Massive News As The Illinois Fans Have Something To Cheer Amid Some New Weapons Thanks To The Portal
Jasmine Brown-Hagger and Lety Vasconcelos prepare for year one at Illinois.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois women’s basketball has entered year three under Coach Shauna Green.
While much of the 2024 offseason chatter has centered around Brad Underwood and the men’s team, some Illinois fans might have overlooked Coach Shauna Green’s acquisition of two key transfers.
Lety Vasconcelos and Jasmine Brown-Hagger recently shared their journeys to Illinois. Meanwhile, Coach Green provided insights into the upcoming season.
A Growing Program
Building on two successful seasons, Coach Green turned to the transfer portal to bolster the team for the upcoming season.
“We have landed some of the top recruits,” Green said. “We brought them here through strong relationships, our ability to win, and demonstrating that we are on the right track.”
Reflecting on recruiting Brown-Hagger previously, Green said, “It was our first year; we hadn’t won at all, we hadn’t done anything. Then she saw that maybe they can do it in my home state.”
The local connection was another significant factor for Brown-Hagger, who played high school basketball in the Chicago suburbs.
Regarding Vasconcelos, Green mentioned: “It’s a process of conditioning and getting her to understand the defense. The offense will come easily.”
Vasconcelos, towering at 6-foot-7, contrasts sharply with the 5-foot-9 guard Brown-Hagger. However, Green expects both to make significant impacts on both ends of the court.
Jasmine Brown-Hagger
After completing her first season at Mississippi State, Brown-Hagger entered the transfer portal.
“I’ve really enjoyed it here. The environment and the people are very nice,” Brown-Hagger said.
A highly sought-after recruit, she was ranked No. 1 in Illinois for the 2023 class.
“If you have a coach who supports you, you’re free to go out and make mistakes,” Brown-Hagger said.
Despite averaging only 2.1 points per game and playing just 8.7 minutes per game last season, the incoming sophomore has high ambitions for her second year.
Lety Vasconcelos
Like Brown-Hagger, Vasconcelos is also a sophomore transfer. After spending a year at Baylor, she chose to transfer to Illinois.
“The coaching staff can help me reach my goals,” Vasconcelos said.
Vasconcelos was another highly sought-after recruit in high school, ranked 36th in her 2023 class.
“Not everything will be perfect, but we have to work hard every day,” she said.
With the addition of Vasconcelos, height will no longer be an issue for Illinois. The team boasts several tall centers and a range of 6-foot-2 and 6-foot-3 forwards, making height a significant strength this year.
Roles of Brown-Hagger and Vasconcelos
Following their 2023 WBIT championship, the Illini retained most of their roster, with eight returning players and four incoming freshmen.
“We needed more depth at the wing and guard spots,” Green said.
Coach Green also sees Brown-Hagger as a versatile player. “Jas, I have her playing some point guard, too.”
“Her ability to score and defend fills a crucial need for us,” Green said about Brown-Hagger.
“Lety fills the size gap; losing Camile Hobby means we need another five,” Green added.
Although confident in the two players’ abilities, Green emphasized that it’s still early.
What’s Next?
The team has an exciting few weeks ahead.
On Aug. 2, they depart for Europe, visiting Italy and Greece.
Illinois will play two exhibition games and enjoy various tours and excursions.
“We have two games, but it’s mostly about team bonding and experiencing the culture,” said Green.
After the tour ends on Aug. 10, the focus will shift to the regular season opener.
However, there’s still plenty of summer left, giving Jasmine Brown-Hagger and Lety Vasconcelos more time to prepare and hopefully excel on the court by November.