2. Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois)
Nearly every piece of last year’s roster is gone from Illinois, with a flurry of new faces trying to build off last season’s Elite Eight run. Notable freshmen and transfers populate the roster but none has stood out quite as large as Jakucionis. A somewhat under-the-radar 6’6 guard from Lithuania, Jakucionis had become the leading scorer and ball distributor for this new-look Illinois squad.
Illinois is at its best this season when Jakucionis is on his game. He missed a few games earlier this month with an injury but is averaging 15.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per outing. One of the Big Ten’s most thrilling freshmen, Jakucionis makes 40% of his 3-pointers and has had several double-digit assist performances. He had six-straight 20-point outings earlier in the year, including in wins over Missouri and Wisconsin, while flirting with a triple-double against Northwestern just over a month ago.
He’s an explosive player who affects the game in a number of ways. When he has the ball, it’s not just his shooting touch but his ability to find open players and elevate the Illini around him. This team struggled with fluidity in his absence in recent weeks. While this new-look squad is still far from perfect, Jakucionis is the player who’s going to go off if Illinois makes another run during the Big Dance, and another 20-point performance or two could certainly be in the cards.