Illinois Basketball Lands Top Transfer, Keeps Core

0:00On May 2nd Illinois coach Brad Underwood is getting props for holding on to his core squad and snagging a top transfer to boost the back court. Freshman guard Stefan Bayekz jumped from Providence to the fighting Illinois, feeling the gap left by Keaton Wagler's NBA draft move. This single portal pickup rounds out a roster that's looking stacked for next season. Vox lit it up as a true freshman, dropping 15.8 points per game with 3.2 assists, 2.5 boards and solid, defense. He started 22 of his 31 games for the friars, proving he's a versatile scorer with range and vision. Underwood hyped about the fit, saying Vox messes perfectly with the returners. Fans and analysts are buzzing too, seeing this as a smart move to keep Illinois competitive in the big 10 without overhauling the lineup. On top of that, stars like David Merkovich, Thomas Lobb at Vizek in Andrej Stojecovich are sticking around, so the starting 5 stays familiar. Underwood also reeled in the number 8 recruiting class

1:01for 2026, including four star guards Quentin Coleman and Lucas Marillo. With this mix of vets, the new transfer and fresh talent incoming, Illinois's primed to run it back strong and chase deeper tournament runs.