Good Morning, Illini Nation: Recruiting for the future

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Welcome to “Great Morning, Illini Nation,” your day-to-day dosage of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Leading 25 voter Scott Richey. He’ll provide insights every early morning on Brad Underwood’s team and college basketball at big:

It would have been unrealistic to anticipate Abraham Taiwo to play a major role for Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) in 2024-25. The 6-foot-8 forward, who transferred to the U.S. from Nigeria to start his high school career, was a freshman on a veteran team packed with Division I potential customers playing a national schedule.The Crusaders

went 22-7 last season and reached the quarterfinals at Chipotle Nationals before losing to Prolific Preparation (Calif.). Leading the way were Kiyan Anthony (Syracuse), Kayden Mingo (Penn State), Nigel James Jr. (Marquette) and Nico Onyekwere (Villanova). Not to discuss Class of 2026 five-star guard Dylan Mingo and Class of 2027 luxury wing Moussa Kamissoko.Taiwo wound up on Illinois’recruiting radar through an overlap with teammates both at Long Island Lutheran and with the Riverside Hawks on the Under Armour Association circuit. Dylan Mingo is a leading Illini target in the Class of 2026, while Taiwo plays with Class of 2027 center Stra Zelic, who likewise earned an Illinois offer last weekend, for the Hawks.Taiwo invested his spring betting the Hawks’15U squad and averaged 16

points and 11 rebounds in seven games while shooting 45 percent in general, 25 percent from three-point variety and 75 percent at the totally free throw line. He got phoned to the 16U group this past weekend– where he coordinated with Zelic– and had 17 points and 8 rebounds in his only game.