Illini forward Ty Rodgers undergoes successful knee surgery

Early in June, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood revealed that junior guard Ty Rodgers suffered a significant lower-body injury while playing pickup basketball in Michigan. While the exact nature of the knee injury hasn’t been disclosed, Underwood confirmed today that Rodgers underwent successful surgery and has begun his rehab process in Champaign.

Despite the setback, Underwood emphasized that Rodgers will continue to be a strong voice in the locker room, much like last season.

On Monday, Brad Underwood stated, “He’s on campus, so he’s started his recovery process. How that goes can vary. Right now, he’s back, and that’s the important thing. We love having his voice and presence in the gym. The tough part started today, and that’s the recovery piece and rehabilitation and physical therapy piece. Beyond that, we’ll just take it day-by-day and not put a timeframe on anything and see how it materializes as we go.”

Ty Rodgers brings so much value to this team

Rodgers started at point guard for the 2023–2024 Elite Eight and Big Ten Tournament championship squad, averaging 22.7 minutes, 6.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. The Michigan native redshirted the 2024–2025 season, not due to injury, but because his role was expected to shrink following the arrival of key transfers.

The Illini missed his defense and rebounding last season. With a need for size, they could feel that absence again if he’s out for the year.

Rodgers and the Illinois staff are taking a patient approach, monitoring his progress day by day. No timetable has been set for his return, but more clarity is expected as the season approaches. However, anytime a knee injury requires surgery, one should expect to be out at least 6 months. Optimistically, that puts Rodgers coming back to on-court activities sometime around the end of December/beginning of January. I think it is safe to say that Ty Rodgers will miss a majority, if not the entire 2025-2026 season.

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