League: NCAAM Sport: College Sports Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Illinois basketball prepares for 2026-27 season with key player retention

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 21, 2026, 2:47 PM

Last updated Jun 21, 2026

College Sports

Summary

Illinois basketball coach Brad Underwood has successfully retained five significant players from the team's recent Final Four run as the program gears up for the 2026-27 season. With the transfer portal leading to high turnover rates in college basketball, Illinois seeks to build on this continuity. Players like Quentin Coleman, Stefan Vaaks, and Andrej Stojakovic face pivotal seasons ahead, each needing to adapt and perform under increased expectations. Upcoming practices and evaluations will be crucial as the team looks to solidify roles and strategies moving forward.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Brad Underwood retains five key players from the Final Four run.
•Quentin Coleman faces expectations following a transfer from Wake Forest.
•Stefan Vaaks is expected to improve efficiency with more offensive balance.
•Andrej Stojakovic must enhance three-point shooting to boost draft stock.
•Illinois prepares for practices leading into the next season.

Latest Updates

2:47 PMYahoo Sports — Good Morning, Illini Nation: Summer questions

What they're saying

"
Jun. 21—Brad Underwood has been able to pull off something that's become the exception rather than the norm in college basketball in 2026. Retention. The transfer portal was the initial catalyst for seemingly unending roster turnover. That dollars could be attached to those moves through revenue sharing (pay for play) and name, image and likeness deals (also, in most instances, pay for play) ...
— Yahoo Sports

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