NCAA Basketball Recruiting: 2022 4-star G Ramel Lloyd Jr. trims list to 8

Illinois Fighting Illini

By far, the Illini are the program on Lloyd’s list to have the biggest improvement in national success. Head coach Brad Underwood is making the most of his talent and making plenty of noise on the recruiting scene in successive seasons. Despite several hiccups early this season, the Illinois program is bursting with talent to carry over this year’s momentum to 2021 and beyond.

Likely set to lose stars Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn this offseason, the mantle will be passed to talented guards Andre Curbelo and Adam Miller in 2021 with plenty of room for both to develop even more. The team’s depth will certainly be tested next season, especially with a light emphasis being placed on recruiting the 2021 class. Coach Underwood has already begun to thoroughly chase a large number of 2022 recruits.

However, this should not exactly scare off a player like Ramel Lloyd Jr. In fact Illinois roster construction heading into 2022 largely resembles that of conference foe Rutgers, with a strong frontcourt and thin backcourt exhibiting weakness with players on the wings.

Adding Lloyd is a necessity for Illinois to have a seamless transition between the 2021 and 2022 teams. His physicality is perfect for the Big Ten and his scoring chops are needed to take provide balance to the program’s roster construction.

With 2022 being far away and the recruiting situation unclear, it’s hard to definitively say how things will unfold. Yet, there’s a certainty that Lloyd can be a valued asset for the Illini with loads of potential for both minutes and immediate impact once he stepped foot on campus.