Illinois basketball getting visit from top in-state recruit for 2026

It has been a good past couple of weeks for the Illinois basketball program, and the coaching staff wants to continue those good vibes.

While there have been two recruits commit to the Illini in as many weeks, the Illini aren’t just focusing on the immediate recruiting class. Brad Underwood and the Illinois coaching staff want to build the foundation for big-time recruits in future classes as well.

One big recruiting target for the Orange and Blue is Lincoln Williams. He is a 6-foot-5 forward from Kankakee High School in Illinois. Williams is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 84 player in the class of 2026. He is also the No. 25 small forward in the country and the best player coming out of Illinois.

The scholarships have started to pile up for Williams as well. He already has roughly 10 scholarship offers with some of the bigger programs including Arizona State, UNLV, and Virginia Tech, to name a few.

On Sunday, it was reported that Williams will be taking an unofficial visit to Illinois on October 19. This wouldn’t be the first visit for the talented forward. He also visited in early February, and that is when Illinois offered him a scholarship.

Athleticism jumps off the page for Illinois basketball recruiting target Lincoln Williams

Underwood likes a wide variety of players on his roster. He wants traditional big men, he likes the shooters, and he wants some athletic freaks who can run the court and do remarkable things above the rim.

Williams is one of those special athletes. He is someone who can jump out of the gym. I like his shot from anywhere on the court, but I believe he would be at his best when attacking the rim.

It is amazing what Williams can do on the wing. He can catch the ball and with just subtle little moves, he can get baseline and get to the hoop. He has a great wingspan that can be a huge asset defensively as well.

Williams is going to develop his game in the next couple of seasons. This kid is going to skyrocket up the recruiting site rankings. It wouldn’t shock me to see Williams cemented as the best player in the state of Illinois and a top 50 recruit overall. The sky is truly the limit.