Illinois Basketball Offers High-Flying In-State Guard Amarion Smith-Holley

Illinois’ Brad Underwood loves positional size. That was never more evident than it had been in last year’s squad. Kasparas Jakucionis, who checked in at 6-foot-6, played point guard, while the rest of the Illini starting lineup was at least 6-foot-7 … aside from just one: guard Kylan Boswell.

Boswell is (generously) listed at 6-foot-2, yet he’s effectively Illinois’ shooting guard, and has proven to be a difference-making defender against 6-foot-8 wings. Likely in large part due to Boswell, Underwood hasn’t turned away from undersized guards, in fact, he has even sought them out.

This offseason, the Illini added Blake Fagbemi, a class of 2025 guard from Benet (Naperville, Illinois) and reigning state champion stands at 6-feet on his best day, but he’s a high-flying athlete who more than makes up for his relatively short stature with his bounce, not to mention his physicality and motor.

Illinois offers Amarion Smith-Holley

Clearly, Underwood has loved what he has seen from his undersized guards, considering he and his staff just extended an offer to a player that fits that exact mold: Amarion Smith-Holley.

After a great visit I am extremely blessed to receive an Division 1 offer from the University Of Illinois🤍🧡! #godspeed pic.twitter.com/kQrGDxbUFl
— Amarion Smith-Holley (@Darealmarion21) October 11, 2025

A Peoria, Illinois, native from the class of 2028, Smith-Holley is listed at 5-foot-11, and the Illini gave him just his fourth Division I offer. (He has also picked up offers from Arizona State, Eastern Illinois and Incarnate Word.) Smith-Holley was offered following his unofficial visit to Champaign this past weekend.

Similar to Fagbemi, Smith-Holley is a jump-out-of-the-gym athlete who can dunk everything. Better yet, as a sophomore, Smith-Holley has adequate time to perhaps grow another inch or two (and ideally even more), as well as thicken his frame.

#1 ranked PG in Illinois Amarion Smith-Holley will be in attendance for the next Courtside Camp! Elite 2028 prospect with multiple offers already 👀 @Darealmarion21 pic.twitter.com/pV3kqmfRPK
— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) September 19, 2025

Smith-Holley also has a silky-smooth jumper and is a threat in catch-and-shoot situations and off-the-dribble from deep or midrange. To top it off, he facilitates well for his teammates and excels pushing the ball in transition.

Amarion Smith-Holley’s background

Smith-Holley attends Peoria Richwoods, a prominent in-state basketball power that recently produced a notable Big Ten talent in Lathan Sommerville (who transferred from Rutgers to Washington this past offseason).

On the AAU circuit, Smith-Holley plays for one of the premier Chicago programs in Mac Irvin Fire – the same squad that produced Ayo Dosunmu and Adam Miller.

Smith-Holley remains unranked by 247Sports (the recruiting platform has yet to release its class of 2028 rankings), but he is expected to debut as a top-five player in the state of Illinois, and may even debut in the top three.

🔶🔷 | Richwoods 2028 PG Amarion Smith-Holley earned an offer from Illinois while on on his unofficial visit to Illinois!#IlliniNation, is this the move⁉️ @Darealmarion21 pic.twitter.com/GcwyQZR8YK
— UI Zone (@Recruit2Illini) October 11, 2025