Brad Underwood is not easing into his offseason. Fresh off a Final Four run, Illinois has grabbed two high-octane prep scorers this spring, pulling in St. Louis sniper Quentin Coleman and Wisconsin wing Zavier Zens while the rest of the roster churns through NBA decisions and transfer-portal drama.
Coleman, a 6-foot-4 guard who closed his high-school career with a 50-point outburst in Principia's state-title game, jumped on board in early April as his recruitment caught fire. According to the Peoria Journal Star, he posted a simple "COMMITTED!!!!" on social media on April 3 after reopening his recruitment, a post that signaled Illinois had won a rapidly escalating battle. The Chicago Tribune and other outlets report that 247Sports now lists Coleman among the country's top class-of-2026 prospects, with national evaluators slotting him as a top-35 player.
Zens, a 6-foot-7 Wisconsin Lutheran standout and this year's Wisconsin Mr. Basketball, made his own splash on April 17, announcing that he will head to Champaign. He told his local paper he picked Illinois for player development and the chance to test himself daily against some of the nation's best. Coverage in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes his state-title background and his 23.4 points-per-game average as a senior, numbers that fit nicely into what Illinois is trying to reload on the wing.
The Illini are not limiting themselves to high school. Illinois also dipped into the transfer portal and landed Providence guard Stefan Vaaks, a 6-foot-7 freshman scorer who averaged about 15 points last season and whose commitment was confirmed by his representatives. As reported by ESPN, Vaaks gives Illinois an already-tested perimeter option to pair with the incoming freshmen, a helpful safety net in case more backcourt movement is coming.
Key Returns and Roster Stability
Not everything in Champaign is in flux. Forward David Mirkovi07 has announced he will return for another season, a decision the program confirmed in a team release. Illinois Athletics said Mirkovi07 will bypass the draft and "run it back," keeping a key frontcourt piece in the fold.
Campus coverage has also reported that Andrej Stojakovi07 plans to come back for his senior year. The Daily Illini framed Stojakovi07's choice as the final domino in a wave of retention news, bolstering the returning core that Coleman, Zens and company will be joining.
Wagler's Exit Leaves A Hole
Of course, additions are coming because production is leaving. Keaton Wagler declared for the NBA Draft on April 11, a move that carves out a sizable opening at the two-guard spot and ramps up the urgency for Illinois to find answers on the perimeter. His decision was widely covered, including by ClutchPoints and national draft trackers, and it effectively hands Coleman, Vaaks and the rest of the backcourt newcomers a clear opportunity to grab minutes and shots.
What This Means For 2026-27
Put it all together and Illinois' 2026-27 depth chart is starting to look like a mashup of proven size and fresh firepower. Coleman, Zens and fellow incoming freshmen Lucas Morillo, Ethan Brown and Landon Davis will stack behind a retained frontcourt core, giving Underwood multiple new perimeter looks to tinker with. There is still a clear need for a sure-handed lead guard if more exits materialize, and the program is watching the portal accordingly.
The Chicago Tribune roster tracker lays out the full list of arrivals and returners, and national coverage has already pointed out that Underwood's knack for blending transfers with freshmen will likely determine whether Illinois stays in the preseason title-conversation lane.
If Illinois keeps the key veterans in place and smoothly folds Coleman and Vaaks into the rotation, the Illini will open next season with a real national ceiling. If the shuffle continues, the staff may be leaning on some quick portal fixes. Either way, the next round of signing-day confirmations and transfer decisions should tell us a lot about how this class ultimately lands.
