At this point, we know the drill when it comes to Illinois basketball’s recruiting: coach Brad Underwood and his staff prize positional size and shooting. If a player doesn’t carry one of those traits, he often has the other in spades (or, say, significant upside in the shooting department).
Fortunately for the Illini, their latest offer is bursting at the seams with both attributes. Bentley Lusakueno, who picked up an offer from Illinois on Wednesday, is something of a unicorn – 6-foot-10 knockdown shooter who has the ability to play either forward position.
Who is Illini target Bentley Lusakueno?
Considered the No. 9 player in the country and the top power forward in the nation, per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Lusakueno is one of the most coveted prospects in his class. He already holds at least 17 Division I offers.
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Also on Wednesday, Lusakueno announced his move to IMG Academy, where he will play his high school basketball. For AAU, Lusakueno played for Team CP3 of the Nike EYBL Circuit this past season.
Bentley Lusakueno scouting report
First and foremost, as already established, Lusakueno is a shooter. On the EYBL Circuit in 2026, he shot 26-for-62 from long range – good for a brilliant percentage of 41.9.
He has a shockingly smooth jumper for a 6-foot-10 hooper who is just starting his junior year of high school. Naturally, Lusakueno has a high release point, which allows him to get his shot off at will.
Although Lusakueno is most productive as a three-point shooter, he can also get to pull-ups (though his shot-creation ability isn’t what you might hope for from such a highly rated [prospect). Athletically, he is more of a fluid athlete than an ultra-twitchy, high-flying leaper.
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With his size and length, though, his mobility is a plus. It allows him to be a viable threat as a rim runner and, perhaps more importantly, be a valuable rim protector on defense (he had seven blocks in his final EYBL outing of 2026).
Around the rim, he can get bounced due to his slim frame, but Lusakueno has soft touch on floaters and bunnies. And although he isn’t a dominant slasher, Lusakueno isn’t opposed to putting the ball on the deck.
How would Bentley Lusakueno fit at Illinois?
With his ability to toggle between the 3 and 4, Lusakueno would offer Illinois positional versatility and shooting from Day 1. His movement fluidity, especially paired with his physical traits, speaks to ample defensive upside. And at the very least, he should offer some value as a shot blocker in help side.
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If he develops as a driver in the coming years – which he should, assuming he strengthens his currently 205-pound frame – then he’ll be a pure three-level scorer with the ability to be a primary offensive threat as a freshman, a role the Illini have never been afraid to put first-year players in.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/illinois as Illinois Basketball Offers Nation’s No. 1 2028 Power Forward Bentley Lusakueno.
