Illinois Basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Fighting Illini
By Tommy Farmer
In a matter of mere weeks, Illinois Basketball will be playing meaningful basketball for the first time since March. March seems like an eternity ago after all that has happened with this program since the loss to an in-state opponent with the famous nun that will not be mentioned any further. Illinois fans have a lot to be excited about even after losing so many key contributors from last season.
The team enters the 2021-2022 season ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll, which puts them as the third Big Ten team in the rankings behind just Michigan and Purdue. Trying to build on a season in which the Illini ended the year ranked No. 2, Brad Underwood has all the pieces to make another run at both a Big Ten title and a national title.
Kofi Cockburn’s return to the team after flirting with the NBA and the transfer portal came as a major relief to Illinois. Cockburn comes into this season as one of the favorites to bring home National Player of the Year hardware after a dominant sophomore campaign. Guards Andre Curbelo and Trent Frazier also return to give Illinois experienced firepower in their backcourt.
Brad Underwood retooled to the tune of bringing in two high major transfers set to contribute instantly in Alfonso Plummer and Omar Payne, while also adding three nationally ranked freshmen in Luke Goode, Brandin Podziemski, and RJ Melendez. This is a crucial part of Underwood’s efforts to build sustained success at Illinois, and he is doing a great job to this point.
Some questions remain regarding how Illinois will respond after losing star Ayo Dosunmu to the NBA, but with the pieces in place, there is no doubt they have the potential to do something big.
Let’s take a look at what this season may have in store for the Illini…