Illinois Basketball Extends Offer to Athletic Center From Class of 2027

The Illini are targeting New York native Caleb Ourigou – a top-100 recruit in the class of 2027

Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood watches the action Friday, March 14, 2025, in a quarterfinals game at the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament between the Maryland Terrapins and the Illinois Fighting Illini at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last year, Illinois shot more three-pointers per game (30.1) than any other high-major program in the country. And that figure should hold pretty steady – and possibly climb – in the coming years, as coach Brad Underwood has made it abundantly clear that the Illini are a metrics-based program that prioritizes getting threes up at a high clip. Moreover, he is recruiting with that in mind.

Nevertheless, Illinois still had one valuable contributor who fell into the category of “non-shooter” last season in Morez Johnson Jr. (who transferred to Michigan in the offseason). Clearly, with Johnson’s success, Underwood and his staff are still willing to pursue players who may not possess outside range – hence, a recent offer to the nation’s top big man.

Another player who fits that mold is Caleb Ourigou, a 6-foot-10 center who just received an offer from Illinois on Saturday night, per his X account. The New York native (Woodmere) is rated as the No. 78 player in the country and 10th-best center in his class (2027), according to 247Sports.

Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Illinois! pic.twitter.com/LrMLbGVG78

— Caleb Ourigou (@calebourigou) July 13, 2025

A springy athlete with tremendous length and a strong frame, Ourigou is an absolute beast on the boards – surely a key point of interest for the rebounding-focused Underwood – and dunks nearly everything he gets his hands on in the paint.

Illinois’ offer was the seventh overall for Ourigou, who picked up another one Sunday from Florida (bringing the current total to eight). Other notable programs involved include UCLA, West Virginia and St. John’s – the last of which offered Ourigou back in 2023.

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Illinois Basketball: Assembling the Best Starting Five of the Brad Underwood Era

How Former Illini Will Riley Fared in His NBA Summer League Debut

How to Watch: A Guide for Viewing Former Illini in NBA Summer League