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Illinois basketball players who seem destined for the transfer portal

With the season now completed, the transfer portal is the main focus for the Illinois basketball program
ByRees Woodcock|
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Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood leads a team huddle Saturday, March 21, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round game against the VCU Rams at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood leads a team huddle Saturday, March 21, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round game against the VCU Rams at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We are now entering the offseason, and the Illinois basketball team will go through some changes.

The Illini need to land some big names from the transfer portal. Brad Underwood has proved he can navigate the transfer portal waters well, and this season will need to continue on that trend.

One of the biggest questions now that the season is over is who will enter the transfer portal from the Illinois roster? We have some talented players, but there are always at least a few who think the grass is greener on the other side.

Here are three Illinois basketball players who seem destined for the transfer portal

Ty Rodgers (JR)

At this point in the game, I am honestly shocked that Ty Rodgers is still on the team. He has stuck with the Orange and Blue, and there is something special about that in today’s age.

Rodgers played in 71 games in his first two seasons at Illinois. He took a redshirt in 2024-25. He didn’t play in 2025-26 either. He believes he took a medical redshirt, so Rodgers enters next season as a junior.

The fact that he hasn’t played in a game in two seasons is kind of crazy. This definitely seems like one of those need-a-fresh-start situations.

Rodgers is a good player. He will get plenty of offers. But, honestly, it feels like a fresh start is what is about to come. In an interview with Carson Gourdie of WICS ABC 20, Rodgers didn’t seem too confident that he would be around next season.

Brandon Lee (SO)

Illinois had some great freshmen last season, but Brandon Lee didn’t catch that spark. He was relegated to just 18 games and only played 4.1 minutes per contest.

I would say that Lee has his chance to start and shine in 2026-27, but the class of 2026 might not allow that to happen.

The Illini have two top 60 recruits joining the program, both of whom are backcourt players. Quentin Coleman has a legitimate chance to start from day one. I think Lucas Morillo could have a say in minutes, too.

The returning Illinois lineup could be rough for Lee, too. An Ivisic brother will start. David Mirkovic is likely back. Toni Bilic has a decent chance to start. Jake Davis and Andrej Stojakoic might be back.

While I want to see Lee’s career play out, he might see the writing on the wall about playing time next season. It wouldn’t shock me to see him transfer.

Jason Jakstys (SO)

During the Underwood era, I feel like we have seen middle-of-the-pack big men come into the program and then transfer out after a couple of seasons.

I could see this being the case with Jason Jakstys. He got his first action with the team this season, playing in just nine games and averaging 5.2 minutes per game.

There isn’t much of a playing time future for Jakstys at Illinois. He is probably a solid player, but if he wants to start in college, the next stop will need to be somewhere like Illinois State. I would be shocked if he isn’t on the move in the next month.

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