The women's Illinois basketball program may be preparing for a big 2026-27 season, but that doesn't mean it's time to stop recruiting for the future.
There is going to come a time when we will have to say goodbye to members of this bright young team, as they will all be leaving for a variety of reasons. In preparation for that day, Shauna Green will need to continue scouring the country for top talent in order to recoup what the Illini will lose.
Illinois has had a lot of success so far when it comes to recruiting, extending offers to the likes of Sydney Mobley and Jaylah King. On Sunday, Illinois' recruiting efforts became a little more interesting, with class of 2028 guard Jhaliana Guy decommitting from Stanford.
Excited for the next chapter! ❤️🏀
— Jhaliana Guy (@JhalianaGuy11) June 1, 2026
My recruitment is open.
Contact: 563-503-2387
Thank you for all the support!#hungry #humble #humble pic.twitter.com/NUnb2QeAAQ
Guy, a product of Clinton, Iowa, first announced her commitment to Stanford on March 11, 2025, after receiving over 25 offers from schools that include UCLA, USC, and Kentucky, among others. She has been one of the top targets in the country, ranking No. 16 nationally and No.1 in the state of Iowa.
The 5-foot-10 combo guard has been electric on both sides of the court in high school, averaging 24.4 points, 3.3 steals, and 1.8 assists through 21 games played last season. Guy is easily one of the most dynamic scorers in the country, and schools will be chomping at the bit to bring her to their program.
Illinois will need a game-changing guard once Destiny Jackson and Divine Bourrage graduate
The Illini are blessed to have one of the best back-courts in the country in Destiny Jackson and Divine Bourrage, and they can continue this trend of great guards if they can land Jhaliana Guy for 2028.
Guy is a prove commodity coming out of high school, with a high basketball IQ and an elite shooting ability from all three levels on the floor. She is also a very stingy defender on the opposite side of the ball, which has lead to 2.2 more steals per game than the national average.
If Green can get Guy to sign on the dotted line, then she will have a pivotal piece to her lineup that she can build around for the foreseeable future. It may take some convincing, as Guy may not be starting in her first year with the team. But once Jackson and Bourrage graduate, it would be crazy not to see Guy as the face of this program.
Add us as a preferred source on Google