Illinois Basketball: 5-star recruit officially signs with the Illini

After a nice start to the 2023-24 campaign, the women’s Illinois basketball team is locking in a talented class of 2024.

The Illini ended up winning 22 games last season in the first year under Shauna Green. This was a surprising result and one that gives a lot of Illinois basketball fans hope the future is going to be even brighter.

Most of the talent from last season returned in 2023-24. At least 82% of the production in all statistical categories is back with the program, and that should bode well for this season. But what about the future? Well, Green and her coaching staff are already thinking about that.

On Wednesday morning, Illinois was able to sign the best recruit this program has ever seen. 6-foot-1 wing Berry Wallace put pen to paper and made her commitment to the Illini official. This isn’t just a solid recruit, though.

Wallace committed to Illinois back in May. This commitment was huge because Wallace is a five-star recruit who is ranked as the No. 20 player in the class of 2024.

Something special is happening with the Illinois basketball team under Shauna Green

On the surface, the fact Green could come into the Illinois program and win is incredible. She took over a team that in the prior seven years had only won 12 total Big Ten games. In her first season alone, the Illini won 11 Big Ten contests.

Green managed to do this with a few new pieces in the transfer portal. Most of the talent on the roster was already with the team. She hasn’t even had a full recruiting class under her belt yet.

There are going to be some holes to fill after this season, though. Illinois is losing a ton of talent including stars like Genesis Bryant, Makira Cook, and Kendall Bostic. It has to be a tall task to replace these players, but Green is meeting the challenge.

Landing Wallace is massive for this program. It is one thing to win like she did immediately, but it is another thing to attract big-time recruits to come to the program so we can sustain the winning. That is what Green is doing.

Illinois has players like Brynn Shoup-Hill and Adalia McKenzie coming back in 2024-25. I love what I have seen from freshman Gretchen Dolan as well. When you add a five-star like Wallace to the mix, there is no telling how good this team can be. And, not to mention, we have already seen what Green can do in the transfer portal.

Honestly, there is no limit for this team. I truly believe Green can make us not just a Big Ten contender in the next few years, but I think we can be a Final Four or National Championship contender. There is no hyperbole in that statement either.

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