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The No. 1 drawback from winning: retention is difficult. Now, through a couple of days of transfer portal action, it hasn’t been a problem for Illinois, but it’s not the portal that the Illini should fear; it’s the next level. NBA scouts certainly had their eyes glued to the entire NCAA Tournament, which means they got a heavy dose of Illinois as the program made its first Final Four run in 21 years.
Naturally, standout freshman Keaton Wagler is near the top of many boards, while there’s another quartet of Illini players also at least in the discussion for the draft. Here’s where Illinois players landed in the latest ESPN 2026 NBA draft big board:
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Five Illini land in top 100 of ESPN’s 2026 NBA draft big board
Mar 28, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Zvonimir Ivisic (44) shoots against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the South Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
No. 81 Zvonimir Ivisic
Down the stretch of the year, Zvonimir Ivisic still made his impact felt on the defensive end, but his skill that had caught the attention of NBA front offices – shooting – tailed off and he finished just 28-for-100 from deep on the year.
No. 72 Andrej Stojakovic
The whole hoops world knows Andrej Stojakovic can get to the rack. Athleticism, strength, footwork, sheer will – you name it, if it’s a skill related to getting to the basket, Stojakovic has it. But his long-distance jumper failed to come around despite an excellent NCAA Tournament, and his draft stock remains down because of it.
No. 66 Kylan Boswell
Fresh out of eligibility, Kylan Boswell is the lone Illini guaranteed to be involved in all things NBA-draft related. His motor, IQ and athleticism have certainly won him suitors in the NBA, but he has the same issue as the previous three Illini: shooting.
He shot just 30.7 percent from deep this past season, which makes it difficult…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/5-illinois-players-crack-espns-194250344.html
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Publish date : 2026-04-11 07:17:00
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