The dust is still settling for the Illinois basketball class of 2025, but it is time to start shifting focus to the future.
So far, the Illini have failed to land a single player for the 2026 class. If this were 10 years ago, I would be slightly worried. In today’s college basketball, having zero commitments thus far is not a big deal. Money talks, and the transfer portal is more powerful than ever.
One of the bigger targets for Brad Underwood and the Illini in 2026 is Alex Constanza. The superstar recruit has played his high school basketball at Westminster Academy down in Florida, but he is now on the move.
On Wednesday, high school basketball insider Samand Hines reported that Constanza is on the move. He is transferring out of the Westminster program and is landing at Spire Academy in Ohio.
BREAKING: 2026 Alex Constanza will be attending Spire Academy (OH) for the 2025-2026 high school season, joining legendary HC Kevin Boyle — the 6-foot-8+ versatile forward averaged 29.8 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, and 1.8 BPG for Westminster Academy (FL) last season. pic.twitter.com/WO48hKJc9G
— Samad Hines (@Samad_Hines) May 28, 2025
This is a massive move for Constanza. He isn’t just a solid recruit who is deciding to play for another team. Constanza is a five-star recruit who is ranked as the No. 14 player in the class of 2026. He is also the No. 4 small forward in the country.
The 6-foot-8, 205-pound forward will head to Ohio to play for a powerhouse coach. Just a few months ago, Spire Academy announced that it had hired Kevin Boyle as the Director of Basketball and Head Coach. Boyle was previously with high school basketball powerhouse Montverde Academy.
Alex Constanza’s move to Ohio gives Illinois more access to the five-star recruit
While money, or open money, plays a bigger role in the college game, relationships still matter. That could be the difference at the end of the day.
When a player is across the country, it is much tougher to have a tight relationship. When that player is just a few hundred miles away, the coaches can easily go visit, watch the player, and meet the family on numerous occasions. That builds a solid foundation.
In the case of Constanza, Illinois is right in the mix for the kid. He took an official visit to Champaign back in December, so the connection is already there. Now, Illinois can visit him more often. From Champaign to Westminster Academy, it is 1,251 miles. From Champaign to Spire Academy, it is 479 miles.
With the move, Illinois is likely to crank up the recruiting push. Constanza is a game-changer, and the Illinois coaching staff knows this to be a fact. Let’s close the deal and build the 2026 class into one of the top groups in the country.