Illinois Basketball Coach Brad Underwood on Kasparas Jakucionis' 'Rough Spot'

The Illini coach acknowledges Jakucionis' stumbles but says, "he's one of the best players in the country"

Feb 5, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kasparas Jakucionis (32) goes to the basket against Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Dylan Harper (2) during the first half at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Few freshman – few players, really – got off to a better start this season than Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis.

Eleven points, five rebounds and seven assists in his debut. Thirteen assists in Game 2. A six-game run of 20 points or better covering November and December. Big Ten awards and national watch lists quickly followed.

But in recent weeks – and there's no other way to put it – Jakcuionis has struggled. Bad turnovers. Inconsistent shooting. Whereas he had looked so smooth and composed on the court early in the season, Jakucionis now appears – for stretches, at least – disjointed and out of synch.

In his past two games, an Illinois win over Ohio State and a loss to Rutgers, Jakucionis has averaged 7.5 points (shooting 0-for-7 on threes and 7-for-13 on free throws), 4.5 assists and 3.5 turnovers. Objectively, it's a low point.

But if Jakucionis is bothered by the results, it hasn't been reflected in his effort or demeanor. He's still throwing arms around teammates, counseling, playing hard and showing no hint of self-pity or frustration.

The only person who seems less affected by Jakucionis' stumbles? His coach.

"We believe in him, we love him to death, he's one of the best players in the country," said Illini coach Brad Underwood on Friday. "I'm a really big, big believer that when you're part of a team and you go through this – and I guess it's a lot of years of wisdom – you can't change the past.

"I'm very much about living in the moment as a basketball player. It's kind of your next-shot mentality. Forget about it. You don't worry about a streak, you don't worry about a good game or a bad game. You just have to find a way to learn from the past and mistakes – but live in the moment. That's what we're talking to him about."

Oh, and that calm under fire Jakucionis maintains through the stumbles? There's plenty of fire under the calm.

"He's very self-critical," Underwood said of Jakucionis. "He's a perfectionist; he wants to be perfect all the time. That's a great quality. But sometimes you've just gotta say, 'What the heck' and move on."

It's worth noting that Jakucionis' position and style of play likely make him more vulnerable to fluctuations around him, and there have been many – including injury and illness – in Champaign this season. But it's also as simple as this: basketball players develop in different stages and at different rates, and Jakucionis is still a teenager playing almost 5,000 miles from home.

"He just turned 18 years old," Underwood said. "A lot of new experiences. He's been phenomenal all year. He hit a rough spot."

And although Underwood was discussing the flu bug that continues to make its way through the Illinois locker room and the resulting hard times for the Illini – 3-5 over the past eight games – he might as well have been talking about his freshman point guard.

"You always come out better on the other side, every single situation I've ever been in," Underwood said. "I believe that. You fight through it and you become better."

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