Underwood laying foundation for future success at Illinois
Rebuilding is all the rage in professional sports these days, and it's also dipped into the collegiate ranks.
"This is the youngest team that I've been a part of since I was a junior college coach and had a team every year of all freshmen," said Illinois basketball coach Brad Underwood. "That's exciting. It's brought a youthful exuberance to our practices. It's a group of guys that are helping lay a foundation. I feel very, very good about the fact that what we're doing is laying a tremendous foundation for the future with this group."
The future might be bright for a Fighting Illini team that hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 2013, but this season should feature more lumps than fist bumps.
"Adversity is going to hit throughout the season, and that's something I'm preparing the guys for," said senior guard Aaron Jordan, who prepped at Plainfield East High School.
With seven new scholarship players on the roster, Illinois is a consensus pick to finish near the bottom of the Big Ten this season.
"It's definitely motivation," said Jordan, who averaged 7.9 points per game last season. "They're called preseason rankings for a reason. You still have to throw the ball up, still have to put five guys out there, still have to play. This team is capable of a lot of things, Once everybody is able to see that, including our fans and all of the doubters, everybody will be able to see what we can do."
Along with Jordan, sophomore guard Trent Frazier brings some needed leadership to the Illini. Last year, Frazier led Big Ten freshmen in scoring (12.5 points a game), assists (3.1) and steals (1.7).
"Trent's got a big job," Underwood said. "He's going to be at the top of everybody's scouting report. That will be a little different role for him, but he's up for the challenge."
Frazier is also up for a bigger leadership role.
"I'm going to be more vocal helping these younger guys get on the same page as we are," Frazier said. "I want these young guys to be able to look up to me and ask for whatever they need. I know the system, I know where everybody needs to be and I know how things are supposed to go."
In his second season coaching the Illini, Underwood added a star recruit to this year's roster - 6-foot-5 guard Ayo Dosunmu. The Morgan Park High School product was the consensus No. 24 prep player in the country last year.
"He's a guy who loves basketball," Underwood said. "He's a two-time state champion, and he's fearless. He's everything that I would have hoped him to be and more. Great, great teammate. He's selfless.
"He knows he's a good basketball player. He's developing slowly into what we'll see, by some point this year, an elite leader."