The Illinois Fighting Illini finished the previous season third in the Big Ten with a 28-9 record and a run to the NCAA Final Four, a performance that has set high expectations for the upcoming year.
Coach Brad Underwood is looking to build on that momentum, even as the team will be without point guard Keaton Wagler, who is entering the 2026 NBA Draft, and guard Kylan Boswell, who graduates and will not return.
Both Andrej Stojakovic and David Mirkovic will remain in the lineup, with Stojakovic averaging 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and Mirkovic contributing 13.3 points and 8 rebounds per game.
The roster will also welcome Stefan Vaaks, a 6-7 shooting guard who transferred from Providence, where he averaged 15.8 points per game and modeled his play after Luka Doncic, shooting 35 percent from three-point range on 8.4 attempts per game.
Adding to the excitement, the Illini have secured the nation's #20 recruiting class, highlighted by five-star forward Quentin Coleman from St. Louis, Missouri, who recently posted 11.4 rebounds per game at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup.
The team is scheduled to play a road game in Eugene, Oregon, later this season, though the exact date has yet to be announced.
Underwood emphasized that the blend of returning experience and fresh talent should give the Illini depth and versatility as they aim to compete at the top of the Big Ten.
A New Chapter for the Illini
The upcoming season represents more than just roster turnover; it is a test of the program’s ability to adapt and thrive.