CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois senior guard Andres Feliz shrugged and fidgeted when he heard the question.

During a media scrum on Thursday, a reporter asked Feliz what his personal goals are for the upcoming season.

“I mean…yeah,” Feliz said, hesitating to talk about individual ambitions.

He finally gave in the question, though, saying he wants to have a great season and wants to continue bonding with the team. But he made his primary goal clear; winning.

“I like to see my team win and whatever it takes for me to do, I’m going to do because I like to win and I want to win,” Feliz said. “Whenever the team needs me to do something, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Feliz was widely considered the top junior college point guard in the country when he committed to the Fighting Illini in the spring of 2018. As a sophomore at Northwest Florida State College, he averaged 20 points, 6.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds.

At Illinois, Feliz struggled some early on before eventually finding a role and a rhythm. He's probably now the most underrated play on the Illini roster.

He won’t put a number on any of his goals in his final season of college ball. A lot of players say they don’t care about individual statistics, but Feliz is sincere

“Similar to last year, I’m going to be the guy that whatever the team needs me to do, that’s what I’m going to do,” Feliz said. “If I have to dive for a loose ball, that’s just something I’m going to do. That’s what my role was last year, and I want to keep that role and keep getting better.”

In preseason scrimmages, Feliz has looked confident and under control. His ability to rise up and score off the bounce is clearly better, and he always seems to make the right pass.

Sophomore forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili, another key cog in the Illini lineup, can see Feliz’s role as the “glue-guy” for Illinois this season.

“Most definitely. He’s a really tough guy,” Bezhanishvili said. “His mentality is really to be a dog and when guys like that face adversity, guys like that don’t break. He gets out there and he drags other players with him.”

Feliz was the 6th man last season, but he was on the court at crunch time for much of the year. He should have an even bigger role this season, whether its part of a starting trio of guards with Ayo Dosunmu and Trent Frazier or coming off the bench again.

Either way, Feliz is a natural leader, according to Bezhanishvili.

“When he talks, everyone listens to him,” Bezhanishvili said. “Also, he’s a great human being off the court. On the court when he gets out there, he just basically leads other players by his mentality and his being there.”

Last season for the Illini, Feliz played in all 33 games, averaging 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.2 assist per game. He gave Illinois the spark off the bench it desperately needed, but Feliz was never completely comfortable in his newfound home after making the jump from JUCO ball.

Now going into his second season, Feliz said that’s no longer a concern. He’s fully acclimated and ready to roll.

“I feel like in my second year in junior college, my comfort went up and as you know, when you go to a new team, you have to adjust,” Feliz said. “You learn the system and all that, now I feel like with my comfort is improved. I feel like this is going to be a pretty good year for me and I feel like my comfort is right there.”

Feliz’s increased comfort has been noticeable to his teammates during practice. Guard Ayo Dosunmu noticed how Feliz’s experience from a year ago has grown into confidence early on.

“He’s been to war with us last year and this year he’s much more confident with his overall game,” Dosunmu said. “He’s just been to battle and when you been to battle you come out of it more confident. He’s one of our leaders on our team.”

The pieces are all there for Feliz in his final season. He should be a more versatile scorer. Defensively, players are still saying he has a presence, and now he's fully comfortable in Underwood's high-pressure defensive system.

Entering his final year, Feliz thinks about helping to leave a legacy and establish lifelong bonds.

“It’s not so much about me, but so much about the rest of the team and the people who are coming back, and the people who are coming in after me,” he said. “We all can come one day or one point in life and talk about our experience here at the University of Illinois.”

It’s been a grueling six-plus years for fans who last saw their Illini play in the NCAA Tournament following the 2012-13 season. With an improved roster and more size, this should be the year the drought ends.

Feliz has one last shot at it, and he wants to make the most of the opportunity. Time to win, he says.

“That’s what I’m here for, especially as a senior,” Feliz said. “I don’t have another chance. I have to give it all for the team. It’s my family and I have to give it all to my teammates and my family.”