Will Brad Underwood Claim Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2025-26?

With the buzz surrounding this highly anticipated Illinois Basketball roster, Illini fans can’t help but wonder, could this finally be the year Brad Underwood pushes the program back to a deep run in the NCAA Tournament?

The 9^th year head coach has an elite 8 under his belt—but his squad is dreaming bigger in 2025.

A Final Four is something Champaign hasn’t seen in nearly two decades. However, Underwood’s crew may have assembled his most complete and balanced roster yet — blending veteran returners with elite transfer additions like Andrej Stojakovic, along with a wave of four-star international and U.S. prep talents who could make an immediate early impact.

If this team catches its stride and wins some important games in its tough non-conference slate, it’s possible that this team has it in them to get hot and carry momentum through the Big Ten, which could lead to them making some real noise come March. That said, with non-conference tests against Alabama, UConn, Texas Tech, Tennessee, and Mizzou looming, Illini fans won’t have to wait long to find out just how good this team can be. Underwood scheduled it that way for a reason, as he believes this group is good enough to take the next big step.

That is, of course, if the Illini head coach can quickly mold this retooled roster into a cohesive unit.

Notably, our friends at Sleepers Media recently pegged Underwood as their early front-runner for Big Ten Coach of the Year. Is this the team that can help him get it done?

With the season right around the corner @gwizzy12 dropped his top 5 “Coach of the Year Candidates” Who was left off? pic.twitter.com/nZ07lR37UW

— Sleepers Media (@SleepersMedia) October 23, 2025

The Underwood Effect

Underwood deserves his flowers. Since taking over a program that had slipped into mediocrity in the post-Bruce Weber era under John Groce, he has completely reignited Illinois Basketball over his 9 seasons in Champaign. The result? 3 Big Ten titles and 5 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances — with the COVID-19 cancellation in 2020 likely preventing a 6th.

Regardless, Underwood has already restored Illinois Basketball’s national relevance after a decade in the Big Ten basement. Sustained success was the goal, and he has taken it to the next level. If the Illini can capture another Big Ten title and make a deep March run, don’t be surprised if Underwood is wearing the Coach of the Year crown when it’s all said and done.

Whether this will be the team to help him do so, however, remains a mystery.

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