2021 wing Tevin Smith has bounced back from a serious knee injury and is putting together a good season at nearby Danville (Ill.).

While the Vikings (10-10) are having an up-and-down year, Smith has been putting up big points. He recently went off for 36 in a win over Normal West.

“My season is going well right now”, Smith said. “As a team we’re still trying to find out some ways to make us better so we can be at that next level.”

Though he’s not currently a top priority for Illinois, Smith says the Illini are keeping tabs, along with a handful of other schools. He updates his recruitment in this story from Orange and Blue News.

Smith tore his ACL and meniscus in his left knee last April on the AAU circuit, and that slowed down his recruitment some. He’s shown no ill effects on the hardwood this season, however.

A versatile wing, Smith said he has improved his overall game despite missing several months with the injury, and he's knocking down more shots from long range.

“I am an all-around player,” he said. “I can shoot the 3, drive, I can guard every position. I love to get my teammates involve and get steals and rebounds. I’ve improved my 3-point shooting the most.”

On the recruiting front, Smith claims offers from UT-Martin, Milwaukee, Bradly, DePaul, and Oregon. He says Oregon is currently showing the strongest interest among that group, with Tulsa and Loyola (Ill.) close to offering.

“I definitely plan on taking a visit to Oregon sometime soon,” Smith said. “As I was growing up, I liked football better than basketball, so I always liked Oregon. Me and (Oregon assistant) Mike Mennenga talk almost every day.”

Other notable schools showing interest include Colorado State, Auburn, Iowa, Cal, and Butler. Illinois has Smith on its watch list, with new assistant Stephen Gentry the lead recruiter.

“Hopefully the relationship will get better as time goes on,” Smith said. “I have some type of interest since it’s close by and if I were to go there my family can see me play.”

The Illini recently had Smith on campus for an unofficial visit, along with a handful of other high school juniors.

“Illinois had the class of 2021 day,” Smith said. “I was there when they beat Michigan this year at home. I like the team. They have a lot of talent and I’m sure Illinois will make it to the tournament if they play like they’ve been.”