No. 2 Guard
Starter: Kylan Boswell (SR)
I really hope Kylan Boswell can come back for his senior season. He is a guard Illinois landed this past offseason, and Boswell will be the conductor for the Illini in 2024-25.
Illinois has multiple players coming into the program who are projected first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. But at the end of the day, it wouldn’t shock me to see Boswell be the most impactful player for the Orange and Blue. He can play the point guard or shooting guard role, and his leadership is going to be invaluable. If he returns for his senior season, Boswell should be slotted into the starting No. 2 guard spot.
Backup: Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (JR)
Illinois does have some quality depth moving forward. Despite most of the roster departing after the Elite 8 run, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn decided to come back for a second season. He returns to the Illini and will be a big part of the program over the next few years.
Gibbs-Lawhorn’s role is going to expand this upcoming season. When he enters his junior year in 2025-26, look for Gibbs-Lawhorn to give the Illini program at least 20 minutes per game. He is going to be a spark off the bench and someone Brad Underwood can trust. I have Gibbs-Lawhorn being the primary backup behind Boswell at the No. 2 spot.