Is Everyone Sleeping on Illinois Basketball's 'Other' Impact Freshman?

Brandon Lee officially launched his college hoops career Saturday, and his performance – especially on D – merits attention outside the Illini inner circle

Nov 22, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Long Island University Sharks guard A.J. Neal, Jr. (10) guards Illinois Fighting Illini guard Brandon Lee (1) during the second half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Freshmen tend to enter college basketball with their games most polished up on the offensive end. Nowadays, with the developmental tools and resources at the fingertips of high school hoopers, teenage recruits often arrive at high-major programs already skilled enough to contribute on that end. Defensively, though, it tends to be a different story – but not for Illinois’ Brandon Lee.

Illinois' Brandon Lee draws internal praise in debut

Nov 22, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois fighting Illini players Andrej Stojakovic (2) Tomislav Ivisic (13) guard Kylan Boswell (4) and Brandon Lee (1) stand while teammate Ben Humrichhous (3) shoots for a technical foul on the Long Island University Sharks during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

His offensive ability is present: Lee scored 17 points (on 5-for-5 shooting) in 23 minutes in Illinois' exhibition win over Illinois State. But that's small potatoes by comparison. Because Lee may already be, with just one official contest under his belt, one of the Illini’s most effective and important defenders.

Keaton Wagler on Brandon Lee's debut

Nov 22, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Long Island University Sharks guard Malachi Davis (0) guards Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

“Brandon, he’s a really good player," fellow freshman Keaton Wagler said of Lee’s debut against Long Island on Saturday afternoon. "He gets downhill easily, gets by his man. He’s a dog on defense. We can put him on the other team’s best player if Kylan [Boswell] needs a break from that. He can pick up full court and just harass the ball-handler."

Just a little one-foot jumper

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— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 22, 2025

Against the Sharks, the 6-foot-4 Lee accounted for four points, one rebound and one assist. But it was Lee’s on-ball defense and ability to make life difficult on Long Island’s gifted guards – including a steal and a drawn charge – that caught everyone’s attention.

The counting stats on defense certainly matter, but nothing tells you more about a player’s defensive impact than the eye test – and Lee passed that exam with flying colors.

He has the frame (195 pounds), foot speed and lateral mobility of an impact defender, but what can set Lee apart is his IQ and anticipation. When he brings it all together by playing with that all-out effort, that's when the “dog” Wagler described comes out.

Brad Underwood compliments Lee

Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood walks the sideline in the first half of the NCAA Tournament First Round game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Xavier Musketeers at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Friday, March 21, 2025. Xavier was eliminated from the tournament, losing 86-73, to Illinois. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Outstanding,” said Illini coach Brad Underwood about Lee’s official debut. “For him, when you’ve got a high-ankle sprain, he’s been in practice a few days, [but] he’s still not 100 percent. A guy that’s similar to Kylan in terms of [a] physical, downhill driver – great body. He’s got a chance, I think, to be an outstanding defender. He gives us toughness and grit. He wanted to guard certain players for them. He’s got that mentality. He doesn’t shy away from that. So, for him, he’ll just continue to improve as his practice reps go up and his conditioning gets better.”

The Illini already have a proven lockdown perimeter defender in Boswell, but Lee offers another option (as does Andrej Stojakovic) in the backcourt as a player who can shut down an opposing hot hand – or combine with those other players to swarm an opponent with a handful of exceptional guards. (It would be very interesting to see a fully realized Boswell-Lee-Stojakovic troika go back at Alabama's fantastic backcourt in a rematch.)

“Brandon gives us that guy who can eat up a ball and grind it out and get over screens and just be nasty," Underwood said. "He’s just a freshman. He’s learning, but he’s got that mentality."