Illinois Basketball: Illini add point guard Trent Frazier to already stout recruiting class
Illinois basketball has a loaded 2017 recruiting class that is now made up of four prospects.
The Illinois basketball program has taken a downward trend over the last three years under head coach John Groce. The Fighting Illini made the NCAA Tournament in Groce’s first year on the job, but haven’t reached the Big Dance since. After finishing over .500 in the coach’s first three seasons, the team bottomed out with a 15-19 record in 2015-16.
Related Story: Jeremiah Tilmon commits to Illinois
While Groce seems to be on the hot seat heading into this upcoming season, he may be buying himself a bit of security thanks to a loaded 2017 recruiting class that is one of the best in the nation.
And the Illini added to that class on Sunday evening as they received a commitment from four-star point guard Trent Frazier.
Illinois moves to No. 3 in the 2017 class rankings, with the addition of Trent Frazier. Four pledges in the class for John Groce.
— Evan Daniels (@EvanDaniels) August 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/_Trentfrazier1/status/767711162431598592
The native of Wellington, FL is not ranked in ESPN’s top 100, but slots in as the 74th best player in the class of 2017 on Scout.com. Frazier is the 15th best point guard in the class and is the top player at his position in the state of Florida, according to Scout.
More from Busting Brackets
- NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing top 4 teams for PF Jaxon Johnson
- NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing top 5 teams for top-100 SG Larry Johnson
- Oregon Basketball: Projected starting lineup and depth chart for 2023-24
- Big East Basketball: Ranking all head coaches going into 2023-24 season
- Florida State Basketball: Is Seminoles roster good enough to win in 2023-24?
The 6’1″, 170 pound lead guard is quick and dynamic with the ball in his hands. He can get into the lane at any point in time, is a “bucket getter”, and an underrated passer. Frazier doesn’t have great length, size and strength, however, he has a good feel for the game and his three point shot has developed in remarkable fashion.
While Frazier may not be a true point guard, he will join a backcourt that will consist of two other 2017 recruits, DaMonte Williams and Javon Pickett. Williams is a four-star shooting guard from Peoria, IL, while Pickett is a 6’5″ shooting guard from Belleville, IL.
The final piece to Illinois’ 2017 class is the gem of the unit. Jeremiah Tilmon is a four-star center who plays his high school basketball at La Lumiere in Indiana. Tilmon is a member of ESPN’s top 100 as the 29th best player in the class.
There was concern when Groce wasn’t able to land four-star ESPN top 100 point guard Jordan Goodwin (he chose Saint Louis over his hometown team), but Illinois was able to counteract the “loss” by reeling in a speedy point guard who has remarkable upside.
Even though Groce is not “safe” just yet, he has done some major work this offseason to upgrade Illinois’ talent base.
A roster that consists of four quality recruits, Jalen Coleman-Lands, now-freshman Te’Jon Lucas, D.J. Williams, Leron Black and Michael Finke, amongst others, could be awfully legitimate in a year.
Next: Off-season questions for Maryland
So yea, maybe Illinois is headed in the proper direction.