Good Morning, Illini Nation: How might Illinois fill out 2027 class? – The News-Gazette

Click here to celebrate the Illini’s run to the Final Four (posters, books)

To subscribe, click here

Sign up for our daily basketball newsletter here

Welcome to “Good Morning, Illini Nation,” your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey. He’ll offer up insights every morning on Brad Underwood’s team and college basketball at large:

With coaches back on the recruiting trail this month as another AAU seasons reaches its final weeks, it’s not a terrible time to ponder the Class of 2027 and beyond.

Commitments from Quinton Kitt and Mason Martin has Illinois’ 2027 recruiting class ranked fourth nationally and third in the Big Ten, per 247Sports. The Illini trail only Iowa State and its trio of four-star recruits, Purdue and its four-star duo of 7-footer (obviously) Isaiah Hill and Georgia native point guard Kevin Savage and a Wisconsin trio that also includes a pair of four-star prospects in in-state guard Jalen Brown and Baboucarr Ann as the typical Minnesotan to pick the Badgers.

That Quinton Kitt and Mason Martin both received bumps in 247Sports’ rankings helped push Illinois to fourth nationally. Kitt climbed into the top 100 after a standout season at East Peoria — his last before taking his talents to Monarch Academy (Kan.) — and Martin made his debut as a four-star and is now ranked No. 128 overall by 247Sports.

How Brad Underwood and Co. might fill out the class is the question. The Illinois coach said late last month he intends to keep recruiting every position despite the adoption of the NCAA’s eligibility changes (five for five) and, of course, what should remain an active transfer portal.

There’s simply no telling how many players the Illini might need ahead of the 2027-28 season and where the staff will go to get them. On that “recruit every position” front, however, it makes sense to target a point guard and a big man, and Illinois’ recruiting efforts reflect that as a complement to the two commitments the program already holds.

Five-star guards Nasir Anderson and Cayden Daughtry are certainly notable targets. They both even have international experience this spring/summer, with Anderson playing for the adidas 3SSB team at the EuroLeague NextGen tournament, and Daughtry winning gold for Team USA at the FIBA U17 World Cup.

NaVorro Bowman Jr. was also on that gold medal winning U.S. roster and has a big more size than Daughtry, who was listed at 5-foot-10 at the World Cup. Bowman checked in at 6-2 for that team, while his recruiting profile has him at 6-3 and Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif., puts him at 6-4.

Either way, more size for an Illinois team that pushes for as much as possible at each position. (It would be better if he was 6-4 than 6-2 in that regard). Bowman has produced at every level, though, averaging 22.5 points, five assists and 4.9 rebounds during his junior year at Notre Dame, 11.9 points, 3.6 assist and 2.7 rebounds on a loaded U.S. team and currently 20.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists on the EYBL circuit for Team Why Not.

From a frontcourt standpoint, fast-rising Lewis Uvwo is a name to know. The Prolific Prep (Fla.) center secured five-star status in June and is currently ranked as the No. 6 overall prospect in the Class of 2027. How he’s played in the EYBL pushed that rankings bump, with the 6-10 center the top shot blocker on the circuit. Uvwo’s 4.7 blocks per game are joined by 10.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

Two other players of interest on Illinois’ board — one a point guard, one a center — are high school teammates. Not just high school teammates, but Illini freshman Quentin Coleman’s former high school teammates.

Coleman was certainly the driving force behind the Panthers’ second straight state championship, but 6-3 guard Gassim Toure and 6-8 big man Sekou Cisse played their complementary roles. Toure averaged 11 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists, while Cisse put up 9.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. On top of that, they both have international experience playing for Guinea. Toure even got a run with the senior national team at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket.