Illinois Basketball Makes Official Contact With Trio of Class of 2027 Prospects

While families across America had June 15 marked on their calendars to celebrate Father’s Day, the Illinois basketball coaching staff – many of them fathers themselves – had the date saved for another reason: When the clock struck midnight Sunday, Illinois – and all Division I coaches – were finally able to make official contact with class of 2027 recruits.
The Illini have already offered a handful of class of 2027 prospects to put themselves in the mix early, but now they the opportunity to engage in conversations – phone, text or in person – and get to know recruiting targets on deeper levels.
With that in mind, Illinois coach Brad Underwood and his crew wasted no time, reportedly reaching out to at least three rising juniors within the past 24 hours.
The first member of that trio is LJ Smith, a five-star combo guard from Lincolnton, North Carolina, who has heard from the Illini, according to Sam Lance. Smith is ranked as the 29th-best 2027 prospect in the country, according to 247 Sports, and the second-best combo guard.
Schools to contact 2027 5-star G LJ Smith so far for June 15:
— Sam Lance (@slancehoops) June 15, 2025
Duke
USC
Tennessee
VTech
Illinois
Michigan
Ohio St.
Georgetown
VCU
Ole Miss (offer)
Cinci (offer)
App St. (offer)
Smith has really impressed playing up in AAU with @TeamThadNation. Looking forward to his July. pic.twitter.com/9PvAbN6hb2
Another prospect who has been in contact with Illinois, per Lance, is Antonio Pemberton – a lead guard who plays for basketball powerhouse Brewster Academy. Pemberton is tabbed as the No. 75 overall recruit in the country and the top player in the state of New Hampshire.
Schools to reach out to 2027 4-star PG Antonio Pemberton today with the contact period open:
— Sam Lance (@slancehoops) June 16, 2025
Okla St. (offer)
Maryland (offer)
Auburn
Utah
Iowa St.
Illinois
Boston College
VCU
UMBC
Dartmouth
Oregon St.
Radford
Pitt
Talented guard who scores at all levels and sets up teammates. pic.twitter.com/E6X3IKCWrH
Also hearing from Underwood’s staff (according to Recruits Zone's Blake Smith) was J’Lon Lyons, another lead guard, who has solid positional size at 6-foot-3. Lyons, a Maryland native, is so far unranked by 247 Sports.
INFO: Top-115 2027 prospect J’Lon Lyons tells me that he has heard from the following schools since the initial contact period began at midnight:
— Recruits Zone (Blake Smith) (@recruitszone) June 15, 2025
Kansas
Providence (offer)
Oklahoma St (offer)
VT (offer)
Maryland
Syracuse
Illinois
Marquette
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/5Hjfa1TZhg