial visit to Illinois thanks @CoachUnderwood @CoachFrazierILL for having me and my family on campus!!”
Had a great unofficial visit to Illinois
— Kaden Magwood (@nonoisemade_k3) August 23, 2023
thanks @CoachUnderwood @CoachFrazierILL for having me and my family on campus!! pic.twitter.com/oGjUCIY82r
This is a big visitor for the Illini. Magwood is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound shooting guard from Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 107 player in the class of 2025. He is also the No. 27 shooting guard in the country and the No. 4 player coming out of Virginia.
Illinois isn’t the only team eyeing Magwood. The talented guard has around 10 scholarship offers on the table right now, with some of the bigger names being Penn State and Western Kentucky, to go along with the Illini.
Illinois basketball is looking to build depth in the backcourt with someone like Kaden Magwood
First off, with the transfer portal, who knows which players will be on the team in 2025-26. It is always a question mark regardless of win-loss record and success. That right there is a reason Illinois needs to build depth.
The Illinois backcourt will be kind of weak when it comes to the 2025-26 campaign as well. I think, by then, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and Niccolo Moretti will be manning the No. 1 guard spot. Ty Rodgers and Sencire Harris will both be seniors if they haven’t departed for the NBA. Those four players I mentioned don’t bring a ton of shooting to the floor, though.
Having someone like Magwood come off the bench in the first year or so would give Illinois a shot in the arm on offense. He is a big-time shooter who can help put points on the board. I would love it if the Illini can land quality depth like Magwood for 2025.