Basketball
Illinois Basketball Recruiting: Lithuanian Big Man Ignas Stombergas Visits Illini
6’9″ forward blew up during FIBA U18 this past summer, averaging 16.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, while shooting 68.8% from the field.
Illinois basketball is continuing to build its international recruiting pipeline, and one of Europe’s most intriguing young frontcourt prospects recently got a firsthand look at what Brad Underwood’s program has to offer.
Ignas Stombergas, an 18-year-old Lithuanian big man ranked No. 10 among European prospects, visited Champaign on Thursday for Illinois’ 112-70 win over Penn. The 6-foot-10, 216-pound forward has also become an increasingly interesting name for the Illini, who have invested considerable time in evaluating him.
Illinois basketball assistant coach Geoff Alexander has made multiple trips to Lithuania to watch Stombergas, and the relationship continued to develop with his visit to campus.
The production backs up the interest
Stombergas has put together an impressive resume for an 18-year-old prospect.
Representing Lithuania at the 2026 FIBA U18 EuroBasket, he averaged 16.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in seven games. He shot an impressive 68.8% from the field, showing an ability to finish efficiently while making his presence felt defensively.
His development has continued with Žalgiris-2 in Lithuania’s NKL. Through his first two appearances this season, he averaged 18 points, 12.5 rebounds and five blocks per game.
Additionally, Stombergas delivered a major performance in February, recording 31 points and 22 rebounds for U18 Žalgiris Kaunas in a NextGen tournament game.
The numbers tell an interesting story. However, Stombergas isn’t simply a tall prospect who can protect the rim. He has demonstrated the ability to score efficiently, dominate the glass, and impact games on both ends of the floor.
Another international connection for Illinois
There is an obvious reason Illinois is putting time into this recruitment.
Underwood has increasingly embraced international recruiting, and Illinois basketball has built a frontcourt identity around size, skill and versatility. Stombergas certainly offers an opportunity to continue that approach with a player who already has experience in a professional basketball development system.
During his visit, Stombergas also had an opportunity to interact with current Illini forward David Mirkovic, providing another connection to the European basketball pipeline already represented in Champaign.
With the roster constantly evolving and future frontcourt needs always part of the recruiting equation, Stombergas is an intriguing player for Illinois to pursue.
There is still a long way to go in the recruitment, but the Illini have certainly made their interest clear. Alexander’s continued involvement overseas, combined with Thursday’s campus visit, shows this is a relationship the staff has been working to develop.
For now, Illinois has positioned itself as a program to watch for one of Europe’s most productive young big men.
Illinois basketball hosted Lithuanian Forward Ignas Stombergas for a visit.
The 6’9″ forward blew up during FIBA U18 this past summer, averaging 16.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, while shooting 68.8% from the field. https://t.co/8zGsiVLIB9
— Armchair Illinois (@ArmchairIllini) November 6, 2026