Illinois basketball had a great season in 2024-25, but we are losing some great and experienced players from the roster.
It really has been impressive what Shauna Green has done with the Illini. The roster this past season was loaded with so much talent. That is why we got to the Round of 32. Sadly, the top players from that team are now gone.
What is incredible is that, as I look through the roster, I think this upcoming Illini squad has a chance to go even further.
Illinois has quality talent coming back, and we are adding some impressive pieces to fill out the roster. I think we can do some serious damage.
Here is the projected Illinois basketball lineup with the addition of Aaliyah Guyton
No. 1 Guard
- Starter: Destiny Jackson
When you land a five-star recruit, that player probably starts nearly 99% of the time. I would be shocked if Destiny Jackson isn’t starting for the Illini come the start of the 2025-26 season.
I have Jackson starting at the No. 1 guard spot. She is a dynamic player who just won the Illinois Ms. Basketball award. Jackson averaged 17.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.3 steals during her time with Whitney Young High School. Now the Illini will get this talented distributor and defensive stopper.
- Backup: Transfer Portal #1
I believe there are two scholarships on the table right now, unless Illinois has another transfer portal departure. With that being said, I think we could use another point guard. This player is someone who could give Illinois 10-14 minutes per game and not have the talent level drop off too much with the second rotation.
No. 2 Guard
- Starter: Aaliyah Guyton
The No. 2 guard spot is a question mark for me. I don’t question which players will be in this role, but I question who is going to start. For the sake of this article. I have Aaliyah Guyton starting at the No. 2 spot.
Guyton is a really good player who is coming back home. She was a big transfer portal addition for the Illini, and with her being a former top 60 recruit and someone who played 16.4 minutes per game with Iowa, I don’t think she comes to Illinois without a starting job waiting. Illinois is also getting a bucket-getter, as Guyton shoots 37.3% from three-point range.
- Backup: Jasmine Brown-Hagger
Illinois fans will get to see plenty of Jasmine Brown-Hagger in 2025-26. While I have her as the backup at the No. 2 spot, I think she will push for the starting job. I also believe Brown-Hagger will come into the game at the No. 3 spot at times. Brown-Hagger was huge for the Illini this past season, as we had some big injuries. She came in and gave this program crucial minutes.
No. 3 Guard
- Starter: Gretchen Dolan
A part of me wonders how far Illinois could have made it this past season if injuries hadn’t plagued the program. Gretchen Dolan was one of those brutal injuries. She played just eight games for the Orange and Blue.
I have Dolan coming back healthy and starting at the No. 3 spot. She is going to be great on the wing, as she has good size and her shooting is phenomenal. Dolan’s 35.5% three-point shooting was missing on the roster. Not only is Dolan a great shooter, but she is quick. Her speed is an underrated element of her game.
- Backup: Naomi Benson
Illinois is bringing in an elite class of 2025. We have some big-time players coming into the program, and one of those players is Naomi Benson. She is a four-star recruit from Ohio. I have Benson joining the team and being thrown into the fire early. I think she could be the primary backup at the No. 3 spot in year one.
No. 4 Forward
- Starter: Berry Wallace
Illinois doesn’t just have a good player in Berry Wallace. I think we have someone who could go down as one of the greatest players in program history. I also think Wallace could be a first-round WNBA Draft pick in the near future.
I have Wallace as the starter at the No. 4 spot. I love her size, and Wallace can stretch the floor better than any women’s Illinois basketball player I have ever seen. She was thrown into the fire early on in her career because of injuries, and she transformed into a superstar. Wallace averaged 9.0 points and 3.1 rebounds per game as a freshman. She also shot 39.8% from three-point range, which led the Illini. Look for Wallace to be in the running for an All-American team this season.
- Backup: Cearah Parchment
I mentioned the talent Green is bringing in from the class of 2025. The frontcourt is getting a huge boost from this class. I think the backup at the No. 4 spot could be a timeshare between two freshmen. The first freshman I will name is Cearah Parchment. She has a little Wallace flair to her, as Parchment has good handles, runs the court well, can post up in the paint, and she can shoot from three-point range if needed.
- Backup: Manuella Alves-Fernandez
I love what Manuella Alves-Fernandez brings to the Illini too. She should push for minutes and be in a timeshare with Parchment. Alves-Fernandez is a different player, though. She fits more of the mold of Kendall Bostic. Alves-Fernandez is a really smart player who sees the floor well and can use her body in and around the paint. Illinois is going to need that next season.
- Backup: Irene Noya Catoira
The depth at the No. 4 spot is impressive. Irene Noya Catoira might get a little lost, though. She played in seven games and just 2.7 minutes per game this past season. With so much talent coming into the program, I only see her playing in blowout games.
No. 5 Center
- Starter: Hayven Smith
The No. 5 spot is going to be interesting this upcoming season. I think Illinois has two great candidates to start. Honestly, with everything that has happened, I will probably go with Hayven Smith starting at the No. 5 spot.
I don’t think Smith is a 30-minute-a-night player, as I could see her being in a timeshare with her backup next season. However, Smith showed me a lot in the limited minutes on the court as a freshman. It was hard to see the full scope of her game because of the experience on the team, but Smith still managed to do some good work. The most impressive game was her playing 10 minutes against No. 3 UCLA and putting up two points, two rebounds, and two blocks.
- Backup: Lety Vasconcelos
The backup option and someone who is going to fight for the starting job at the No. 5 spot is Lety Vasconcelos. I think she would have gotten good minutes this past season as a backup, but she went down with a knee injury and missed the entire 2024-25 campaign.
I have Vasconcelos as the primary backup right now, but as she eases back into the game, I think her and Smith will get equal minutes. The fact Illinois is going to trot out two players at the No. 5 spot who are 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-7 is exciting. This season should be a lot of fun to watch.
- Transfer Portal #2
Illinois could always use another solid option at the No. 5 spot. It is hard to come back from a knee injury, and there is some uncertainty at the No. 5 spot as far as previous production is concerned. Illinois going out and getting more depth with the second transfer portal option would be a good idea.