Even with a highly-ranked recruiting class signed, the turnover on the Illinois basketball roster at the end of the 2021-22 season was disconcerting. Star center Kofi Cockburn was off to the NBA Draft, and long-time standout guard Trent Frazier played out his extra year of eligibility. Top three-point shooter Alfonso Plummer also departs.

Staring over is the new normal in college basketball in the era of NIL and the Transfer Portal, and Illini coach Brad Underwood faced a major rebuild. So, the Illini coach and his three-man staff of hotshot recruiters rolled up their sleeves and dove headfirst into the Portal, looking for veteran help to stabilize the roster.

They stuck gold, and now the Illini are a completely revamped team and look poised to pick up where Cockburn et al left off, and maybe even kick it up a notch.

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RETURNING PLAYERS (4): Coleman Hawkins, Brandin Lieb, RJ Melendez, Luke Goode

LOSSES (9): Kofi Cockburn, Trent Frazier, Alphonso Plummer, Da'Monte Williams, Jacob Grandison, Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk, Andre Curbelo, Austin Hutcherson, Omar Payne

ADDITIONS (7): Matthew Mayer, Dain Dianja, Terrence Shannon Jr., Ty Rodgers, Jayden Epps, Sencire Harris, Skyy Clark

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