Returners? Check. Transfer portal star? Check. And how about a loaded freshman class, just for good measure? That’s a big check.
The Illini have all the pieces to put together a historic campaign in 2026-27 – which is why they’re poised to enter the season with the highest expectations the program has entertained in more than two decades (even higher than those anticipating the Ayo Dosunmu-Kofi Cockburn squad that went on to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2020-21).
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So what could – key word being could – this dream season look like if it all comes together? Here is our projection of Illinois’ 2026-27 season if Brad Underwood’s club reaches its ceiling:
Best-case scenario for Illinois basketball in 2026-27
First up: the backcourt. For Illinois, the lone question mark -if you can call it that – is the breakdown at the guard position. If all goes to plan, the load will be split between transfer Stefan Vaaks and five-star freshman Quentin Coleman.
Inevitably, one will carry a heavier burden – and, ideally, it will be the more experienced Vaaks. If he’s wheeling and dealing in ball-screen action, consistently making the right reads and connecting on his shot at a high clip, Vaaks will be one of the best lead guards in a conference loaded with superstar point guards.
Then, when the Illini want to either give Vaaks a full breather on the bench or simply move him off the ball, Coleman can step seamlessly into that lead-guard role, initiating action in the pick-and-roll and table-setting for one (or multiple) Illini scorers.
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Toss in freshman Ethan Brown off the bench, who may be poised to become a steady contributor in the eighth-man role, and the Illini will have one more gifted decision-maker and high-level shooter in the mix.
Slowly inching towards the frontcourt, let’s imagine an Andrej Stojakovic who is a respectable weapon from deep. We’re not talking about a 40-percent three-point shooter; but one who hovers in the 33-37 range would be spectacular. We know he can get downhill, defend and rebound – those are givens. But if Stojakovic is also hitting from beyond the arc, the Illini are going to be virtually impossible to defend.
Sticking to this utopian vision of the future, David Mirkovic would develop into a dominant defender, taking advantage of his length, rock-solid frame and recently improved lateral mobility to shut down opposing wings and forwards. And, on offense, he would use that just-discovered burst to turn into a true slashing threat, rounding out his already-superb skill set.
Then you would have Tomislav Ivisic knocking down threes, protecting the rim and owning the offensive and defensive glass. And then defense – which is the key: The ideal version of the Illini are well-connected, constantly communicating, utilizing their length to create turnovers while still keeping opponents off the free-throw line. Most importantly, they’re motivated and play with an unwavering sense of pride on that end.
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Again, this is the perfect outcome for Illinois in 2026-27 – but it isn’t impossible. Naturally, the more likely result, even in an exceptional season, is that every single domino won’t fall into place (maybe the defense comes together but Stojakovic still struggles from three).
But that’s what makes these Illini so special. They undoubtedly want to maximize their potential in every facet imaginable – but none of them is a must in order for them to win a national title. As long as it checks off most of those boxes – which, admittedly, isn’t a given – Illinois will be the team-to-beat come March.
With all of that mind, here is the dream – albeit attainable – result for the Illini for 2026-27:
Projecting Illinois basketball’s 2026-27 best-case scenario record
Overall record: 37-3
Big Ten record: 18-2
NCAA Tournament seed: No. 1
Final NCAA Tournament finish: National champion
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/illinois as Projecting Illinois Basketball’s Best Case-Scenario for the 2026-27 Season.
