Illinois Basketball: Projected Illini lineup entering 2023-24 exhibition games

No. 5 Center/Forward

Starter: Dain Dainja (JR)

Coming into the exhibition season, I have Dain Dainja starting at the No. 5 spot. He ended the 2022-23 campaign in this role, and there is no reason to believe Brad Underwood will do too much to change that anytime soon.

I would say Dainja’s first season with the Illini was a success. He averaged 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. The athletic ability and touch around the hoop were phenomenal. I think those are great foundational pieces for development. Dainja does need to do some serious work on his free throw shooting, though. Hitting 52.5% from the charity stripe is unacceptable. I also believe his footwork needs a little help. He is caught flatfooted at times.

Backup: Amani Hansberry (FR)

The final piece to the puzzle for the Illini is Amani Hansberry. Entering the exhibition season, I see the true freshman being the primary backup at the No. 5 spot.

Hansberry comes into the program as a top 60 recruit in the country, and he has shown a ton of promise already. During the trip to Spain, Hansberry looked like one of the best players on the team. He can score and rebound extremely well. By midseason, it wouldn’t shock me to see Hansberry pushing for the starting center job. That is how good I think this kid could end up being for the Orange and Blue.