Illinois basketball is trying to build great recruiting classes in the micro and macro.
While the football program is having trouble finding its feet in the NIL era, the Illini basketball team is doing a great job evaluating and paying talent.
Not every five-star recruit wants what Brad Underwood is delivering, though. On Tuesday, Dushawn London of 247Sports reported that King Gibson is down to just four programs.
Illinois didn’t make the cut.
NEWS: King Gibson, the No. 16 overall prospect in the class of 2027, is focused on four schools, source tells @247Sports
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) September 29, 2026
Story: https://t.co/hoBst15JNd pic.twitter.com/sHsQqJXVzF
Just about a month ago, Illinois made Gibson’s top 10. He would cancel his visit to UConn, and the thought was that this could open the door for the Illini to sneak in. That didn’t come to fruition.
Gibson is a quality five-star player for 2027, so he would have been a nice addition. With him leaving Illinois off his top four, it is just a little speed bump in the ultimate goal of landing five-star players for the future.
Illinois’ class of 2027 still remains at two commitments. Quinton Kitt and Mason Martin are both four-star players. I want more, though.
Moussa Kamissoko visited Illinois in mid-September, but he has already committed to Syracuse. Darius Wabbington is now the main player in Illinois’ crosshairs for 2027. He also visited the same weekend as Kamissoko, and having a massive 6-foot-11, 255-pound centerpiece like Wabbington would be huge.
Don’t sleep on the potential of Illinois basketball pulling in Brady Pettigrew
It would be amazing for the Illini to land Wabbington. Having him in the paint would give Illinois such a great option in the frontcourt. We need backcourt help, though.
That is where Brady Pettigrew could come into play. The five-star combo guard is taking an official visit this weekend to Illinois. He is the No. 14 player in the class of 2028, but it is widely reported that Pettigrew could end up reclassifying to the class of 2027.
Pettigrew’s versatility in the backcourt gives Underwood exactly what he wants on the roster: a positionless player. Pettigrew can do everything and play nearly every position. He is Underwood’s dream recruit.
Illinois landing both Pettigrew and Wabbington for 2027 would instantly garner a top-five recruiting class in the country. These two five-stars would make up for any misses Underwood has had on the recruiting trail in recent weeks.
I haven’t even mentioned the five-star recruits who have visited or will visit Illinois from the 2028 class.
Bentley Lusakueno visited Illinois in mid-September. Benjamin Berrouet is set to visit Champaign on November 5. The next month or so will determine everything when it comes to Illinois recruiting. Let’s see if we can build one of the best recruiting classes in recent memory.
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