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Illinois Basketball 2025-26 Projected Lineup and Rotation: Live Roster Tracker

Follow any changes to Illinois on SI's projections for the Illini's starting lineup and rotation for the 2025-26 season

Jason Langendorf

Feb 11, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Tomislav Ivisic (13) gets a hand from teammate Kylan Boswell (4) during the second half against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Feb 11, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Tomislav Ivisic (13) gets a hand from teammate Kylan Boswell (4) during the second half against the UCLA Bruins at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
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Coming off a 2024-25 season in which it finished 22-11 overall and 12-8 (eighth place) in the Big Ten, and were then bounced from the NCAA Tournament in the second round, the Illinois men's basketball program can't be fully satisfied with how things shook out.

A major offseason reload that never quite played out as hoped has been followed by another roster overhaul for the Illini. Departures include three players who ended the season in the starting lineup – NBA Draft entries Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley, and Michigan transfer Morez Johnson Jr. – as well as two high-quality rotation players in Tre White (transferred to Kansas) and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (UNLV).

Illinois Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker: Additions, Departures and More

Illinois coach Brad Underwood and his staff have doubled down on last year's strategy, replenishing the roster with a virtual parade of European-based newcomers. The difference in this restructuring: Underwood has prioritized experience, even in first-year college players such as Serbian point guard Mihailo Petrovic, a 22-year-old veteran of Europe's Balkan-based professional Adriatic League.

How will the latest experiment play out? We won't have even the faintest idea until well after the last of the leaves have fallen around Champaign and the winds around Campustown turn cold – and, realistically, probably months longer. But we'll closely follow the remainder of Underwood's roster build and continually update our projected Illinois lineup and rotation leading up to and throughout the 2025-26 season.

Illinois' 2025-26 projected lineup and rotation

Last updated: May 12, 2025 @ 8:56 a.m. CT*

*Bookmark, refresh or just return often for the latest

Position

Starter

Backup1

Backup2

PG

Mihailo Petrovic

Kylan Boswell

Blake Fagbemi

SG

Kylan Boswell

Ty Rodgers

Brandon Lee / Keaton Wagler

SF

Andrej Stojakovic

Ty Rodgers

Ben Humrichous / Jake Davis

PF

Zvonimir Ivisic

David Mirkovic

Ben Humrichous / Jason Jakstys

C

Tomislav Ivisic

Zvonimir Ivisic

Latest updates

May 7, 2025: Illinois fans might have been expecting a Albanian small forward or a center from North Macedonia. Instead, a short drive up I-57, the Illini found an IHSA state champion and proven performer on the State Farm Center floor in point guard Blake Fagbemi. Although he's unlikely to play more than scattered minutes as a freshman, Fagbemi is the sort of high-IQ table-setter and steadying presence who will be an excellent practice player with the potential to grow into more.

April 29, 2025: The news wasn't as hotly anticipated or ceremoniously received as the arrivals of Andrej Stojakovic and Mihailo Petrovic, for example, but the announcement of Ben Humrichous' return for another season in Champaign can only be viewed as a positive for the Illini. He provides Illinois with experience and depth at both forward spots, but it will be his perimeter shooting (a team-high 62 threes on 34.3 percent shooting last season) that gives Humrichous his best chance to play significant minutes again next season.

April 28, 2025: The Illini – finally – got their man. Cal transfer Andrej Stojakovic announced on Monday that he is headed to Champaign, ending a semi-protracted courtship and ensuring that Underwood would have the dynamic wing he needed to fit snugly into his dream lineup. How the pieces come together matters, but Illinois now appears to have the firepower to make a run at a Big Ten title and a 2025-26 Final Four appearance.

April 22, 2025: The addition of Serbian point guard Mihailo Petrovic likely ends any consideration to turning over the reins of the offense to Kylan Boswell. That's probably a good thing. Although Boswell is an excellent secondary ball-handler and distributor, asking him to lock up the opponent's best wing scorer and take on lead guard duties night after night would be overkill. A Petrovic-Boswell backcourt will be on the small side, but Boswell plays bigger than his listed 6-foot-2, and 6-foot-6 Ty Rodgers gives Illinois options.

April 7, 2025: Underwood addressed the glaring need for frontcourt depth and interior beef with the signing of 6-foot-9 Montengro forward David Mirkovic. Although just 19, Mirkovic was already playing with (and producing against) pros in the Adriatic League. Because he's a gritty rebounder and a strong screener who can stretch defenses with the three, he could be a better fit as the starter – though early rumblings seem to suggest Zvonimir Ivisic will start alongside brother and center Tomislav.

April 5, 2025: If watching Tomislav share the floor with his twin brother last season when Zvonimir was a member of the Arkansas Razorbacks gave you a little thrill, you're in for a treat: Big T and Big Z will share the same uniform in 2025-26 after Zvonimir's transfer to Illinois, which may give rise to a twin tower frontcourt in Champaign. The 7-foot-2 Zvonimir is taller but a bit leaner than his 7-foot-1 brother, and he lacks Tomislav's interior punch and polish – though he is a legit three-point threat.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Why Illinois Basketball Can't Miss Out on Cal Transfer Andrej Stojakovic

Which Familiar Faces in the Transfer Portal Could Be a Fit for Illinois?

Former Illinois Basketball Star Kendrick Nunn Wins Euroleague MVP

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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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