In an offseason full of turmoil and bad surprises, Illinois’ announcement of Tim Anderson as third assistant coach on Friday should be a calming salve for a fanbase that can surely use some positive news.

Anderson, a Chicago native who has trained dozens of NBA players and was an assistant coach at DePaul for four seasons, has long been rumored to fill the opening on head coach Brad Underwood’s staff.

The two coaches were seen sitting or standing together at multiple high school evaluation periods in June, further adding to the rumor mill that Anderson would be joining the Illini staff.

Anderson is also the founder of Ground Zero Training in Chicago, where he has worked with players such as Derrick Rose, Jabari Parker, Ben Gordon, Bobby Portis, Carsen Edwards, Sam Dekker and dozens of other NBA veterans.

“Tim is the complete package. He has expertise in every area to benefit our players and our program,” Underwood said in a statement. “You're talking about someone who is an industry leader in player development, as evidenced by many of the world's top players selecting Ground Zero Training as the place to perfect their game. He is an excellent teacher, and he brings great recruiting ties not just in Chicago, but throughout the state of Illinois and nationally. Tim has done it at literally every level, from high school and AAU to junior college and Division II, and low major to high major in Division I. He is a grinder who has paid his dues because he loves the game of basketball and helping people achieve their dreams. He is without question an ‘Every Day Guy’ who is the perfect addition to our staff.”

Anderson joins Chester Frazier and Geoff Alexander on an all-new Illini assistant coaching staff. Illinois lost all three assistants this spring when Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman left for Kentucky, and Stephen Gentry returned to Gonzaga. Coleman’s departure left a void in the Chicago connections department, which Anderson now slides right into.

What Coleman was to the Mac Irvin Fire, Anderson is to Meanstreets. Anderson previously served as program director for Meanstreets, a talent-laded AAU club based in Chicago. Meanstreets is coached by Tai Streets and Tyrone Slaughter and Illinois has had virtually no success recruiting their players over the years. Streets is also head coach at Thornton, while Slaughter coaches Whitney Young, one of the most successful basketball programs in the state.

Meanstreets is loaded and now Illinois has an outstanding “in” with them. It likely won’t bear fruit in the 2022 class, as top 30 prospect Jalen Washington committed to North Carolina on Friday, and top 25 prospect AJ Casey has schools ahead of Illinois on his list. But rest assured that Meanstreets has more talent coming.

Illinois now has a coach who can walk into any gym in Chicago, from Kenwood to Whitney Young to Simeon and beyond, and will be immediately recognized. Anderson will presumably be wearing an Illini shirt and the locals will notice that, too. It may have seemed to take forever, but Illinois has its Chicago recruiter and it landed one of the most connected coaches possible.

Anderson won’t officially join the staff until July 26.