Brad Underwood's Simple (If Not Easy) Fix for Keeping Illinois' Top Scorers Happy

One word has become synonymous with Illinois basketball – particularly when it comes to its offensive attack – throughout the 2025-26 campaign: balance. The Illini have a weapon arsenal deeper than the U.S. military's, which, although theoretically optimal, doesn't create the peaceful utopia that might seem to be the result.

If guard Keaton Wagler and big man Tomislav Ivisic each go off for 20-plus, as they did on Wednesday night in a win over Northwestern, that leaves scarce scoring opportunities for their teammates. When Kylan Boswell chips in another 13 points of his own, there’s only table scraps left for Andrej Stojakovic and David Mirkovic, who combined for 10 total points. And that's just the starting lineup.

A game earlier – a win over Iowa – it was Mirkovic and Ivisic scoring only seven apiece and just one reserve adding his name to the scoring column (Zvonimir Ivisic had eight points).

Sure, any Illini can go off on any given night, but how do you keep players engaged and active in the games in which they’re scoring in single digits. Matchups and luck could ice out a given player for two weeks' worth of games. How do you manage that situation carrying a roster packed with guys who know they’re capable of popping off for 20-plus?

Why Brad Underwood isn't worried about keeping his scorers happy

The answer is simple: win. Winning is the cure-all. Not scoring enough? Who cares? We’re winning. Not playing enough? Who cares? We’re winning. Not getting enough shots up? You get the idea: patience and selflessness come cheap when the Ws are flowing.

“Winning trumps all,” said Illini coach Brad Underwood on Friday. “You work to play the game to win it. And all the other stuff will take care of itself. It doesn’t matter what your numbers are.”

Easier said than done, obviously. Players at this level have NBA aspirations and NIL considerations and, often, egos as big as Range Rovers. But Underwood is on to something: In reality, without balance and the democratic distribution of scoring across the starting lineup, the Illini wouldn’t be ranked No. 13 with a 14-3 overall record and a 5-1 mark in the Big Ten. Seriously. Just take a look at the rest of the league.

“Right now, we’re in a unique spot,” Underwood said. "The top 10 scorers in the league aren’t on the top five teams. Winning. It’s winning. And it’s balance."

In fact, among scorers on the best teams in the conference, only Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort (16.4 points per game) is anywhere near that list – and he sits tied for No. 13. (Illinois' Wagler is at No. 16, averaging 16.1 points per game.)

But what about those pro aspirations? Well, Illinois has had Wagler, Stojakovic, Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic projected in mock drafts. If a loaded team wins – and a player impacts that winning – NBA front offices are savvy enough to understand the dynamic and value efficiency over volume.

In fact, a handful of players every year manage to lift their draft projections based on their contributions in the NCAA Tournament. Overlooked or undervalued players are suddenly on the grandest stage, excelling under the most intense pressure – but only if their team keeps climbing through its bracket.

Plus, tomorrow's NBA superstars have generally already been anointed. The league is built on depth, glue guys and second (and third and fourth) fiddles. Think about it: The majority of NBA reserves rate among the top 300 basketball players on the planet.

“You go to the next level, you’re going to play a role – if you’re that fortunate,” Underwood said.

A well-executed role on a high-level team – specifically one that plays an NBA-style offense (as Illinois does) – helps show a scout exactly the kind of player they can expect at the next level. Take Stojakovic, for example: He scored 17.9 points per game as an inefficient, high-volume player on a subpar Cal team a year ago.

Now? His scoring average has dipped to 13.9 points per game, but he’s shooting over 50 percent from the field, and front offices don’t have to wonder about whether he’ll fit in the league as a cog in the machine. NBA teams aren’t forced to take a chance that Stojakovic can learn to be effective, efficient and comfortable surrounded by other gifted players – they’ve already seen it. (Now, he just needs to hone his three-point shot.)

Buy into your role and everything takes care of itself. That's the message. And, of course, win. Because the Illini have been doing just that, there seems to be not even a semblance of concern in Underwood’s mind about his players’ ability to continue embracing and thriving in the space that's afforded to them on any given night.

“It’s just about finding your role and enjoying the moment of winning and what that takes and what that looks like," Underwood said. "And that’s the stuff you remember when you’re 45 years old and coming back to reunion – all the winning."