CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Gone are former Iowa Hawkeye All-American guard and center Caitlin Clark and Indiana's Mackenzie Holmes. Enter the new West Coast teams loaded with talent: USC and UCLA. However, a different group of teams appears to be heading to the top of the Big Ten next year in women's basketball.
ESPN named its preseason women's Top 25 for next year, with USC at No. 2, UCLA at No. 5, the Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 15, the Nebraska Cornhuskers at No. 20, and the Fighting Illini at No. 24.
Fresh off winning their WBIT title in dominant fashion, Illinois, like most teams, addressed its needs this off-season. A glaring need was a bona fide big with size, a rim protector to be precise. Another need was a low-post scoring threat that will keep defenses honest, someone who will give Illinois guards the freedom to not only score and convert at the rim but also an option to pass.
Last week, the Illini signed Baylor transfer Lety Vasconcelos, a 6-foot-7 center who was ranked No. 36 overall in the 2023 class by ESPN HoopGurlz. Vasconcelos was a 2023 McDonald's All-American and is a three-time member of the Brazilian national team
In today's climate, NIL has dictated a lot when it comes to players choosing schools. However, what's been said about the Illinois coaching staff, along with NIL, is their focus on player development. Illinois has a remarkable record of improving players once they arrive on campus.
Let's look at senior forward Kendall Bostic. The Kokomo, Ind., native averaged 4.2 ppg and 2.9 rebounds at Michigan State. Last year for Illinois, Bostic averaged 12 ppg and 11 rebounds and was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten. Genesis Bryant is another example. She transferred from North Carolina State, where she averaged 2.1 ppg. At Illinois, Bryant averaged 15.2 ppg and four assists her junior year, and she was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten by both Coaches and Media.
Vasconcelos is Shauna Green's second McDonald's All-American on next year's roster. The other is five-star recruit Berry Wallace, a 6-foot-0 wing from Pickerington, OH.
"I could not be more excited to have Lety join our FamILLy!" said Shauna Green."She is someone we knew we needed as soon as she was in the portal. We have watched her since high school, and the sky is truly the limit for her. Lety brings size, great hands, the ability to be a major scorer on the low block, and will add great rim protection with her ability to block shots. This is an area we needed to address, and Lety is the perfect fit for our system. Lety is a hard worker with big dreams, and I can't wait to have her here to get started in the process of reaching all her goals! She is a great basketball player, but more importantly, she is a high-character person who fits our culture."
Illinois returns over 80 percent of their scoring next season. Now, with the addition of a legitimate post defender, Illinois will not be outsized by bigger teams in the Big Ten.
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