Kasparas Jakucionis named to Wooden Award Watchlist

Per the Los Angeles Athletic Club, Illini freshman Kasparas Jakucionis was named to the top 25 mid-season watch list for the John Wooden Award. Jakucionis is one of just five players from the Big Ten and one of seven true freshmen. The watch list includes some of the top names in basketball including Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier, Purdue’s Braden Smith, and Duke’s Cooper Flagg. Interestingly, former Illini commit Jeremiah Fears is also on that list. Through 14 games this season, Kasparas Jakucionis is averaging 16.4 ppg, 5.6 RPG, and 5.4 apg. He continues to dazzle the country with his impressive playmaking and court vision. Midway through the season, Jakucionis has already won the Big Ten Freshman of the Week award twice.

In the past, former Illini Ayo Dosunmu was one of five finalists for the Wooden Award. Ultimately, the award went to Iowa Hawkeye Luka Garza.

The Jakucionis hype train

On top of the in-season awards, Kasparas Jakucionis continues to solidify his NBA draft stock. In a recent mock draft done by Kyle Boone of CBS Sports, Jakucionis is a top-five draft pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Many have a top-four prospect list: Ace Bailey, Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Egor Demin. However, Jakucionis has shined even against high major competition. That is something that cannot be said of Egor Demin, the other tantalizing European product in college basketball currently on BYU. If Demin continues to struggle on a struggling team, Jakucionis could make his way into the top four of the 2025 NBA draft. Regardless, if Illinois continues to win games and contend for the Big Ten Championship, look for the Jakucionis hype train to gain even more momentum.

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