5 big-time Illinois basketball recruiting targets from the Peach Jam

JJ Andrews – Class of 2026

There are multiple classes that suited up this past weekend in the Peach Jam. A player that Illinois fans should keep in mind for the class of 2026 is JJ Andrews.

Andrews is a 6-foot-6, 220-pound shooting guard from Little Rock Christian Academy in Arkansas. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 33 player in the class of 2026. He is also the No. 7 shooting guard in the country and the No. 2 player coming out of Arkansas.

In the Peach Jam, Andrews didn’t play with the older kids. He was in the E16 level, but his Bradley Beal Elite program tore through the competition. They would go 7-0 en route to a championship.

Andrews put up some big numbers in this great run as well. He averaged 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He also shot 65.8% from the field and 31.3% from three-point range.

Illinois came in with a scholarship offer back in July 2023. Since then, the Illini haven’t let up with recruiting. Just a little over a week ago, Illinois had an assistant coach in to watch Andrews and his Bradley Beal Elite AAU team.

Andrews is going to only continue to rise in the recruiting rankings. This is a big recruitment for the Illini and one we will hopefully win.