Illinois Basketball Hosts a Handful of Recruits at Western Michigan Football Game

The Illini welcomed at least six prospects to their Champaign campus this weekend. Here's a quick glimpse at each:

Mar 23, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against the Kentucky Wildcats at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Saturday appears to be a massive day for Illinois athletics on the whole. The Illini have welcomed a handful of football and basketball recruiting targets for a football game-day visit when the program takes on a big-time gridiron opponent in … Western Michigan.

So maybe Illinois can’t be too picky with specific dates for visits (or just wants to ensure that the vibe is right with a big win). And maybe the Illini will bring in a bunch more recruits later this month for a USC matchup or in early October when Ohio State comes to town. Nevertheless, this weekend was a big opportunity for both Bret Bielema and Brad Underwood to show prospects what their programs (and the school) have to offer.

We've covered plenty of the footballers involved in this weekend's activities in Champaign, so let's dig into the hoops recruits who were scheduled to be on hand:

Cameron Holmes, 2026 wing: Official visit

Millennium forward Cameron Holmes (3) reacts after dunking against Sunnyslope during a game at Millennium High School in Goodyear on Jan. 23, 2025. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Holmes, a 6-foot-6 wing and the No. 30 recruit in the class of 2026, is a four-star recruit and a next-level talent. A Goodyear, Arizona, native, Holmes took his first of six upcoming visits this weekend. (He has visits to North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Gonzaga and Arizona remaining on the docket.)

Click here for a closer look at Holmes

Denver Nuggets DaRon Holmes younger brother Cameron Holmes is too tough. Them lefty’s are always tough. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rt9rIS5ZyG

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) September 11, 2025

Sinan Huan, 2026 big: Official visit

A 7-footer who is originally from China, Huan came to the United States a few years ago and has since seen his game grow exponentially in that time. He is the No. 71 player in his class and is also being heavily pursued by the prominent 7-footer University, Purdue.

Click here for a closer look at Huan

Jaxson Davis, 2027 guard: Unofficial visit

4⭐️ ‘27 point guard Jaxson Davis (@_JaxsonDavis) of Warren Township (IL) / Meanstreets will take an unofficial visit to Illinois on September 13th, he tells me. pic.twitter.com/XpEBq8ehxR

— UI Zone (@Recruit2Illini) September 12, 2025

Davis, also a Purdue target, is absurdly talented and is the first-ever sophomore to win the state of Illinois’ most coveted amateur award: Mr. Basketball. The No. 64 player in 2027, Davis figures to reel in a handful more high-major offers in the coming months.

Click here for a closer look at Davis

Keller Daughtery, 2027 wing: Unofficial visit

A 6-foot-9 wing from Missouri, Daughtery doesn’t yet have an offer from the Illini, but he clearly has piqued their interest. Lengthy, with a smooth jumper and a solid all-around offensive game, Daughtery appears to be a high-ceiling player.

Brady Pettigrew, 2028 guard: Unofficial visit

The No. 15 player in his class (per ESPN), Pettigrew – a Bolingbrook, Illinois, native – comes from a renowned basketball family (older brothers Trey and JT both play Division I basketball, and their father, Titcus, played football and basketball at Penn State). A shifty lead guard, Brady Pettigrew has the tools to grow into a widely coveted high-major recruit.

Noah VanTholen, 2028 guard: Unofficial visit

A multi-faceted scorer with solid size (6-foot-4), VanTholen can knock it down from deep or attack the basket with his herky-jerky change of pace. He attends Riverside-Brookfield High School in Illinois and suits up for Breakaway on the AAU circuit.