Ty Rodgers Makes Transfer From Illinois Official

At some point over the past six months or so, too many factors were pushing Ty Rodgers toward the State Farm Center doors for him to resist the idea of a fresh start and a transfer out of Illinois.

It's a massive bummer for Illini fans, who had latched on to Rodgers in a way that they have few others who have passed through the program in recent memory. But by the time last month that Rodgers announced his intentions to hit the portal, it actually seemed the best possible decision for all involved.

Still, it hit hard when the move was made official on Friday and Rodgers, after arriving as a freshman in Champaign in 2022 and playing two quality seasons for the Illini, was welcomed "home" by Boise State:

𝗜𝗧'𝗦 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 ✍️

welcome home @ty_rodgers20

📰: https://t.co/sukHqhgEvI #BleedBlue x #UnbreakableCulture pic.twitter.com/dD2NvyUGpQ
— Boise State MBB (@BroncoSportsMBB) May 8, 2026

Now that Rodgers' departure is all said and done, let's consider the parties and whether the move was a net win or loss for each.

How Illinois fares in the transfer of Ty Rodgers

It's impossible not to view Rodgers' transfer through any lens that doesn't take into account his leadership, kinship with teammates, model citizenry and the seemingly two-way affection from fans and the program. Precisely what Rodgers brought to Illinois off the court can't be quantified, but it's safe to say the Illini are losing an integral piece of the team's collective soul.

That said, Power 4 college basketball is big business – especially now that we've entered the NIL and transfer portal era – and the harsh reality in Champaign was this: Rodgers was no longer a fit for Illinois, and vice versa.

He had been an important on-court contributor as a sophomore in 2023-24, during the Illini's Elite Eight run, averaging 6.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists while offering versatile defense and the kind of athleticism and pace that meshed in Illinois' offense and with its personnel at the time.

But coach Brad Underwood's shift toward a perimeter-based offense left Rodgers on the outside looking in, and after a redshirt season in 2024-25 (presumably to work on his shot), an offseason knee injury doomed Rodgers to another year out of the mix. Had he come back healthy and with a sharper outside jumper, Rodgers still would have faced an uphill battle for significant playing time given the Illini's blend of returnees, incoming transfers and new recruits in 2026-27.

No one would have been happy watching Rodgers average eight minutes off the bench, particularly if he weren't able to return at 100 percent and thrive under the new offensive philosophy. In that sense, waving goodbye to Rodgers and wishing him well elsewhere, although bittersweet, made sense for Illinois.

Illinois on SI Verdict: a win for the Illini

Congrats to Ty Rodgers on signing with Boise State!

I don’t know much about their program but I do know that they just got better.

A true #EveryDayGuy pic.twitter.com/CCPoUTGWA5
— Champaign Problems (@ChiefIlliniVic) May 8, 2026

How Boise State fares in the transfer of Ty Rodgers

The answer here almost goes without saying. In Rodgers, Boise State welcomes a player who started on an Elite Eight squad as a sophomore, as well as a versatile, stabilizing presence who provides instant leadership – all of it much needed for a Broncos team that lost all five starters from last season's club.

And longtime BSU coach Leon Rice, who was an assistant for Team USA at the 2022 FIBA Americas U18 Championships (which included Rodgers as a member), knows exactly the player he's getting. Assuming Rodgers' knee is ship-shape, he can help the Broncos get back to the long-limbed, switch-heavy defenses that sent them to three straight NCAA Tournaments from 2022 and 2024.

Illinois on SI verdict: a win for the Broncos

How Ty Rodgers fares in his transfer from Illinois to Boise State

Business or no business, Rodgers has to feel a certain way about leaving Champaign – especially after nights like these (which, mind you, came after he announced his plans to transfer):

David Mirkovic (DJ Smirk) and Ty Rodgers (DJ 20) got the crowd Swag Surfin’ at the #Illini Union.

🎥: @B_RadZimm pic.twitter.com/sx3tlAOwxq
— Tristan Thomas (@TristanThomasTV) May 1, 2026

Underwood and his staff, by all accounts, take care of their players as well as any program in college basketball, and as mentioned, Illini fans were gaga over Rodgers. And as close as the Illinois players have been to one another in recent seasons, all of it must have weighed on Rodgers as he decided whether to stay or go.

But no one will root harder for him in a Broncos uniform than the folks he leaves behind in Champaign, and for a player who has the physical tools to legitimately entertain the notion of a professional career after his college days are through, Rodgers needed a better platform to grow and show his stuff over the next two years than he likely would have had at Illinois.

With a clean slate and an excellent chance to play starter's minutes for Rice, and now regularly facing Mountain West competition, Rodgers could flourish not only as a defender and rebounder but also as a scorer and facilitator on the other end. He could prove to be one of the conference's top incoming transfers on the floor, and he'll undoubtedly be a terrific leader and mentor to younger players in Boise. The Broncos got themselves a good one.

Illinois on SI verdict: a win for Rodgers

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