Illinois Linked to High-Scoring Transfer Guard Alex Wilkins

Transfer-portal season is upon us. And less than one day into the official opening (window is from April 7-21), Illinois has already shown "interest" in a potential target, per The Portal Report.

The Illini appear to be seeking a future lead guard to take over the vacancy that is expected to be left by Keaton Wagler’s departure to the next level – and, evidently, they seem to believe that Furman transfer Alex Wilkins may be that guy.

Furman G Alex Wilkins has received interest from the following programs, he tells TPR:

Alabama
UConn
Syracuse
Houston
Xavier
Baylor
Creighton
Providence
Texas
SMU
Kentucky
Miami
Arkansas
Kansas
Ole Miss
Illinois
Seton Hall
Vanderbilt pic.twitter.com/3gNTaGmR74
— The Portal Report (@ThePortalReport) April 8, 2026

Who is Alex Wilkins?

Unranked as a class of 2025 high school recruit, Wilkins went to Furman and made an immediate splash. He averaged 17.8 points and 4.7 assists as a freshman. And he didn’t put up those numbers for a run-of-the-mill mid-major club, as Furman made an NCAA Tournament appearance this year, before it took UConn, the eventual national-title runner-ups, to the brink in the first round.

Alex Wilkins is on 🔥🔥 https://t.co/co3Isb3nPF
— Furman Basketball (@FurmanMBB) March 21, 2026

And against that Huskies defense which has given Illinois oh-so-many problems, Wilkins didn’t miss a beat, going for 21 points (on 8-for-15 from the field) and four assists to help his squad nearly pull off the miraculous opening-round upset.

Furman transfer Alex Wilkins scouting report

Rarely do we throw out comparisons, especially one as lofty as this, but Wilkins’ game does resemble Wagler’s in a variety of ways. The jumper is eerily similar (both have low releases, but fluid, one-motion shots), as is their best attribute: pick-and-roll operation.

Wilkins ran heavy ball-screen action at Furman, and he was a fantastic creator out of it. And he may be preying on head coach Brad Underwood’s other weak spot: below the free throw-line playmaking. But the key word is playmaking. Wilkins’ decision-making, however, may need some fine-tuning.

Alex Wilkins to Cooper Bowser for the dunk, and Harrah's is rocking! pic.twitter.com/s5tA7OVJZa
— Furman Basketball (@FurmanMBB) March 9, 2026

The 6-foot-5 guard – yes, he also has the always-coveted positional size – averaged 3.8 turnovers per game this past season. As for his three-point shooting, Wilkins hit 1.9 per game, and the shotmaking itself was thoroughly impressive (hang pull-ups, step-backs, extremely deep threes – you name it), but he shot just 32.8 percent from long range. Part of that may have been a result of his shot diet, though, as his free-throw percentage (82.4 percent) was quite encouraging.

Alex Wilkins for 3️⃣to start us off in Asheville! pic.twitter.com/yx7fI25seI
— Furman Basketball (@FurmanMBB) March 7, 2026

Wilkins also has some burst that allows him to get downhill, but he relies more on his length and patience to get to the basket and convert – or get to the charity stripe (shot 4.1 free throws per game).

Alex Wilkins grabs the layup and goes coast to coast! pic.twitter.com/HgDthtmd1s
— Furman Basketball (@FurmanMBB) March 9, 2026

Evidently, there are a few question marks: the lack of rebounding at his size, the high turnover rate, not to mention the lack of defensive production (totaled a combined 31 steals and blocks on the year), the latter of which may be a red flag considering he led the Southern Conference with 98 personal fouls.

That said, the upside is through the roof: high-level shotmaker and gifted creator with the physical tools to thrive in the Big Ten. And, not for nothing, Wilkins would perhaps be able to spend multiple years at Illinois, as he likely wouldn’t be a prime NBA candidate after just one season in the orange and blue.