Has Illinois' Ben Humrichous Become a Legitimate NBA Prospect?

Illinois is fresh off its first Final Four appearance in 21 years, and plenty of players were instrumental in making that run happen. The stars will deservedly get most of the attention.

Keaton Wagler emerged as one of the biggest names in college basketball, while Andrej Stojakovic delivered huge moments of his own throughout March. But Illinois does not get to that stage without the growth of its role players either, and few players changed their story more than Ben Humrichous.

17-0 RUN BY ILLINOIS 🔥

HOUSTON IS IN TROUBLE

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— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 27, 2026

When Humrichous first arrived at Illinois, he caught plenty of flak from fans. Some of that came with the territory of adjusting to a new level, but some of it was earned. He could clearly shoot the ball, yet too often looked like someone opponents could target defensively. That made it hard for many fans to picture him as anything more than a flawed role player.

But credit to Humrichous: instead of letting that define him, he went to work. By the end of his final year of college basketball, he had turned himself into one of the best role players in the country and a player who forced people to look at his future a little differently.

Humrichous' leap into the NBA conversation

The biggest improvement in Ben Humrichous’ game from a year ago came on the defensive end, and it is almost hard to believe just how dramatic that jump was.

Humrichous went from being unable to guard you – yes, you reading this article – to locking up some of the best players in college basketball one on one.

A year ago, that kind of defensive leap would have sounded impossible. This year, it became one of the biggest reasons Illinois was able to make its run.

"He probably would give up 20 to Izzo’s mom last year.”@IlliniMBB HC Brad Underwood touches on the growth he’s seen from senior Ben Humrichous. pic.twitter.com/MLPOOVYlP7
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 30, 2026

And it was not just his on-ball defense that improved. Humrichous became an outstanding team defender too, showing much better awareness as a help-side presence.

He rotated on time, walled up at the rim, and made life difficult for drivers trying to get clean looks in the paint. The physical tools may not have changed all that much, but his instincts, positioning and confidence clearly did.

He no longer looked like someone offenses were desperate to attack. More often, he looked like someone who could shut a possession down.

Another major jump came on the glass. Humrichous had always done a solid job of boxing out, but this past season he rebounded with a different kind of aggression. He attacked the ball when shots went up and helped Illinois steal extra possessions, which was a huge deal for an offense as dangerous as the Illini’s.

BEN HUMRICHOUS HUGE THREE TO CUT IT TO FIVE!!! pic.twitter.com/1RDkuvJJfE
— The Jump Sports (@TheJumpSports) April 5, 2026

The shooting, meanwhile, has long been easy to buy into. Humrichous has a beautiful jump shot and an extremely quick release that makes it feel like every clean look has a chance.

That kind of floor spacing is always valuable, especially at the next level. NBA teams are constantly searching for players who can defend, knock down threes and understand how to thrive without needing the ball in their hands every possession.

That is why Humrichous has forced his way into the NBA conversation. He is not trying to be a star, and he does not need to be. The league is built on smart, connected role players who can guard their position, space the floor, and make winning plays.

Humrichous fits that mold much better now than anyone would have believed a year ago. Add in the fact that he is a terrific teammate, and it is easy to see why an NBA team would be lucky to have him.