How good is Illinois’ 2026 freshman class?
Who do the Illini have joining them in the fall, and how good are they?
We all know Brad and Tyler can put on a recruiting masterclass, but how will the five newbies stack up? Guards Starting with the most recent, but probably most essential piece in the recruiting class is Missouri 247Sports five- star recruit Quentin Coleman. Not only does it always feel good to grab a “Braggin’ Rights” player, but Coleman is an overall stud.
The Principia senior is the definition of a shotmaker, shooting 39% from the three during Nike’s EYBL. Coleman has the opportunity to fill the void NBA Draft prospect Keaton Wagler will leave behind, as he runs offenses at his own pace. Joining Coleman is four- star combo guard Lucas Morillo.
Coming out of Boston, where he is ranked second in the state by 247Sports, Morillo is a lethal play initiator, he draws defenses where he needs them to go, and often draws a foul when he goes to the lane. Morillo could be paired nicely as a mentee for senior Andrej Stojakovic. Rounding out the guards is 247Sports three-star Ethan Brown, also coming out of Missouri.
Although the least accoladed of the bunch, Brown is a skillful floor reader who is insane out of screen plays. Brown averaged 19 points per game as a freshman, and went on to be Missouri’s all-time leading scorer with 2,523 points. Adding onto his already impressive offensive package, Brown is a pass-first guard, who can get shifty with his assists.