Illinois basketball is so close to being back in Champaign, and after making it to the Final Four last season, the expectations are higher than ever. With a lot of retention from last year's roster and an elite incoming freshman class, the Illini are strong contenders to win it all, and Andrej Stojakovic believes that the freshmen class will play a big role in helping the Illini get there.
This freshmen class is littered with talent, led by five-star freshman Quentin Coleman, who is expected to step right into Keaton Wagler's spot from last season and make an immediate impact. Coleman isn't the only freshman, though, who will be able to make an impact, as Stojakovic believes the Illini will have great depth thanks to this class.
"Quentin has been great, Lincoln Williams has been great, Landon Davis, Ethan Brown - like, honestly, I have great things to say about all of them," Stojakovic said. "They've all made jumps that we believe can help this team, and we have a lot of depth this year."
#Illini Andrej Stojakovic on the Illinois freshman class:
— Tristan Thomas (@TristanThomasTV) October 3, 2026
"I have great things to say about all of them."
"They've all made jumps that we believe can help this team... we have a lot of depth." pic.twitter.com/p15e5yWuGf
Brad Underwood's recruiting efforts have paid off at Illinois
Illinois may not have the best freshmen class in the country coming into the 2026-2027 season after it was ranked No. 27 in 247Sports' 2026 recruiting rankings. However, that doesn't mean Underwood doesn't have an eye for talent, and that was proven when Wagler ended up being a star for the Illini after coming in as a three-star recruit out of Kansas City.
Now with six new freshmen coming in this season, and with Coleman already projected to be a starter, the other five have a chance to step up. Stojakovic named a lot of freshmen, including three-star Lincoln Williams to three-star Ethan Brown, and three-star Landon Davis. He didn't even mention four-stars Lucas Morillo and Zavier Zens, who will help add to the depth for the Illini.
Even though Underwood didn't lose a ton of players last season to the NBA or the transfer portal, having a lot of depth will help build the future of this basketball program. The vets who stuck around, like Stojakovic, David Mirkovic, and Tomislav Ivisic, will dominate on the floor for the Illini, but Underwood has good talent on the bench to come in, get experience, and give those guys a breather.
Illinois is going to lose a lot of talent after this upcoming season, so Underwood needs to know the future of the program is in good hands. These freshmen have a great opportunity to get quality minutes as the main depth for this team. Stojakovic talked about them making bigger jumps than expected in the offseason, which has to be good news for this team.
Illinois has its best chance at a National Championship this upcoming season, even after losing Wagler to the NBA in the offseason. It will be a good mix of vets and new blood for the Illini this season, which will hopefully get Illinois back to the NCAA Tournament and into the big game for the first time in program history.
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