Illinois Basketball: Analyzing Fighting Illini 2021 incoming recruiting class

4. Brandin Podziemski

Illinois basketball adds quite a dynamic prospect on the wing in 6-foot-6 guard Brandon Podziemski. He’s a four-star prospect out of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Wisconsin, where he was named Mr. Basketball in the state for his play in 2020-21.

As a senior, he posted 35.1 ppg, 10.0 rpg, and 5.6 apg while shooting 60 percent from the field and 43 percent (108 of 249) from 3-point range, becoming just the first prep player to score 2,000 points or more in three seasons.

The Fighting Illini only return 6-foot-6 guard Jacob Grandison at the wing spot for 2021-22, leaving the door wide open for Podziemski to come in and earn some minutes given what he can do on the perimeter as a shooter, rebounder, and playmaker.  Don’t be surprised if he makes an early splash off the bench by the end of the year.

3. Omar Payne

Omar Payne joins the Illinois basketball squad after spending the past two seasons with the Florida Gators. He appeared in 54 games (15 starts) from 2019-21 while averaging 3.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, and 1.2 bpg on 66.7 percent shooting from the field through his career so far.

He’s a long, wiry forward prospect at 6-foot-10 with a ton of promise as a rim protector, rim runner, and rebounder on the interior. He’s compiled a 98.4 defensive rating across the past two seasons already as mainly a reserve for the Gators in his career.

He’ll look to bring his experience to the Fighting Illini and add some frontcourt depth with his ability to make an impact around the rim. He has the potential to make quite the combination in the frontcourt alongside Kofi Cockburn, or even as his backup.