Camryn Crocker named Illinois basketball defensive coordinator

Brad Underwood announced today that new Assistant Coach Camryn Crocker will serve as the team’s new defensive coordinator. Zach Hamer held that role for the past two seasons.
Illinois officially hired Crocker on May 15th, and Underwood had high praise for his defensive acumen. He stated:

“Camryn has an outstanding defensive mind, a great understanding on that side of the ball. He also is known as an elite on-court teacher. And his biggest strength is that he builds tremendous relationships and is a connector. He is very smart, someone who really understands the modern game, and will bring fresh and innovative ideas to our program.” Fresh and innovative ideas are exactly what Illinois needs to address the defensive struggles of the past two seasons. According to KenPom, Illinois ranked #80 and #40 in adjusted defensive efficiency in 2023 and 2024.

The impact

The Illini ranked in the top 30 in defensive efficiency for three consecutive seasons starting in 2021 but have since taken a step back.A top 25 ranking in adjusted defensive efficiency is often a key ingredient for success in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, the last 22 national champions all ranked in the top 25 in this metric.
Personnel decisions and a greater emphasis on recruiting offensive talent have contributed to Illinois’ decline on the defensive end. Nonetheless, it’s clear the Illini will need to make positive strides on that side of the floor to make a deep run in March.

Crocker helped lead Colgate to the #1 defense in the Patriot League in 2024 and to back-to-back conference titles. His proven success and fresh ideas should help Illinois establish a stronger defensive identity this season.

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