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3 Reasons Illinois' Brad Underwood Prizes International Recruiting

It's no secret that Underwood goes harder on the international recruiting scene than any coach in college basketball – but why?
Jason Langendorf|
University of Illinois head basketball coach Brad Underwood makes a point during the Kevin Brown Memorial Tournament of Champions Social for sponsors and donors Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 at Countryside Banquet Facility in Sunnyland.
University of Illinois head basketball coach Brad Underwood makes a point during the Kevin Brown Memorial Tournament of Champions Social for sponsors and donors Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 at Countryside Banquet Facility in Sunnyland. | MATT DAYHOFF/JOURNAL STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting Illini

By now, there should be zero confusion about Illinois coach Brad Underwood's regard for the college basketball international recruiting scene: He's a fan. A big one. If it wasn't plain after he signed three non-American prospects last offseason – two of which became the Illini's first-ever one-and-done NBA players over the summer – then it should be blatantly obvious now, after Underwood went all-in by signing four more foreign-born players to reload this past spring.

But has he ever fully explained why he fell in with high school-age hoops foreign nationals in the first place? Not to the best of my knowledge – at least, not previously in as clear and detailed terms as he offered at Thursday's Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Day. "I think there's a variety of reasons," Underwood began after being asked the question pointedly. So let's dive in to the biggies:

Why Brad Underwood has become hoops' international man of mastery

1. International flavor is already a hallmark of Illinois' student body

"One, it fits our university," Underwood said of going so hard on the recruiting scene abroad. "We have a very diverse university in the University of Illinois."

That is undeniably the case. According to U.S. News & World Report, the University of Illinois has a higher percentage of international students – 14 percent – than any other public institution in the United States. Basically, there are a handful of joints like New York University, Harvard and Johns Hopkins, and then there's Illinois. If you've strolled Green Street at any point over the past 10 years, you've seen (and likely smelled) the lovely array of cultural food offerings. That's one small example of how Champaign has welcomed students from faraway lands. Why not extend that sentiment to student-athletes – and make the most of it as a program?

2. The Big Three

"We've always looked at it as a way that fit me and fit what I like," Underwood said of prioritizing the international circuit. "The Big Three, as I call them: dribble-pass-shoot guys. I love the fact that they have a tremendous passion for the game. They've been extremely well-coached in their young days. They're fundamentally very sound."

The second generation of hoopers outside U.S. borders since the global phenomenon of the 1992 Dream Team is arriving now, and they do not fit the old stereotypes of "Euro players." Michael Jordan planted the seed, the internet nurtured it, and a wave of international athletes and coaches who brought home modern moves and methods to mesh with the proven principles and cultural inclinations of foreign coaching has seen the foreign game bloom.

3. Colleges can now attract the best of the international best

Underwood is hardly the first coach to sign an international player, and he hasn't revolutionized the process of recruiting abroad. But he found what amounted to a market opportunity, capitalized on it early and has begun building a pipeline and infrastructure that should allow Illinois to continue building accordingly for the foreseeable future.

Former Illini Kasparas Jakucionis (Lithuania) and Will Riley (Canada) – who went No. 21 and 22 in June's NBA Draft, to the Miami Heat and Washington Wizards, respectively – set a new bar for Illinois, as well as college basketball in general. Given the current college basketball landscape, foreign-born players have more incentive than ever to pass on, or put off, local pro leagues and instead globetrot to matriculate in the States.

"Now NIL has opened it up so we can actually get the really, really good ones," Underwood said of a key driving force in international recruiting. "We've had guys before, but maybe not the top-quality ones. And now, with NIL, I think our style of play, our development with [strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher] and the weight room all help play into that."

And not for nothing, it boosts the cachet of Illinois basketball immeasurably to be recognized as a leading developmental stop on the way to a career in the top pro league on the planet.

"The best players in the NBA are European players now, and so we're following a trend," Underwood said. "It's exciting for them to come here and play. And, you know, the more success these players have for us, I think the better chance we have of retaining them."

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Jason Langendorf
JASON LANGENDORF

Jason Langendorf has covered Illinois basketball, football and more for Illinois on SI since October 2024, and has covered Illini sports – among other subjects – for 30 years. A veteran of ESPN and Sporting News, he has published work in The Guardian, Vice, Chicago Sun-Times and many other outlets. He is currently also the U.S. editor at BoxingScene and a judge for the annual BWAA writing awards. He can be followed and reached on X and Bluesky @JasonLangendorf.

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