It is crazy to think that the Illinois basketball team begins the 2025-26 season on Monday.
The Illini are poised for a big year. We are already ranked No. 17 in the nation, and the talent Brad Underwood has assembled should have the fanbase pretty excited.
With some solid returning players and a nice haul of newcomers, the Illinois lineup will look different this season. You are going to see some new faces, and there will be a lot of names that will take time to pronounce. But nonetheless, the season will be fun.
Here is the projected Illinois basketball lineup for the 2025-26 season
No. 1 Guard
- Starter: Mihailo Petrovic
Illinois basketball has a great point guard waiting in the wings, and when he is healthy, Mihailo Petrovic will be our starting No. 1 guard. The Serbian came over to the United States after spending his career overseas. Last season, he averaged 14.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game.
Petrovic just got cleared by the NCAA. The 22-year-old sophomore will make a big impact on the Illini, but he won’t suit up in game one, as he is dealing with some lingering hamstring issues. He should rest up and be unleashed on the big boys in a couple of weeks.
- Backup: Keaton Wagler
With Petrovic on the mend, Illinois will go with Kylan Boswell as the No. 1 guard until he is healthy. But for the sake of this article, I have Keaton Wagler as the backup at the No. 1 guard spot.
Wagler and Brandon Lee, for that matter, will be solid backcourt rotational pieces for the Illini. They can be shifted around anywhere in the backcourt, and that is why I have Wagler behind Petrovic. You are going to see a healthy dose of the freshmen this season.
No. 2 Guard
- Starter: Kylan Boswell
When the lineup is healthy, you will have Kylan Boswell start at the No. 2 guard spot. This is where he will fit in best, as he likes to be more of a scorer rather than a distributor. But what is great about Boswell is that he can do both at a high level.
Boswell is going to take the reins for the first couple of games as the No. 1 guard because of the Mihailo Petrovic injury. Once he is healthy, look for Boswell to start at the No. 2 spot. I fully expect his 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists from last season to increase, and Boswell should be more efficient from three-point range. Keep an eye on this kid for an All-Big Ten team.
- Backup: Brandon Lee
Much like Keaton Wagler, Brandon Lee will be able to play wherever Brad Underwood needs him. Lee is more of a No. 2 guard or even a wing, as he is a bouncy kid who can shoot well and get to the rim.
Offensively, I love what I saw out of Lee during the exhibition game. He put his ability on display and finished with 17 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field. Illinois is going to need a scoring spark off the bench, and that is what excites me about having Lee as the backup at the No. 2 spot.
No. 3 Wing
- Starter: Andrej Stojakovic
While there is bad news on the Mihailo Petrovic health front, Illinois could have their prized transfer back in the mix to start the season on Monday. Andrej Stojakovic is a game-time decision for the game, but honestly, we probably won’t need him to suit up just yet.
When healthy, I have Stojakovic starting at the No. 3 spot. He is a nice big guard at 6-foot-7 who can body people, get to the rim, and shoot from outside. People compare him to his dad, but Stojakovic can do a little bit of everything on the court. He is a multi-level scorer, and I can’t wait to see him in the lineup.
- Backup: Ben Humrichous
Not a lot of teams have the luxury of having a backup that has as much experience as Ben Humrichous. He was a bit disappointing last season, but Humrichous clearly went to work in the offseason and looked good in the exhibition game.
I have Humrichous as the first player off the bench. He should be a backup at the No. 3 spot on the wing. It looks like Humrichous got bigger this offseason, too. That will enable him to play more back-to-the-basket, and he showed that honed skillset against Illinois State.
- Backup: Ty Rodgers
Illinois fans didn’t get to see Ty Rodgers last season because he took a redshirt. He then got injured months ago, and since then, he has been rehabbing that injury.
No one is sure when Rodgers will be able to take the court again, but my guess is that it is around the turn of the new year. Rodgers has the ability to play the No. 1 through No. 4 spots on the court, but for now, I have him as a backup at the No. 3 spot and a rotational piece.
No. 4 Forward
- Starter: David Mirkovic
The national media is talking a little bit about Illinois this season, but when they do talk about us, it is just a couple of guys. I think the main attraction for the Illini this season could end up being David Mirkovic.
I have Mirkovic, a freshman, starting at the No. 4 spot for the Illini. For being so young, this kid has such a polished game. It was amazing watching him against Illinois State. If he can bring 90% of what we saw in the exhibition game, then Mirkovic will be a Freshman All-American without a doubt.
- Backup: Zvonimir Ivisic
Brad Underwood has built the Illinois roster with a lot of positionless players. Zvonimir Ivisic falls into this category. He was a great transfer portal addition and the brother of Tomislav. I have Ivisic as the backup at the No. 4 spot.
There is no doubt in my mind that Ivisic will play both the No. 4 and No. 5 this season. As the tallest player on the team at 7-foot-2, look for him to be on the court at the same time as Tomislav. More importantly, I fully expect Ivisic to stretch the floor better than any big man in Illinois history. He is a deadly three-point shooter, much like his brother.
- Backup: Jake Davis
Illinois is going to move Jake Davis around a lot this season. He can play numerous roles on the court, and I have him as a backup at the No. 4 spot.
Davis is 6-foot-6, and he has the willingness to shoot from the outside. His corner shot is what he is most comfortable with, and mark my words, Davis will have a game this season where he comes in and gives Illinois a big night with double-digit points in a game.
No. 5 Center
- Starter: Tomislav Ivisic
The talent Illinois has this season is quite impressive. The starting big man for the Illini in 2025-26 is going to be Tomislav Ivisic. He is someone who could easily sneak up and be a contender for the Naismith Award this season.
It is crazy to think that a 7-foot-1 player could lead a program in three-point shooting. That is what Ivisic did last season, shooting 35.7% from three-point range. He is an incredible talent who will take Illinois to great heights. I fully expect him to increase his 13.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.2 blocks from last season as well.
- Backup: Jason Jakstys
I kind of shuffled Jason Jakstys off to the side last season, and I didn’t expect much out of him entering the 2025-26 campaign either. I believe that the Ivisic brothers will handle the No. 5 spot duties, and that won’t leave a ton of minutes for Jakstys this season.
With that being said, I was impressed with what I saw out of Jakstys in the exhibition game. He is much bigger this season, and he clearly gets the game. He played nine minutes and put up five points, three rebounds, and one assist. Again, Illinois probably won’t use him much this season, but he is a nice insurance policy for the frontcourt.