Illinois basketball has been making waves on the recruiting trail, securing visits from numerous five-star recruits.
The Illini have been on the rise as of late, with some of the top players in the country adding us to their list of top teams. Unfortunately, Brad Underwood lost out on five-star forward Moussa Kamissoko, who made his commitment to Gerry McNamara and the Syracuse Orange.
NEWS: Five-star forward Moussa Kamissoko has committed to Syracuse, he told @PaulBiancardi on Friday, becoming the first five-star recruit of Gerry McNamara’s head coaching career and the second five-star Orange commit in the last decade.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) September 25, 2026
No. 15 in the SC NEXT 100. pic.twitter.com/rKj59UBhau
Kamissoko, a Geneva, Ohio, product, is the No. 14 player in the country and the No. 1 player in the state of Ohio. The 6-foot-7 forward made his official visit on September 18 alongside fellow five-star players Bentley Lusakueno, Dylan Betts, and Darius Wabbington.
Kamissoko joins a Syracuse squad that finished 14th in the ACC last season, ending with a 15-17 record overall and 6-12 in their conference. He will look to be an instant contributor for the Orange, especially after losing leading scorers Donnie Freeman and Nate Kingz at season's end.
Moussa Kamissoko was a tough loss, but not the end of the world for Illinois basketball
When looking at the scouting report for Kamissoko, one could see why Underwood and the Illini wanted to pursue a commitment from the SPIRE Academy star. According to 247Sports' Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein;
"Kamissoko is a lanky big wing with versatile potential on both ends of the floor. Built with positional size, a 6-foot-11 wingspan, and high shoulders, he's older for his grade (turns 19 in January of his senior year), but still relatively lean and underdeveloped in his upper body. He's a bursty mover with terrific open floor speed and also fairly bouncy in space but less so among bodies."
Kamissoko has a lot of potential in his 6-foot-7 frame, especially if he had picked Illinois. This program has become great at developing talent. Strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher has played a key role in this process.
If Kamissoko did pick Champaign, I have no doubt he would have been a star. He has all of the makings of a great wing who can guard multiple positions, as well as a lanky scorer who can dominate the paint and mid-range. He just needs the right development to get him there.
However, with Illinois being a top-of-mind team for five-stars now, a no from Kamissoko doesn't sting as much as it did in the past.
Illinois has already had official visits with Wabbington, Betts, Lusakueno, and Brady Pettigrew, to name a few. Underwood is still going after some of the biggest names in the recruiting game.
It's a bummer for sure, because the Illini could've certainly used Kamissoko for the future. But there are still plenty of other names on the market for them to land.
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