Massive 5-star center becomes huge target for Illinois basketball

Recruiting never stops, and the Illinois basketball coaching staff has been able to keep up with the ever-changing landscape.

If you give Brad Underwood guff for his coaching, that is one thing. You can’t give him negative feedback for his recruiting. He has helped the Illini remain relevant when it comes to snagging great players, and now Illinois has its eyes on a massive big man.

According to Dushawn London of 247Sports, Illinois was one of the many programs to reach out to Darius Wabbington. Besides having a fun last name, Wabbington is one of the elite players in the country.

Wabbington is a 6-foot-11, 245-pound center from Sunnyslope High School in Arizona. He is rated as a five-star recruit and ranked as the No. 20 player in the class of 2027. He is also the No. 3 center in the country and the No. 4 player in the state of Arizona.

Some of the biggest programs in the country are after Wabbington as well. One of note is Purdue, a big man factory. They have had some great ones, like Zach Edey, over the past decade or so. But we are so early in the recruitment process.

Illinois basketball target Darius Wabbington has a sneaky part of his game

Wabbington is extremely talented. There is a reason he is a five-star recruit. Every team in the country will want this kid because he can do so much on the court.

In the E16 EYBL this summer, Wabbington put up some impressive numbers. He averaged 13.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game. Wabbington is someone who can get the ball in the post and back his man down. He can score easily around the rim, too.

What seems to be a sneaky part of his game that is developing is his three-point shooting. While Wabbington was a dreaded 0-of-17 from three-point range in the EYBL, he does have the ability to shoot from long range. In his first two years of high school, he is 42-of-140, 30%, from three-point range. He still has two years left in high school to continue to develop that shot as well.

Immediately, a comp that comes to mind when I watch Wabbington is Karl-Anthony Towns. The great inside presence, the tremendous footwork, and the confidence in an outside shot, regardless of whether it goes in or not. If that is what Wabbington ends up becoming, he has an extremely bright future ahead. Illinois is smart in going after this kid.