The Illini coaching staff has been busy on the recruiting trail, setting up three visits for this fall. It’s no secret that Illinois will likely lose a lot of talent following this highly anticipated season, so the staff is leaning into the high school ranks and working hard to replace that production.
The frontcourt is in desperate need of reinforcements following the 2026-27 season, as Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic and potentially David Mirkovic will all be moving on from the college ranks to professional basketball. Mirkovic is only a sophomore, but with the breakout year that is expected, he could be off to the NBA. Either way, Illinois will have two productive veteran centers that will need to be replaced.
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Three five-star recruits are already scheduled to visit Champaign this fall. Brady Pettigrew, NaVarro Bowman Jr. and Darius Wabbington will all head to campus for official visits. Pettigrew and Bowman Jr. are both guards, while Wabbington is one of the best big men in the class of 2027 and could help fill the void left by the Ivisic twins.
Illinois also just offered five-star big man Bentley Lusakueno and will look to get him on campus for a visit. He announced the offer on X on Wednesday:
“Thank you to the University of Illinois, Coach Underwood, Coach Crocker and the entire coaching staff for the scholarship offer! All glory to God,” said Lusakueno.
Lusakueno is ranked as the No. 1 power forward and the No. 9 player in the class of 2028 in the 247Sports Composite rankings. He currently attends Woodward Academy and has other high-major offers from Tennessee, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, USC, Iowa, Florida State and more.
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The Woodward Academy forward played his AAU basketball for Team CP3 16U on the Nike EYBL Circuit last spring and summer. He was the second-leading scorer on the team, averaging 13.3 points per game, and led the team in blocks with 1.9 per contest. Throughout Peach Jam, he averaged a team-high 6.1 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.
Lusakueno was also a member of the Team USA U16 squad that won the gold medal at the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup.
Head coach Brad Underwood has done an outstanding job lately recruiting players who fit his system and buy into the program’s culture. There is no doubt in my mind that Lusakueno would fit the system and make an immediate impact.
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Lusakueno is a 6-foot-10 power forward who can knock down threes. He shot an impressive 47.2% from beyond the arc during the EYBL season and would likely be expected to provide that same floor-spacing ability at Illinois if he commits.
Bentley Lusakueno Highlights
Big men who can stretch the floor, pass, handle the ball and make good decisions are exactly what Brad Underwood is looking for. The Ivisic twins have done a great job stretching the floor, which creates driving lanes for guards and wings.
Lusakueno is a five-star prospect and one of the highest-ranked players in the class for a reason. He would likely come to Champaign and have an opportunity to start from day one. He would not arrive on campus until the 2028-29 season, but he could still help fill the void in Illinois’ front court that is coming soon.
