Illinois Basketball Offseason Tracker: Departures, Additions, What's Next

The Illini have lost six players from last year's squad, but have added some key transfers and recruits for the 2026-27 season.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 2:05am

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A cubist-style painting featuring fragmented, geometric shapes in shades of orange, navy, and white, capturing the dynamic energy and motion of an Illinois basketball game or practice.The Illinois basketball program faces a pivotal offseason as it reloads its roster with new talent after a Final Four run.Columbus Today

The Illinois basketball team has seen significant roster turnover this offseason, with six players departing the program. However, the Illini have also added several new faces, including transfers and highly-touted recruits, as they look to build on their Final Four appearance last season.

Why it matters

Illinois is coming off a successful 2025-26 campaign that saw them reach the Final Four, but the loss of key contributors like Kylan Boswell and Keaton Wagler means the team will have to reload and integrate new talent if they want to remain among the top programs in the Big Ten and nationally.

The details

The Illini have lost six players from last year's squad, including Boswell, Humrichous, Redd, Wagler, Petrovic, and Bilic. To replace that production, Illinois has brought in a talented recruiting class featuring Ethan Brown, Landon Davis, Lucas Morillo, and Quentin Coleman. The team has also added a key transfer in Stefan Vaaks, a 6'7" wing who should provide scoring and playmaking ability. Head coach Brad Underwood may still look to add another transfer, potentially targeting Wisconsin's John Blackwell, to help solidify the backcourt.

  • Kylan Boswell and Ben Humrichous have exhausted their eligibility.
  • Keaton Wagler has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft.
  • Mihailo Petrovic and Toni Bilic have entered the transfer portal.
  • Illinois' 2026 recruiting class, including Ethan Brown, Landon Davis, Lucas Morillo, and Quentin Coleman, have all committed to the program.
  • Stefan Vaaks, a 6'7" wing transfer from Providence, committed to Illinois on April 12, 2026.

The players

Kylan Boswell

A guard who spent two years at Arizona before returning home to Champaign and helping the Illini reach the Final Four in his senior season.

Ben Humrichous

A player who worked his way up from the NAIA level to become a key contributor for the Illini over the past two seasons.

Keaton Wagler

A freshman sensation who had a historic season for Illinois, but has now declared for the 2026 NBA Draft.

Mihailo Petrovic

The expected lead guard who was unable to find his footing in Champaign and has entered the transfer portal.

Stefan Vaaks

A 6'7" wing transfer from Providence who provides scoring, shooting, and playmaking ability, and should immediately slot into the starting lineup for Illinois.

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What they’re saying

“Big game for Stefan Vaaks in Providence's win over Creighton despite a rough shooting night. Vaaks showed off his scoring versatility, PNR creation, and passing. It's been a lot of fun to see the game steadily slow down for him and watch him grow into more of a primary creator.”

— Tyler Metcalf, Basketball Analyst

What’s next

Illinois may look to add one more transfer, potentially targeting Wisconsin's John Blackwell, to help solidify the backcourt and provide additional depth and playmaking ability. The team will also need to integrate its talented recruiting class and transfer addition Stefan Vaaks as they look to build on last season's Final Four run.

The takeaway

Illinois has seen significant roster turnover this offseason, but has also brought in a mix of high-potential recruits and a key transfer in Stefan Vaaks. The Illini will need to quickly integrate this new talent if they want to remain among the top teams in the Big Ten and make another deep NCAA Tournament run.