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Illinois already achieved its top offseason goal
**EDITOR’S NOTE: THIS EPISODE WAS RECORDED PRIOR TO THE RETURN OF ANDREJ STOJAKOVIC AND COMMITMENT OF ZAVIER ZENS** On this episode of ‘Oskee Talk’ I discuss Keaton Wagler declaring for the NBA Draft (3:10), and why retaining David Mirkovic was the Illini’s top offseason accomplishment (12:09). I also break down the returns of the Ivisic […]
Illini run-rule win in midweek contest over SIUE
Illinois has made quite the comeback during its home stand. After three straight wins, the Fighting Illini snapped their streak in a 8-7 loss to New Orleans on Sunday. Bouncing back from their loss, the Illini dominated 16-4 against the SIUE Cougars Tuesday night. Illinois, now 19-16, started the game with a bang, plating 14 […]
Andrej Stojakovic returns for second season at Illinois
After a week of anticipation, 48-plus hours of palpably anxiety-inducing speculation since a significant chunk of the Final Four team announced their returns to Illinois for the 2026-2027 campaign, Andrej Stojakovic has announced his decision to do the same. Stojakovic, who will enter his Senior season and second season at Illinois, is among the biggest […]
Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, Jake Davis announce return to Illinois
On the same day that Illinois fan favorite David Mirkovic announced his return to the Illinois program for his sophomore campaign, the ‘Original Balkan’, his brother and the ‘Honorary Balkan’ did the same. Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Jake Davis announced their return to the Fighting Illini with their agent, Misko Raznatovic, telling Draft Express […]
Fan favorite David Mirkovic returning to Illinois
#TheRetention has officially kicked off. Wednesday morning, the freshman forward went live on Twitch to deliver the news the Illini faithful had been nervously waiting for: that he’s gonna be back for at least one more year in Orange and Blue. For Illinois fans, Mirkovic’s return immediately provides a sense of optimism surrounding next season. […]
Illinois staff travels to meet priority transfer John Blackwell
The Illinois staff flew out to Los Angeles earlier this week to meet with top transfer target John Blackwell. Blackwell has been working out in Los Angeles all week and took an official visit to UCLA on Tuesday. The Illini are doing everything they can to bring Blackwell to Champaign next season. Blackwell’s father Glynn […]
How Illinois is already building its 2026-27 roster
This was one of the most memorable Illinois seasons in recent memory. But with the offseason already in full swing, what’s next? Scholarship-wise, each team is allowed up to 15 scholarships. Three scholarships will become available following the departure of graduating seniors Kylan Boswell, Ben Humrichous, and AJ Redd. Keaton Wagler’s exit to the NBA […]
Illinois 2026 offseason transfer portal updates
Let this be your place to go for updates in the portal this offseason as Illinois looks to reload after a run to the Final Four. April 15: Illinois staff travels to meet priority transfer John Blackwell April 12: Illinois adds transfer Stefan Vaaks from Providence April 11: Keaton Wagler declares for NBA Draft April […]
Report: Illinois adds top transfer guard Stefan Vaaks
And we’re off. Illinois’ offseason in the transfer portal started with a bang on Sunday afternoon when the Illini got a commitment from Providence guard Stefan Vaaks, according to multiple outlets. According to 247Sports, Vaaks is the 13th-best player in the portal. A native of Estonia, Vaaks is 6-foot-7 and 205 pounds. He earned All-Freshman […]
The Champaign Room wants YOU to join our team!
The Champaign Room is planning its coverage for the 2026-27 athletic seasons, and you can join us! In order to continue making TCR the best place on the Internet for free Illinois Fighting Illini coverage, analysis and discussion, we’re expanding our staff. We’re happy to talk with anyone interested in contributing to the site, whether […]
What would transfer Stefan Vaaks bring to Illinois?
So, Illinois fans, are you ready to ride the cosmic roller coaster of Portal SZN? No? Well, it’s too late now. You already clicked on this article, and there is analysis forthcoming. The Illini do not appear to be pursuing a massive number of targets in the transfer portal. While lots of players could be […]
Illinois’ Keaton Wagler declares for NBA Draft
He’s off to the NBA (most likely). Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler declared for the NBA Draft on Saturday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Wagler had one of the great freshman seasons in Illinois history, with the most points in a single season by a first-year player. He also led the Illini to their first Final […]
Report: Illinois’ Mihailo Petrovic enters transfer portal
Illinois guard Mihailo Petrovic has entered the transfer portal, per Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony on X. Petrovic played in 19 games for the Illini this past season and ultimately saw his minutes shrink as the season progressed. The 23-year-old Serbian entered college basketball as a sophomore this past fall and will have two years of […]
Mihailo Petrovic enters transfer portal
Illinois guard Mihailo Petrovic has entered the transfer portal, per Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony on X. Petrovic played in 19 games for the Illini this past season and ultimately saw his minutes shrink as the season progressed. The 23-year-old Serbian entered college basketball as a Sophomore this past fall and will have two years of […]
10 players who could help Illinois win the transfer portal
‘Tis the season for words like “bag” and “speed dating” in reference to college hoops portal activity. The Illini are always an ever-present force in Portal Kombat. Whether it’s their most notorious misses (RayJ Dennis, AJ Storr, Josh Dix) or their most glorious hits (Terrence Shannon Jr., Marcus Domask, Andrej Stojakovic), Illinois is a major […]
The long-awaited Illinois renaissance is here. Embrace it.
This piece is dedicated to Illinois alumni. If you have ever called the University of Illinois home, I am writing this to let you know that I hear you. This run to the Final Four was amazing. Many of us didn’t experience these heights as students. Some, like our fearless leader Stephen Cohn, had to […]
Illinois sign former five star Divine Bourrage
The transfer portal season is starting to heat up with the madness of the tournament ending. Illinois has already lost two players to the portal in Hayven Smith and Naomi Benson. Now, tides have changed with the Illini signing incoming sophomore Divine Bourrage, reported first by Kedric Prince on X and then confirmed by the […]
Illinois offseason plans are clear: Recalibrate, Reload, Retain
On this episode of “Oskee Talk” I review the aftermath of Illinois’ Final Four loss to UConn (3:23) and the Illini’s inability to overcome bad bounces (5:57). I also highlight some of the top performers from this season (14:20) and examine why this was one of the most memorable seasons in program history (24:47). I […]
Survive the portal era: How can Illinois stay ahead?
There is no time to rest in this era of college basketball, as the transfer portal officially opened following the National Championship on Monday night. Coaches used to have two months in April and May to recover from the long season and even take a vacation, but not anymore. The Illini are already looking for […]
The Fighting Illini come up short in Indy! They will be back
The Illini and the Final Four Before the NCAA Tournament existed, Illinois was named the 1915 men’s basketball national champion by the Helms Athletic Foundation. The NCAA championship tournament did not begin until 1939. Including this season, Illinois has now appeared in six Final Fours across 36 NCAA Tournament berths over the past 86 years. […]
Illini reflect on a magical Final Four season
INDIANAPOLIS — As the buzzer sounded, the overflow of emotion refused to stay bottled up. Frustration lingered as Illinois saw the curtains close on its season; it all pointed towards the end of a magical season. A season not complete without its exhilarating highs and devastating lows. A season, like that of the three other […]
Grateful
Illinois lost Saturday night in the Final Four to UConn. My take: The loss stunk. Illinois missed a lot of threes. Some of the calls were questionable. I’m grateful. Grateful because Illinois was in the Final Four. Grateful because there’s nothing like being an Illini fan. Did you see the number of people who showed […]
Offensive stagnancy in Indy puts Illinois’ season to rest
INDIANAPOLIS – Before Saturday night’s matchup, UConn had won 12 of its last 13 Final Four games. For Illinois, a program that had only won just one Final Four game ever, the task was simple: keep Tarris Reed Jr. away from the glass and make life difficult for him in the paint. “Most of the […]
Illinois unable to come back, falls short of national title game berth
INDIANAPOLIS — An oh-so magical year came to a crashing halt in Indianapolis for the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday night in a 71-62 defeat against UConn at the Final Four. With another magical flick of the wrist, the Huskies’ Brayden Mullins sealed it. That was until Keaton Wagler responded in the second with a […]
Underwood, Illinois land four-star guard Quentin Coleman
How about this for a Final Four gift? Four-star guard Quentin Coleman committed to Illinois on Friday, one day before the Illini take on UConn with a shot at the national championship on the line. Coleman, out of St. Louis, is the No. 34 player nationally in 247’s 2026 class. At 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, […]
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