Head coach Shauna Green hit it big with Berry Wallace two years ago, as the former five-star has quickly blossomed into a superstar for the Illinois basketball team.
Wallace, a product of Pickerington, Ohio, was named a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection after a stellar 2025-26 campaign. She has become one of Illinois' go-to scoring options and is now a top prospect for the 2028 WNBA Draft, according to Women's Hoops Masterclass.
According to ‘Women Hoops Masterclass’ on Instagram, Superstar forward Berry Wallace is a top-25 prospect for the 2028 WNBA Draft.
— Kellen “KellDawg” Sherman (@KShermanSports) August 30, 2026
Is that too high? Or too low? #Illini pic.twitter.com/kXOCcdDX78
Wallace will be a part of an impressive rookie class in 2028, as Women's Hoops Masterclass has her ranked No. 25 overall. With two years of eligibility left, Illinois' top scorer has plenty of time to raise her stock before draft night.
The 6-foot-1 forward was a dynamic presence for the Illini last season, averaging a team-leading 18.4 points in 35.7 minutes per game. She was one of the most efficient players that Illinois had to offer, shooting 47.2% from the field and 34.7% from three-point range.
The Illinois basketball program has a future first-round draft pick on its roster, and her name is Berry Wallace
If you watched at least one Illinois game last season, then you already know that Wallace is the real deal. She is the complete package at the forward position, with a scoring arsenal that makes her a threat at all three levels on the floor.
Congrats Berry Wallace on her first career double-double 🙌
— Big Ten Women's Basketball (@B1Gwbball) November 5, 2025
The @IlliniWBB sophomore had 27 points and 11 rebounds in their home opener. pic.twitter.com/xBROidtSpE
Wallace is also a top-notch defender, with the quickness of a wing but the size of a post player. The former five-star recruit is seen as a Swiss Army Knife of sorts, as she has the ability to guard a multitude of different positions.
This season, Wallace will surely pick up where she left off as a sophomore, especially with the elite roster that she will have around her. The Illini will have plenty of scoring options at their disposal, which should help open up the floor for Wallace a little more than last season.
Simply put, don't be surprised if we see Wallace creep up these lists in the media after this season. If her jump from year one to year two was any indication of what's to come, it's that No. 23 is going to have a long basketball career.
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