Kylan Boswell was a special player for the Illinois Fighting Illini. Growing up in the town of Champaign, he quickly became the definition of a hometown hero for the men's basketball program.
That was due, in at least some part, to Illinois head coach Brad Underwood building a relationship with him from the very beginning, earning a commitment from the once-five-star point guard and bringing him home to Illinois.
Boswell started his collegiate career with the Arizona Wildcats, but quickly realized it wasn't where he was meant to be, coming back to Illinois to play for Underwood in 2024.
Since then, their relationship has only blossomed, something Boswell touched on during a recent interview about his career.
"[Underwood]'s meant everything for me," Boswell said. "How much he demands from me, I think, will translate to help me just in whatever my career takes me."
Kylan Boswell carries his Illinois relationships with wherever he goes
Whether running the court while in games or showing his leadership from the bench, fans and opponents alike could see the growth that Boswell showed after joining the Fighting Illini ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Also read: Brad Underwood's response to Kylan Boswell's technical shows his postseason mindset
While he might not be one of the projected lottery picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, Boswell is excited to see wherever life takes him and will clearly continue to carry the lessons that Underwood shared with him over the last two years.
"Everything he's done for me, my family, the advice he's given me, the mentorship he's shown throughout these last two seasons has propelled me just in every aspect of life," Boswell said about Underwood.
Former Illinois guard Kylan Boswell reflects on what Brad Underwood has meant to him in his two years with the Illini #illini @BamBam_Boz pic.twitter.com/F6qFfXkJAF
— Adeena Balthazor (@BalthazorAdeena) April 29, 2026
Over four years of collegiate basketball, Boswell averaged 9.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. During his final season with the Illini, he earned 12.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
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