Illinois basketball had some roster changes via the transfer portal on Monday, so that means we need to adjust the projected starting lineup for next season.
It what was a crazy Monday afternoon, the Illini ended up snagging talented Mercer wing Jake Davis out of the transfer portal. This addition will help us score a lot more points in the 2024-25 season.
While we were still on a high from that addition, Illinois took a hit to the roster. Dain Dainja announced he was entering the transfer portal. This move was expected but still hurt a bit. Those are two big changes to the roster.
Here is the projected Illinois basketball lineup after adding Jake Davis and losing Dain Dainja
No. 1 Guard
Starter: Ty Rodgers (JR)
Illinois entered the 2023-24 season with Ty Rodgers at the helm, and I think he is going to be the starter moving forward as well. I have him tabbed as the starter at the No. 1 guard spot in 2024-25.
Rodgers finished his sophomore season averaging 6.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He was easily the best pound-for-pound rebounder on the team, and he was so good that Brad Underwood had to start him. That is why he is playing the point guard role. The only issue with Rodgers is his shooting. He literally didn’t take a three-point attempt all season long. Let’s see if his shooting develops this upcoming campaign.
Backup: Niccolo Moretti (SO)
I think Niccolo Moretti is going to see some good playing time in 2024-25. He came into games occasionally and was electric for the Illini. Look for Moretti to be the primary backup at the No. 1 guard spot but still get decent minutes.
Moretti only averaged 5.9 minutes per game in the 18 contests he played in as a freshman. He averaged 1.5 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game as well. He is the best ball-handler on the team, and I think his point guard abilities will help Illinois’ second rotation win us some games in the future.