Top 5 Illinois basketball recruiting targets left for the class of 2025

Brad Underwood and the Illinois basketball coaching staff have us in the hunt for some big-time recruits in 2025

Mar 23, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood leaves the court after the game against the Duquesne Dukes in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

3 of 5

3. Malachi Moreno

Illinois basketball has had some great big men come through the program since Brad Underwood took over, and adding someone like Malachi Moreno would fit that trend.

Moreno is a 6-foot-11, 230-pound center from Great Crossing High School in Kentucky. He is rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 26 player in the class of 2025. He is also the No. 3 center in the country and the best player coming out of Kentucky.

Illinois hasn’t been in the Moreno sweepstakes long. In fact, we came in with a scholarship offer back on April 30. But there hasn’t been a lot of recruiting movement and there is one big change in Moreno’s recruitment.

Kentucky was once looked at as the leader to land Moreno. He is coming out of Kentucky, and the Wildcats were recruiting him heavily. Moreno took unofficial visits to Lexington, and the main recruiter for the talented big man was Orlando Antigua.

The Kentucky coaching staff has since dispersed, and Antigua is now back with Illinois as an assistant coach. That is why the scholarship offer came in for Moreno. One would only assume that the Illini would be squarely in the mix to land the top-30 recruit.

Home/Illinois Basketball