Basketball
Brady Pettigrew Set for Illinois Basketball Official Visit This Weekend
Brady Pettigrew is the best player in the state of Illinois
Brady Pettigrew has spent the last year establishing himself as one of the most coveted recruits in the country. Now, Brad Underwood has a chance to show the five-star guard why his future could be right in his own backyard.
The Bolingbrook standout will take his official visit to Illinois this weekend, marking another important step in a recruitment the Illini have pursued since April 2025. Illinois was one of the first programs to offer Pettigrew, and that early relationship could matter as the competition for his commitment intensifies.
But this isn’t simply about keeping a talented Chicago-area prospect from leaving the state. Pettigrew brings the kind of offensive versatility that makes him an especially intriguing target. The 6-foot-3 guard can score from all three levels, create his own shot off the dribble and use his explosiveness to attack the basket. His ability to score in transition adds another dimension to his game.
The Best Player in the State of Illinois
Pettigrew’s production backs up the recruiting hype. As a sophomore at Bolingbrook last season, he averaged 21 points, five rebounds and three assists per game, earning First-Team All-State recognition from the News-Gazette. He followed that up with a strong summer on the Nike EYBL circuit, averaging 24.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game with Brad Beal Elite. That combination of high school production and summer-circuit scoring has helped establish Pettigrew as one of the premier prospects in the 2028 class.
For Illinois, the appeal goes beyond the scouting report. Underwood can sell a program that has reached the sport’s biggest stage and demonstrated its ability to develop talent. The emergence of Keaton Wagler into a top-five NBA Draft pick gives Illinois a compelling example of what the right opportunity in Champaign can produce.
The challenge is that Illinois isn’t recruiting Pettigrew in a vacuum. Michigan, Florida, Ohio State and Arkansas are also competing for his attention, giving the five-star guard plenty of opportunities to evaluate his options.
This weekend won’t necessarily decide Pettigrew’s future, but it gives Brad Underwood another opportunity to strengthen a relationship that has been building for nearly a year and a half.
Can Illinois turn that early investment into a commitment? That’s the question Illini fans will be watching closely. Landing Brady Pettigrew would give Underwood a major in-state recruiting victory and potentially another cornerstone for the program’s future.
