Top Illinois Basketball Targets Visiting Campus for Homecoming Weekend

No. 23 Illinois (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) is seeking a massive bounce-back victory this weekend against No. 21 USC (4-0, 2-0 Big Ten) in front of a sold-out Gies Memorial Stadium crowd on homecoming weekend after suffering a blowout loss at the hands of Indiana in Week 4.

Meanwhile, Illinois basketball and head coach Brad Underwood are staying active on the recruiting trail, as the Illini are set to host a few notable prospects over the weekend. Here are some names worth monitoring:

Jasiah Jervis, 2026 wing: Official visit

The No. 39 prospect in the country, Jervis is a 6-foot-4 wing with a buttery stroke from deep, along with solid athleticism and a well-rounded game.

His ranking jumped 40 spots after going off on the EYBL 🚨👀 @Jasiah_Jervis @NikeEYB

4⭐️ Jasiah Jervis averaged 17 PPG and helped the NY Rens reach the Peach Jam title game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TuUMugZvac
— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) September 13, 2025

He can slide into a secondary ball-handler role, star as a spot-up shooter, be the go-to scoring option and defend multiple perimeter positions. A versatile prospect, Jervis can play in practically any role and will shine regardless.

Click here for a closer look at Jervis

Lucas Morillo, 2026 guard/forward: Official visit

The No. 56 recruit in his class, Morillo has coveted size (6-foot-6) and, similar to Jervis, a diversified skill set.

On offense, Morillo can play any position from point guard to power forward. He’s a deceptively adept facilitator, a solid shooter and a crafty, patient downhill player.

Click here for a closer look at Morillo

Ethan Brown, 2026 guard (Illinois commit): Return visit

Four - Star Illinois commit Ethan Brown has set his return visit for their Homecoming game against USC on Saturday, September 27th. pic.twitter.com/yNuRjYkvK2
— UI Zone (@Recruit2Illini) September 17, 2025

An Illini pledge, Brown has been committed to the program since late July and is now set to take another visit to Champaign.

Brown is a 6-foot-4 combo guard and – naturally, for an Underwood recruit – is a highly skilled shooter from deep.

Click here for a closer look at Brown

Mason Martin, 2027 wing, and Cole Kelly, 2028 wing: Unofficial visits

Neuqua Valley (Naperville, Illinois) high school teammates, Martin and Kelly both played varsity last season, helping their program to a 20-13 season.

Martin is a 6-foot-5 wing with a knockdown jumper from long range and a developing downhill game.

As for Kelly, he’s an unbelievably talented shotmaker who, at 6-foot-7, has the ability to get his jumper off at will and connect at a high clip. The rising sophomore already holds offers from Illinois, Drake, DePaul and Nebraska.

Although the majority of recruiting outlets have yet to release the class of 2028 rankings, Kelly appears to be one of the frontrunners for the No. 1 spot in the state (along with fellow Illini target Brady Pettigrew).

Both prospects also suit up for Breakaway Basketball on the AAU Circuit – a program with a proven track record of developing talent, specifically shooters, that also happens to be the former squad of current Illini forward Jason Jakstys.

2027 6’5 @MasonMartin08 and 2028 6’7 @colekelly_14 will be taking unofficial visits to @IlliniMBB this weekend. Say hello to our boy @JakstysJason! pic.twitter.com/LipVPGDlVs
— Breakaway Basketball (@BreakawayBball) September 22, 2025