Basketball
Illinois basketball makes top-10 for five-star AJ Williams
Williams is a top-five prospect in the class of 2027
Illinois basketball continues to find itself in the middle of some of the biggest recruiting battles in the country.
The latest example is five-star forward AJ Williams, who recently trimmed his list to 10 schools. The Illini remain in the mix alongside Arkansas, Auburn, BYU, Duke, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Mississippi State and North Carolina.
For Brad Underwood and his staff, that is a pretty impressive group to be competing against.
Williams is ranked No. 5 nationally in the 2027 class by 247Sports and brings the type of size and versatility that has made him one of the most coveted prospects in the country. At 6-foot-7, Williams has the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways and has already drawn significant attention from college basketball’s biggest programs.
Illinois has continued to expand its recruiting reach under Underwood, and staying involved with players of Williams’ caliber is another indication of where the program is trying to go.
There is still plenty of work to be done. Williams does not have a decision timeline, and his recruitment will likely become much clearer once he begins taking official visits. But Illinois has given itself a chance, and that is an important first step when competing for a player ranked this highly nationally.
It also comes at an interesting point for the Illini on the recruiting trail. After Illinois missed out on five-star prospect NaVarro Bowman Jr., who committed to UConn last week, the Illini are looking to bounce back by landing one of the premier prospects in the country. Williams would certainly qualify.
The Illini are trying to win recruiting battles against the biggest names in college basketball. Landing Williams would be a major statement that Illinois can do exactly that.