The ability to recruit high-level talent has been phenomenal for the Illinois basketball program.
Brad Underwood has done a great job putting a staff around him that can go out and get quality talent from every part of the world.
The class of 2026 didn’t fall short of expectations on paper, as the freshman class coming in ranked No. 12 in the country. This group was led by Quentin Coleman.
On Thursday, ESPN released an article by Jeremy Woo on the 2027 NBA Draft. He gave insights into what NBA scouts are looking at right now. He also highlighted three players to watch for the 2027 and 2028 drafts.
New @ESPN: Summer notebook dump looking ahead to the 2027 and 2028 drafts, including FIBA breakouts, observations from the road and more: https://t.co/5t4QSTUWlL
— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) August 20, 2026
One of the three players Woo mentions for the 2027 NBA Draft is Coleman. Woo talked about how NBA scouts were eyeing the Illinois guard.
“NBA scouts are watching Coleman closely on the heels of an outstanding spring and summer…”
Woo also had a glowing review of Coleman and what he could do on the court.
“Coleman’s competitiveness, tenacity and all-around game stood out at the Nike Academy. He’s unselfish and continues to flash his abilities as a decision-maker. Coleman is a smooth mover who covers ground very well on both ends.”
All of these great words are music to an Illinois fan’s ears. We offered the kid a scholarship back in 2025 when he was barely inside the top 100 nationally.
Coleman shot up the recruiting rankings in early 2026. He entered the top 40 in January. In March, he backed away from his commitment and took an official visit to Illinois. In April, he committed and signed with the Orange and Blue.
Less than a month later, Coleman saw another big jump, as he became a five-star and a top-15 player in the class of 2026. He finished his time in the high school ranks as the No. 14 player in the country.
Quentin Coleman could help strengthen the Illinois NBA Draft factory reputation
It is pretty crazy that Illinois already has some options for the 2027 NBA Draft. Coleman already has NBA scouts watching, and there are a few other Illini who are bound to be selected next year.
Illinois only had one player selected in the NBA Draft in the 2010s. That is wild. Meyers Leonard carried the torch for us. That has all changed in the 2020s.
Over the last six NBA Drafts, Illinois has had five players taken. Four of the five were first round picks, and we even had Keaton Wagler go No. 5 overall.
Now, the Illini are likely to get Coleman into the 2027 draft. He will likely be joined by at least one other Illinois player. Underwood also has his eyes set on quite a few five-star recruits for the class of 2027 and 2028. Those players could easily be NBA Draft picks, too.
I think it is fair to say that Illinois basketball is an NBA Draft factory. The trend isn’t slowing down, and if anything, it is becoming a stronger trend by the season. Coleman might be the next man up.
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