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Two major predictions for Illinois basketball superstar Berry Wallace in 2026-27

Forward Berry Wallace showed the country last season why she is elite, and she is poised to continue her meteoric rise in her third year with the Illinois basketball program.
ByKellen Sherman|
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Illinois forward Berry Wallace (23) passes the ball past Colorado forward Logyn Greer (11) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, March 21, 2026.
Illinois forward Berry Wallace (23) passes the ball past Colorado forward Logyn Greer (11) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, March 21, 2026. | ANDREW NELLES / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The women's Illinois basketball team has a plethora of scorers at its disposal, but none of them match the superstardom of forward Berry Wallace.

Wallace, a former five-star from Pickerington, Ohio, was the No. 1 scorer for Shauna Green and the Illini throughout the 2025-26 season. She was a major threat as a stretch-four, averaging a career high 18.4 points and 6.2 rebounds in 35.7 minutes per game.

Wallace became a premier player in the Big Ten this past season, finishing the year as a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches, and a second-team selection by the media.

The Pickerington Central High School product is poised to continue her run through the country in her third year with the Illini, but what are some predictions that we should keep an eye on as we make our way towards the start of the season?

Berry Wallace will have a serious chance to become an AP All-American in her junior season

This may be a stretch for some fans, as Wallace wasn't even an AP All-American honorable mention last season. But with Illinois projected to be a top-20 team to start next season, Wallace has a chance to gain much more media attention than she did last year.

Wallace should have a chance to gain a ton of exposure in the coming season, which should help her resumé when it comes to the awards. Not only that, but she will also remain in a familiar system with basically all of her teammates returning from the year before.

If anything, expect Wallace to find her groove early and often, with a stout support staff who can take some of the pressure off of her. If she can continue to develop as she has been, don't be surprised if she ends up on one of these prestigious lists.

Berry Wallace should skyrocket up Illinois' 1000-point club list

As of writing this, Wallace is only 148 points away from becoming the 35th player to reach 1,000 career points for the women's Illinois basketball program. As long as nothing catastrophic happens this season, the third-year phenom should hit this mark rather easily.

Wallace will go down in the history books as one of the best to ever step inside State Farm Center, and there's no question about it. But by season's end, how many points will she record in her attempt to rise through these historic ranks?

If anything, don't be surprised if she surpasses the likes of No. 17 Ivory Crawford and No. 16 Kendall Bostic. Even with a plethora of quality scorers around her, expect Wallace to continue to hold on to the superstar title.

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