It is one thing to be a really good player who is committed to the Illinois basketball program, but it is another thing to have the blessing of an NBA All-Star.
The Illini have done a great job with recruiting the class of 2026. There is some nice talent coming in who will help fill the holes left by the departing players.
At the beginning of April, Illinois landed the highest-ranked recruit thus far when Quentin Coleman pledged to the Orange and Blue. Coleman, the No. 34 player in the class of 2026, picked Illinois over numerous other programs.
Being a part of the Bradley Beal Elite AAU program, he has connections and resources that not many have. This includes having Beal as a mentor.
In an interview with KMOV in St. Louis, Coleman talked about his relationship with the three-time NBA All-Star.
“He’s definitely a guy that I look up to because I play for his team. I am trying to get to where he is at, and the successful career he had. I call him, I want advice from him because he did it. Hearing from him is always great.”
It is not easy to make a big commitment like the one that Coleman made to Illinois. There are always programs in a recruit’s ear, especially from someone like Beal, who was a star at Florida for a season.
“He was happy with it (decision to pick Illinois). He felt like it was the right decision with me. How I play, and how Illinois is, he knows that I am a winner, and Illinois is obviously a winner, too. He felt like I can go in there and impact winning.”
"He knows I'm a winner, Illinois is a winner too."
— Tamar Sher (@tamar_sher) April 9, 2026
Quentin Coleman (@QuentinC_1) spoke to his mentor @RealDealBeal23 after committing to @IlliniMBB.
The Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year from Principia also played for @BradBealElite.@KMOV | @MatrixMidwest | @CoachBlossom pic.twitter.com/7v5MRBti5c
Brad Underwood is doing something right when an NBA player who didn’t play for Illinois is directing talent to Champaign
Getting the blessing from an NBA player is a pretty big deal. Do you know how easy it would have been for Beal to be like, no, go to Florida. But he approved of the decision to head to Illinois.
That shows you what Brad Underwood has done to not only the Illini program on the court, but also our reputation off the court.
Before Underwood took over, this type of thing would not have happened. Illinois would have lost out on this recruitment 10 out of 10 times. Coleman wouldn’t be committed to the Illini.
Underwood has changed the brand. We are a winning program with a winning culture. This doesn’t happen overnight, and now we have NBA players taking notice. That is huge.