No. 2 Guard
- Starter: Andrej Stojakovic (SR)
I know that the 2025-26 season hasn’t even started, but looking at the roster for the following year, Illinois could have an extremely experienced team led by Andrej Stojakovic.
Stojakovic is coming over to the Illinois program as a junior. He will get used to the Brad Underwood system this season, and then next season, he should be able to take another step forward in his career. I love Stojakovic at the No. 2 guard spot. The development of this kid is going to be fun to watch.
- Backup: Brandon Lee (SO)
Illinois could have some impressive depth in a couple of seasons. Brandon Lee has a ton of potential, and I have him as the primary backup at the No. 2 guard spot.
Lee is going to be a spark plug for the Illini over the next two seasons. He will likely play the same role each year, and I fully expect him to average near eight points per game off the bench. Illinois is going to need him, especially when it comes to the NCAA tournament.
- Backup: Ethan Brown (FR)
Ethan Brown is a nice addition to the Illinois basketball roster, but I don’t expect him to get much playing time in year one. He has good size, and I love his shooting ability. A redshirt in 2026-27 is probably going to be the outcome.