Over the years, the Illinois basketball team has produced some pretty talented rosters.
As an Illini fan, I was spoiled. The heart of my early fandom started in the late 1990s, so I got to see teams laden with talent. From teams led by Frank Williams to the national title run that had the likes of Deron Williams, Dee Brown, and Luther Head leading the way, Illinois had some incredible players.
That national title team in 2005 had five players who saw some action in the NBA, which included two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
Since 2005, Illinois hasn’t had a squad that has come even close to what we saw make a run to the national title game.
Until now.
The current 2024-25 Illinois basketball team has an incredible amount of talent. They all aren’t first-round picks, but there is more than one NBA player on this roster. In fact, Jonathan Givony of ESPN thinks Illinois has a handful of the top 100 players on his NBA Draft big board.
Scouting reports on the Top 25 with what we've learned and what we're still looking for the next two plus monthshttps://t.co/ZKqdFG4fyr
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) January 18, 2025
This NBA Draft big board shows the depth of talent on the Illinois basketball roster
Without even reading the article, you already know who the top Illinois prospect is for the upcoming NBA Draft.
Everyone is drooling over Kasparas Jakucionis and rightfully so. This kid is incredible. He is averaging 16.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and shoots 41.6% from three-point range. You saw Illinois with Jakucionis and then you saw us without him. This kid is a game-changer.
Much like the most recent NBA Draft projection, Jakucionis is one of the top players on the NBA Draft big board. He isn’t the only Illini player you will see, though.
Four more players also don the NBA Draft big board. Four out of the five Illinois starters are in the top 100. You will find Kylan Boswell, Ben Humrichous, and Tomislav Ivisic all in the top 100, joining fellow starter Jakucionis on the list.
The fifth Illinois player to join the group of talented Illini athletes is Will Riley. He isn’t starting for the Orange and Blue, but his potential and physical gifts make him an intriguing NBA prospect.
For the NBA Draft, you are looking at roughly 60 players getting selected. Illinois currently has five players in the top 100 on the NBA Draft big board. If the season keeps seeing success, don’t be shocked if Illinois has all five players sneak into the top 60 and may even get picked in the 2025 NBA Draft.