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Illinois basketball: 5 looming questions heading into the 2026-2027 season
The Illini are heading into the season as a Big Ten favorite, but can they answer these doubts?
Illinois basketball is a favorite heading into the 2026-2027 season.
On paper, Brad Underwood has assembled one of the most talented and experienced rosters in the Big Ten. Illinois returns Andrej Stojakovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, David Mirkovic, and Jake Davis while adding Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks and five-star freshman Quentin Coleman to the mix.
The talent is obvious.
But Illinois basketball isn’t chasing preseason rankings. It’s chasing a breakthrough March.
And for that to happen, several important questions need to be answered over the next few months.
1. Who Replaces Kylan Boswell’s Defensive Presence?
This might be the most important question on the roster.
Illinois lost more than a starting guard when Kylan Boswell graduated. It lost the defensive tone-setter of the team.
Boswell earned All-Big Ten Defensive Team honors last season and routinely took on the toughest perimeter assignment every night. Whether it was a scoring point guard, a dynamic wing, or an All-Conference caliber player like JT Toppin, Boswell gave Illinois basketball a level of defensive consistency that coaches trust and teammates feed off of.
The Illini also lost Keaton Wagler, whose development on the defensive end quietly became one of the more encouraging stories of the season. His size and versatility gave Illinois another dependable perimeter defender.
Replacing that production won’t happen automatically.
Quentin Coleman has the physical tools and competitive mentality to become a high-level defender, but freshmen typically face a steep learning curve on that end of the floor. Stefan Vaaks will have major offensive responsibilities, but Illinois also needs him to become a reliable defender against Big Ten competition. Andrej Stojakovic was great on defense in the NCAA tournament, but we will have to see what that looks like over a full season.
The question remains simple:
When Illinois faces the best perimeter scorer on the opposing roster, who gets that assignment?
2. Can David Mirkovic Take the Sophomore Leap Defensively?
The offensive talent is easy to see.
Mirkovic showed flashes throughout his freshman season of why Illinois believes he can become a major piece moving forward. His skill level, passing ability, and offensive versatility are difficult to teach.
But entering his sophomore year, the biggest opportunity for growth is on the defensive end.
At the highest levels of college basketball, teams relentlessly attack weaknesses. Illinois doesn’t need Mirkovic to become an elite athlete overnight, but it does need improvement.
Can he move better laterally and defend ball screens more effectively? Can he become comfortable guarding in space against quicker players?
There’s a significant difference between a player being playable and a player being trusted in critical moments on the defensive end.
3. Can Zvonimir Ivisic Become More Efficient Offensively?
Zvonimir Ivisic is one of the most unique players in college basketball.
At 7-foot-2, his ability to stretch the floor creates matchup problems that few teams can replicate.
But there’s still another level available.
Despite his reputation as a floor-spacing big man, Ivisic shot just 26 percent from three-point range last season. For someone whose shooting ability is such a major part of his value, that’s a number Illinois needs to see improve.
The volume isn’t necessarily the issue.
The efficiency is.
At the same time, Illinois basketball would benefit if Ivisic became more comfortable punishing smaller defenders around the basket. Too often, opponents were able to switch smaller players onto him without paying a significant price.
Can he establish a deeper position when needed and be more physical around the rim?
If Ivisic can raise his three-point percentage while becoming a more reliable interior scorer, Illinois’ offense becomes significantly more difficult to defend.
4. Can Andrej Stojakovic Unlock Another Level as a Shooter?
This feels like the biggest offensive ceiling question on the roster.
Stojakovic already impacts winning in a variety of ways. His ability to create shots, get downhill, and score in difficult situations makes him one of the Big Ten’s most dangerous offensive players.
But the three-point shooting remains the biggest area for growth.
Stojakovic shot 24.4 percent from three last season. While he still found ways to be productive, defenses were often willing to live with outside attempts in order to limit his drives.
What happens if that percentage climbs?
Illinois basketball doesn’t need him to become a 40 percent shooter.
But if he can become a 33-35 percent shooter, the ripple effects would be enormous.
Defenders would have to close harder. Driving lanes would become wider. Help defense would become more difficult.
A modest improvement from deep could elevate Stojakovic from a very good player to one of the conference’s best.
5. How Quickly Can Stefan Vaaks Fit Into Illinois’ Core?
Vaaks arrives with the expectation of handling a significant portion of Illinois’ offensive creation. He’ll have the ball in his hands, he’ll be expected to organize the offense, and he’ll likely be one of the most important newcomers on the roster.
That’s not always an easy adjustment.
Illinois returns a core that already understands Underwood’s system and has built chemistry together through meaningful games. Now Vaaks has to find the balance between fitting into that group and still playing aggressively enough to impact winning.
The good news for Illinois is that he’ll have a full summer to work alongside the returning players and Tyler Underwood before the season begins.
The best teams under Brad Underwood have never looked like collections of talented individuals. They’ve looked connected. That’s why this summer matters so much.
Illinois has the talent to compete for a Big Ten championship and make a deep NCAA Tournament run. Whether it reaches that level won’t be determined by recruiting rankings or preseason projections.
It will be determined by how many of these questions get answered before November arrives.
