Illinois Soars Up 2026 Recruiting Rankings After Ethan Brown Commitment

With four-star guard Brown coming aboard Wednesday, the Illini already have one of the nation's top 20 classes for 2026

Mar 23, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts during the second 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

According to 247Sports, only 11 teams in the 18-team Big Ten have a 2026 basketball commit – a group Illinois joined last night by landing combo guard Ethan Brown.

100% COMMITTED!! What a dream come true! Thank you God, my family, my friends, and everyone else that helped me along this journey! Thank you to the Illinois coaching staff for believing in me! I-L-L🧡 #everydayguys pic.twitter.com/0ekOCZZdvq

— Ethan Brown (@EthanBrown2026) July 31, 2025

Quickly rising up the recruiting charts over the past weeks and months, Brown is now a top-150 recruit and a four-star prospect according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. As the inaugural addition to coach Brad Underwood’s 2026 class, Brown – even as the No. 144 player in the country – has launched the Illini upward in the 2026 team recruiting rankings.

With Brown, Illinois' group rates as the No. 20 class in the nation and the sixth-best in the Big Ten. And although that number will move over time as other programs sign their own prospects, it also means that the Illini have a head start on their peers. Building a recruiting class early allows Underwood and his staff to better understand what their future may offer, assess the gaps they’ll need to fill and craft a well-thought-out plan of attack for the next offseason – specifically the transfer portal.

In the meantime, Illinois can be sure of the bare minimum it's getting from Brown: a heady guard with a pure stroke from deep. Brown has an innate understanding of the game and is the kind of player who can see a play unfolding before it happens. And although his athleticism isn't yet ideal to face Big Ten competition, Brown has the long distance shot to make up for it (and years ahead of him to work with strength and conditioning guru Adam Fletcher). Both off the dribble and the catch, Brown is a knockdown shooter – obviously the key draw for the shooting-enamored Underwood.

Perhaps Brown is just the first domino to fall in the 2026 class. But even if that isn’t the case, Brown is a worthy score for Underwood and Co. as a long-term play that can pay dividends down the road.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

The Big Question: Should Illinois Basketball Keep Firing So Many Threes?

ESPN Names Top Ten National Title Contenders: Did Illinois Hoops Make the Cut?

The One Reason Illinois Basketball Falls Just Short of Powerhouse Status