3 Biggest Questions Facing Illinois Basketball Ahead of the 2026-27 Season
Illinois enters the 2026-27 campaign with as much momentum as any program in the country. Fresh off a Final Four appearance, the Illini have legitimate national championship aspirations and appear loaded with talent.
Still, no roster is without flaws. Despite returning key contributors and adding impact pieces, coach Brad Underwood has several areas that need attention if Illinois hopes to finish the job next March.
1. Creating More Defensive Disruption
Illinois built its defensive identity last season by avoiding fouls, finishing first nationally in opponent free-throw rate. While that discipline paid dividends, it came with a significant downside: the Illini ranked last in the nation in forcing turnovers.
Finding a better balance should be a priority this season. Illinois has the length and size to generate more steals, deflections and blocked shots without becoming overly aggressive. More active hands, sharper anticipation and better positioning in passing lanes could create the extra possessions the Illini lacked a year ago.
The departure of Kylan Boswell also leaves a void in perimeter defense. Andrej Stojakovic has the tools to emerge as a defensive stopper, but Illinois needs more consistent ball pressure throughout the lineup. That won’t be easy given the roster’s size, which naturally sacrifices some quickness on the perimeter.
When protecting leads, Illinois can afford to play conservatively and force opponents into difficult half-court possessions. But if the Illini fall behind against elite competition, they’ll need the ability to speed up the game and force mistakes with more aggressive defensive schemes.
2. Counting on Freshmen to Contribute
Illinois retained much of its core while adding transfer Stefan Vaaks, giving the Illini six projected rotation players before accounting for their freshman class. Five-star recruit Quentin Coleman is expected to earn immediate minutes, but Illinois will likely need at least one additional freshman to become a reliable contributor.
Underwood has consistently identified and developed young talent, making it reasonable to expect another first-year player to crack the rotation. Even so, relying on freshmen always carries uncertainty.
Coleman may arrive as one of the nation’s most polished recruits, but he’s still adjusting to college basketball. History has repeatedly shown that experienced guards often make the biggest difference in March. Illinois doesn’t necessarily need Coleman to carry the backcourt, but if he’s forced into that role too soon, it could limit the team’s championship ceiling.
3. Improving Pick-and-Roll Defense
Scoring has rarely been an issue under Underwood. Regardless of offensive style, Illinois has consistently produced enough points to compete with anyone.
The bigger concern remains on the defensive end, particularly against ball screens.
Last season, opposing guards frequently found success attacking Illinois’ drop coverage in pick-and-roll situations. Matchups against players like Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. highlighted the problem, as ball-handlers repeatedly turned the corner, reached the paint and created quality looks for themselves or teammates.
The Illini’s reliance on drop coverage largely stems from the presence of Zvonimir and Tomislav Ivisic. While both provide excellent size and rim protection, neither possesses the lateral quickness to consistently defend high ball screens far from the basket.
That often left Illinois vulnerable to floaters, pull-up jumpers, kick-out threes and lob opportunities.
Completely abandoning drop coverage isn’t realistic, but small adjustments could make a significant difference. More help from weak-side defenders, quicker screen navigation by perimeter players or mixing in alternative coverages could help reduce the defensive breakdowns that surfaced against top competition.
For a team with championship expectations, improving in these three areas could be the difference between another deep tournament run and cutting down the nets next April.
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