CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In the world of college sports, great recruiting and solid coaching go hand in hand. Ultimately, though, it’s the athletes on the court or field who win games.
Illinois Women’s Basketball Head Coach Shauna Green, a former Quad Cities prep star for the Clinton River Queens, made a significant recruiting victory this week for her Illini.
Destiny Jackson, the nation’s 24th-ranked high school player from Whitney Young High School, has committed to Illinois. Jackson, who is widely considered a frontrunner for Illinois’ Ms. Basketball award for the class of 2025, brings major talent to Green’s growing program.
“I had a lot of schools to pick from—Arizona, West Virginia, Baylor, and North Carolina all had great facilities,” Jackson told News 8. “But in the end, it was the Illinois coaches and the current team that won me over. I want to play for a coach who never stopped recruiting me. I talked to the Illinois staff every day, except during dead periods when they weren’t allowed to.”
Green, hired in March 2022, emphasized during her introductory press conference the importance of keeping Illinois talent at home. “The state of Illinois has great players, and I want to make sure they know Illinois is a place where you can win games and championships,” she said.
Now that she is entering her third year at Illinois, Green has already made her mark in recruiting. In 2023, she secured Jasmine Brown-Hagger, the top-ranked player in her class according to Prep Girls Hoops, who transferred to Illinois from Mississippi State. Jackson, ranked No. 1 in the class of 2025 by the same publication, continues the trend.
“The way I see it, Coach Green is already building a powerhouse,” Jackson added. “Two years ago, Illinois made it to the tournament, and last year they won the WNIT—the first postseason title in women’s basketball history. Berry Wallace was a McDonald’s All-American last year, and now with me coming in, it’s only going to get better. Look at JuJu Watkins at USC—nobody cared about them before, but now they’re getting 5-star recruits.”
Both Wallace and Jackson are top-25 recruits according to ESPN HoopGurlz, but another key player could join the mix: Divine Bourrage, a 6-foot-0 guard from Davenport North. Green was spotted Tuesday at Wood Intermediate School watching Bourrage, currently ranked No. 5 nationally, work out.
“Divine’s my girl,” Jackson said. “We talk every day. We’ve discussed playing together and winning championship at Illinois. She knows what’s up, but at the end of the day, it’s her decision. My plan is to bring other players with me. I’m calling all recruits considering Illinois.”
Bourrage is visiting LSU this weekend (Sept. 5-7). Stay tuned for more details.
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