Illinois Ranked Among Nation's Most Talented Teams by Top Analytical Tool

Bart Torvik tabs the Illini as a top-15 team in the country – and third-best in the Big Ten – based on talent

Mar 23, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood gestures after the game against the Duquesne Dukes in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The formula is simple: talent + experience = March Madness success. After the 2024-25 reliance on young players in Champaign (Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley), the Illini now appear poised to be led by senior guard Kylan Boswell, junior wing Andrej Stojakovic and a pair of 22-year-olds in big man Tomislav Ivisic and point guard Mihailo Petrovic.

So, experience? Check. 

What about talent, you may ask?

That's a bit more difficult to pinpoint. But renowned analytical system Bart Torvik did its best to do exactly that in its “projected effective talent” ranking tool. As measured by that metric, the Illini rank at No. 12 in the country heading into the 2025-26 season, trailing just two Big Ten teams in Oregon (No. 10) and Michigan (No. 11).

Torvik projects 10 contributors for Illinois heading into the season, including Boswell, Stojakovic, Petrovic, the Ivisic twins (Tomislav and Zvonimir), Ben Humrichous, David Mirkovic, Brandon Lee, Ty Rodgers and Jake Davis.

Although Torvik doesn’t have a clear-cut talent marking for each player, the analytical system does project usage and offensive rating. Unsurprisingly, Tomislav Ivisic has the highest offensive rating, but No. 2 on the roster may be a stunner: forward Ben Humrichous. As for usage, Boswell and Tomislav tied for first, while Stojakovic and Zvonimir Ivisic tied for second.

THREE BALL ✅
BLOCK ✅@IlliniMBB's Tomislav Ivisic can do it all 😤#B1GMBBall on Peacock 💻 pic.twitter.com/6CnyxrsuqR

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) January 15, 2025

Clearly, at least on the offensive side of the ball, coach Brad Underwood’s squad has everything lined up for a fantastic season. The only question that remains: Does Illinois have the tools to defend at a high level?

Although the Ivisic twins figure to turn the paint into a no-fly zone, and Boswell can be expected to lock up on the perimeter, the rest of the roster is filled with defensive question marks. In any case, given Illinois' firepower and high-level offensive talent, outscoring the Illini will be a challenge for any opponent.

Every team ahead of Illinois on Bart Torvik’s talent metric

No. 11: Michigan
No. 10: Oregon
No. 9: St. John’s
No. 8: Arkansas
No. 7: Georgia Tech
No. 6: Missouri
No. 5: Connecticut
No. 4: Houston
No. 3: Miami (Florida)
No. 2: Kentucky
No. 1: Duke

More from Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

The Big Question: Where Does Mihailo Petrovic Belong in Recruiting Rankings?

Kylan Boswell Raves About Illinois Freshman Keaton Wagler: 'He's Cold'

Was Losing Morez Johnson Jr. to Michigan a Blessing in Disguise for Illinois?

Illinois Basketball Quick-Hitters: Three Things to Know in Mid-August

Illinois Target Luigi Suigo Joins Former Squad of Illini Signee Mihailo Petrovic