Illinois Basketball wants to play faster and depth could make it possible

Brad Underwood wants Illinois basketball to play faster this season.

That sounds simple enough. But for the Fighting Illini, playing at a higher tempo could require something just as important as speed: depth.

Underwood made it clear recently that he wants to push the pace more than Illinois did a season ago. And considering the amount of versatile talent on this roster, that could mean more than simply getting the ball up the floor quicker.

It could mean Underwood believes he can play more guys.

And that may be the most intriguing part of his vision for what could be the deepest and most talented roster he has assembled at Illinois.

“I think we want to play faster than we did last year,” Underwood said.

That statement is particularly interesting when paired with another comment Underwood made about his facilitators.

“There’s a lot of them,” 

Underwood went on to mention David Mirković, Ethan Brown, Lincoln Williams and Andrej Stojaković before also pointing to Quentin Coleman and Stefan Vaaks.

Then came the phrase that could define Illinois’ offense this season.

“I like to use the term ‘positionless basketball.’ We’re going to be that for sure.”

That philosophy makes plenty of sense for a roster with so many players capable of handling, passing and making plays in different spots on the floor.

But there’s another potential benefit.

You can play faster when you trust more players.

Illinois basketball went all the way to the Final Four last season, but its 71-62 loss to UConn exposed some areas that Underwood clearly wants to improve. The Illini managed just three assists in the season-ending loss while turning the ball over eight times. UConn, meanwhile, had 14 assists and just four turnovers.

The goal now appears to be creating an offense that is more fluid, more connected and more difficult to defend.

And having more players capable of contributing could make that possible.

Lincoln Williams is an obvious candidate.

Williams has the size and versatility to fit into the positionless approach Underwood described, and a faster style could give him more opportunities to impact games without being confined to one traditional position.

Lucas Morillo is another intriguing piece.

The Illini have plenty of established talent, but Morillo could benefit from a system that emphasizes pace, movement and decision-making. If Underwood is serious about expanding the rotation, those types of players suddenly become much more important.

Don’t forget this freshman

Then there’s Landon Davis.

Davis may not enter the season with the same spotlight as some of Illinois’ bigger names, but a deeper rotation creates opportunities. If the Illini can get quality minutes from players beyond their primary rotation, Underwood can maintain a higher tempo without asking his starters to carry an enormous workload.

And Mirković could be one of the most important pieces of all. The talented big man is recovering from foot surgery, making his health and availability something to monitor as the season approaches. When healthy, Mirković’s ability to pass and make plays from the frontcourt makes him an especially natural fit for the positionless style Underwood is describing.

That may be the biggest connection between Underwood’s desire to play faster and Illinois’ depth. It isn’t simply about running more. It’s about having enough players he trusts to keep running. And Illinois may have more of those players than ever before under Underwood.

Final thoughts

There have been plenty of talented rosters during Underwood’s tenure. But this group has a legitimate argument as his deepest — and potentially most talented — team yet. That depth gives Underwood something coaches rarely have: options. If someone is struggling, there is another player capable of stepping in. If foul trouble hits, the Illini have answers.

And if Underwood wants to push the pace for 40 minutes, he has more opportunities to keep fresh legs on the floor.

The Final Four loss may have reinforced the importance of passing, ball movement and offensive pace. Now Underwood appears ready to build those principles into the identity of his next team.

And if players like Williams, Morillo and Davis can emerge while Mirković returns healthy, Illinois’ depth could wind up being more than a luxury.

It could be the engine that allows Illinois basketball to finally reach its full potential.

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