May 25 – CAMPAIGN – A sentiment circulating in college basketball circles concerns how rosters can be constructed moving forward into this level’s version of the NBA’s player empowerment era.
The transfer portal and the opportunity for players to benefit from their name, image and likeness have changed the game. Not to mention Thursday’s recent developments that essentially pave the way for athletes to get a share of the revenue in college athletics.
All the money has also changed the way coaches can build their teams.
When it comes to scholarship usage — especially at the power conference level — 11 is the new 13. And some coaches may not even use that many, as near-constant roster turnover has become the off-season norm.
New Arkansas coach John Calipari hinted that he could make do with just eight or nine scholarship players.
“They’re leaving anyway, and why would I raise a child for someone else? Why would I do that?” Calipari told National Basketball Coaches Association Executive Director Craig Robinson on his “Ways to Win” podcast.
Illinois will likely get closer to 11 than 13. The Illini already have 10 scholarships accounted for between two returning players, Ty Rodgers and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, and eight newcomers.
The total roster reset this off-season has included six portal losses and five portal additions since April 1. Dain Dainja (Memphis), Sencire Harris and Amani Hansberry (West Virginia), Luke Goode (Indiana) and Nico Moretti (Florida Atlantic) have all found new college basketball homes.
Coleman Hawkins is still in the portal as he weighs whether to keep his name in the NBA Draft or return to college. Maybe in Illinois or maybe somewhere else.
Illinois signed Mercer forward Jake Davis, Louisville guard Tre White, Arizona guard Kylan Boswell and Evansville forward Ben Humrichous from the portal. The roster of eight rookies also includes freshmen Morez Johnson Jr., Tomislav Ivisic and Jason Jakstys.
That would cover what Brad Underwood has indicated will be the bulk of Illinois’ roster changes. The Illini coach has three scholarships available for the 2024-25 season, but that doesn’t mean three more rookies. Most likely, there is just one more move to be made.
“I think you can have too many,” Underwood said. “I think it’s an absolute disaster to have too many. There are challenges that come with that. I think availability is a really good thing to have, whether it’s at the end or the semester. We could potentially consider one more, but beyond that, I don’t foresee any more than that, unless something bizarre happens.”
Illinois has addressed size and shooting with most of its roster additions for next season. Some, like the 7-foot-1 Ivisic and the 6-9 Humrichous, check both boxes. The final piece of the lineup puzzle is unlikely to be shorter and non-shooting.
Underwood said he is looking for an “action guy.”
“A guy we can put into action, whether it’s through booty ball, through pick-and-roll or off screens,” said the Illinois coach. “A guy who has the ability to score. A guy who has the ability, if he pairs up, will make the right pass.
“It doesn’t always have to be a point guard. A guy who is very comfortable handling that and elevating his teammates, as well as having the ability to score. It’s not a lot to ask – just a really, really good player that you can put in . actions.”
