Illinois Basketball: Superstar in-state freshman receives Illini offer

It is never too early to offer a scholarship to a recruit, especially if the Illinois basketball team sees a special player in our own backyard.

With Brad Underwood at the helm, the Illini have been able to land some of the top talent in the state of Illinois. We were able to snag players like Ayo Dosunmu, Adam Miller, Ty Rodgers, and Morez Johnson Jr., the latter being on the verge of a McDonald’s All-American berth.

Building a solid foundation with in-state recruits is always important for Illinois' success. That is why I am a huge fan of Underwood and the Illinois coaching staff offering a scholarship to Jaxson Davis.

Davis is a 6-foot-1 guard out of Warren Township High School in Illinois. He isn’t rated or ranked because Davis is a freshman coming out of high school in 2027. So, there aren’t recruiting rankings for this class.

Illinois basketball pounced on Jaxson Davis after a big showing at the Proviso West Holiday Tournament

On Friday, the Illini came in with a scholarship offer to Davis. But why did the Orange and Blue offer the young guard? Simple.

This kid is special.

Davis is coming off a Proviso West Holiday Tournament where he dominated and ended up being the first freshman ever to win the tournament MVP. He ended the tournament averaging 26.8 points, 4.3 assists, 3.8 steals, and 3.3 rebounds in the four-game stretch.

Warren Township capped off the tournament with a 78-52 victory over Lincoln Park to take home the title. Davis dropped 36 points and five assists in the tournament-clinching win.

As a freshman, Davis is leading Warren to a 15-1 record with their only loss coming by 11 points to Mt. Carmel up in Chicago. It is an impressive feat for a senior to be accomplishing what Davis is accomplishing, let alone someone who just entered high school a few months back.

This was a big offer from the Illini. There are good players who you know will develop and be solid college recruits. And then there are players like Davis. This kid is going to have every college in the country after him. Hopefully, getting in early will help Illini in his recruitment.