Josh Whitman has the Illinois athletic department running at a high level, and the most impressive turnaround has been from the women’s Illinois basketball program.
The hiring of Shauna Green was the springboard to massive success for the Illini. We have made two NCAA tournament appearances in three seasons, and we even won a game in the postseason in 2025.
That success has many ramifications. On top of Green’s great ability to recruit, and an athletic director willing to back women’s programs, Illinois’ winning on the court is also going to help future recruiting.
On Friday, Jazman Bailey took to social media to announce that she had received a scholarship offer from Illinois. In the post, Bailey talks about the opportunity to not only play at Illinois, but also to continue her education in Champaign.
Grateful and blessed to receive an opportunity to continue my education at The University of Illinois! Taking nothing for granted! Thanks @Shauna_Green for the conversation! @ProSkillsGBB @LakeRidgeGBB @EarlRooks4 pic.twitter.com/ZJldTXXASY
— Jazman Bailey TRUE 2027 (@TheballerJaz) May 30, 2025
This is a huge offer from the Illini. Bailey is a 5-foot-8 class of 2027 point guard from Lake Ridge High School in Texas. She is rated as a four-star recruit, and ESPN has her with a grade of 91.
Bailey is a fun player to watch on the court. First and foremost, her handles are impressive. She can put a defender on skates, and that creates so much space for the talented shooter. Bailey can also score at all levels. She isn’t just a three-point specialist or driver. This kid can hit from the mid-range, too.
Illinois basketball is going after some of the top point guards to lead the team into the future
Green has done a great job recruiting, as I mentioned before. But one of the top positions she is started to really cultivate is coming at the point guard role.
You can start to see the plan coming together. Illinois was able to land Destiny Jackson from the class of 2025. She is a five-star point guard. Jackson will be our point guard for the foreseeable future. By the time she is a junior, Bailey will come into the program.
These two could run Illinois’ backcourt. Bailey’s game could be molded at the college level by an elite point guard like Jackson. This would be a dynamic duo and would help put Illinois into serious national title contention.