Illinois Coach Brad Underwood Seeking Experience in Transfer Portal

Underwood and the Illini are looking to land veterans in the portal if the opportunity presents itself

Mar 20, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood speaks at press conference during NCAA Tournament First Round Practice at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

In today’s era of college basketball, team success relies perhaps solely on one aspect of a club’s roster:

Experience. 

That is, unless you’re Duke's 2024-2025 squad – a roster that boasted otherworldly talent and included three projected NBA lottery picks, plus two other expected draftees.

Aside from the Blue Devils, just take a look at the starting lineups from this past season’s Final Four and their respective average ages:

Auburn (23.4), Houston (21.8), Florida (21.6) and Duke (19.4).

Those numbers might prompt Illinois and coach Brad Underwood to make some comparisons – not just to other teams but also to past Illini squads – and they don’t have to look back very far.

Last season, which proved to be somewhat underwhelming, the Illini exited the NCAA Tournament in the second round, following a loss to third-seeded Kentucky.

The average age of Illinois' starting lineup during its short-lived March Madness run: 19.6 years.

Now, let’s go back to a season prior, when the Illini won the Big Ten Tournament title and then rattled off three wins to punch their ticket to the Elite Eight before running into the juggernaut UConn Huskies, who eventually won the national title.

Average age of Illinois’ starting lineup that season: 22.2. And its only starter under 22 was Ty Rodgers, who was 19 at the time.

With those facts surely front of mind, Underwood recently spoke about what the Illini are looking for in portal targets this offseason:

“We’d like another kind of a combo guard, we need a bigger forward that we’re still trying to work through. … If it happens to be an older guy, that’s great,” Underwood said.

And with Illinois recently linked to Florida State's Jamir Watkins (who will be 24 next season) and Cal's Andrej Stojakovic (who will be 21 next season), it’s apparent Underwood is prioritizing experience.

To clarify, Underwood isn’t opposed to going the other route, as he mentioned that it “doesn’t mean it’s not going to be a freshman.”

But why wouldn't Underwood want to turn back the clock to 2023-2024 and take on the Big Ten (not to mention the nation) with game-ready talent? Perhaps veteran transfers may help the Illini do just that.

“If the portal presents some older guys, then those are obviously things that we want to look at and try to take advantage of," Underwood said. "It was really good for us a year ago, so why not repeat the recipe?”

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Illinois Is 'Top Contender' for High-Scoring Wing Transfer, Son of NBA Great

Illinois Basketball 'In the Mix' for Elite Transfer Portal Prospect

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