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Apr. 1—Take the following list with more than a grain of salt. Illinois has been linked to more than a dozen transfers. Will any of them actually wind up in Champaign? Too soon to tell. But here's who is, at minimum, on the Illini's portal radar:
Bubu Benjamin, 6-7, So., G
Canadian wing averaged a career-best 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 2024-24 for Tarleton State and former Illinois assistant Billy Gillispie. The Medicine Hat, Alberta, native shot 38 percent from three-point range on four attempts per game.
Tyler Cochran, 6-3, R-Sr., G
Former Bolingbrook standout did not play this past season at Minnesota after transferring from Toledo. Cochran spent two seasons with the Rockets after two at Northern Illinois. He averaged 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 2023-24 at Toledo and is a career 34 percent three-point shooter.
Josh Dix, 6-5, Jr., G
Dix attempted progressively more three-pointers throughout his Iowa career but remained efficient. This season saw the Council Bluffs, Iowa, native shoot a career-best 42.2 percent from three on a career-high 4.8 attempts per game, while he averaged 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Sam Lewis, 6-6, So., G
Lewis nearly tripled his playing time this season for Toledo — going from 11.8 to 31.4 minutes per game — and his production increased at an even higher rate. The Chicago native and Simeon grad averaged 16.2 points and 4.7 rebounds and was a 47/44/77 shooter as the Rockets' scoring leader.
Sebastian Mack, 6-3, So., G
Mack went from starting 30 of 33 games as a freshman to starting just one of 34 games this past season for UCLA. A dip in overall playing time also led to a dip in production for the Chicago native, who saw his averages drop to 9.6 points and 2.1 rebounds. He was more efficient offensively, however, shooting 43 percent overall and 31 percent from three-point range.
Pryce Sandfort, 6-6, So., F
Sandfort's role off the bench grew in his second season at Iowa, as he went from just 8.7 minutes per game as a freshman to 22.4 minutes per game as a sophomore. He averaged 8.8 points and 2.9 rebounds and, perhaps most importantly, shot 40 percent from three on 4.2 attempts per game.
Jaylin Sellers, 6-4, Sr., G
It will take a medical hardship waiver for Sellers to get a fifth season of eligibility after he missed most of the 2024-25 season at UCF with a back injury. Playing in just three games qualifies him. That one of those games came Jan. 5 against Kansas might do the opposite. In his last full season in 2023-24, Sellers averaged 15.9 points and 3.6 rebounds for the Knights.
Malachi Smith, 6-0, R-Jr., G
A torn meniscus in the 2023-24 season opener (after just 7 minutes) allows Smith to seek a fifth season elsewhere after spending the last four years at Dayton. The Bronx, N.Y., native was healthy again in 2024-25, started 31 of 33 games, ranked fourth on the Flyers in scoring at 10.4 points per game and led the team averaging 5.3 assists. Smith also shot 38 percent from three-point range this past season.
Jamichael Stilwell, 6-8, Jr., F
The move from JUCO ball to the Horizon League worked well for Stillwell, who wound up an all-conference selection after averaging 13 points and 10.7 rebounds at Milwaukee. The Atlanta native was the top rebounder in the league and finished his first (and last) season with the Panthers with 16 double-doubles in 31 games.
Christoph Tilly, 7-0, Jr., C
Tilly would check multiple boxes ... Needed frontcourt piece. Experienced. International. The German 7-footer, who grew up in Chile, was a two-year starter at Santa Clara. He started all 31 games he played this past season and was the Broncos' second-leading scorer at 12.5 points per game. Tilly also averaged 4.9 rebounds and earned All-WCC Second Team honors.
Jacari White, 6-3, Sr., G
The "Diego Pavia Rule" is in effect here, with White eligible for a bonus season of eligibility after starting his college basketball career at State College of Florida. White was an All-Summit League Second Team selection this season after averaging 17.1 points as a 45/40/85 shooter to go with 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He was also a Summit League All-Defensive Team pick in 2023-24.
All Wright, 6-3, Fr., G
Wright was Valparaiso's second-leading scorer this past season at 15.5 points per game on 41/38/81 shooting and earned Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year honors. He scored at least 20 points in 13 of 31 games, including a career high 32 against Indiana State, and also averaged 2.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds.
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Bubu Benjamin, 6-7, So., G
Canadian wing averaged a career-best 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 2024-24 for Tarleton State and former Illinois assistant Billy Gillispie. The Medicine Hat, Alberta, native shot 38 percent from three-point range on four attempts per game.
Tyler Cochran, 6-3, R-Sr., G
Former Bolingbrook standout did not play this past season at Minnesota after transferring from Toledo. Cochran spent two seasons with the Rockets after two at Northern Illinois. He averaged 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 2023-24 at Toledo and is a career 34 percent three-point shooter.
Josh Dix, 6-5, Jr., G
Dix attempted progressively more three-pointers throughout his Iowa career but remained efficient. This season saw the Council Bluffs, Iowa, native shoot a career-best 42.2 percent from three on a career-high 4.8 attempts per game, while he averaged 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Sam Lewis, 6-6, So., G
Lewis nearly tripled his playing time this season for Toledo — going from 11.8 to 31.4 minutes per game — and his production increased at an even higher rate. The Chicago native and Simeon grad averaged 16.2 points and 4.7 rebounds and was a 47/44/77 shooter as the Rockets' scoring leader.
Sebastian Mack, 6-3, So., G
Mack went from starting 30 of 33 games as a freshman to starting just one of 34 games this past season for UCLA. A dip in overall playing time also led to a dip in production for the Chicago native, who saw his averages drop to 9.6 points and 2.1 rebounds. He was more efficient offensively, however, shooting 43 percent overall and 31 percent from three-point range.
Pryce Sandfort, 6-6, So., F
Sandfort's role off the bench grew in his second season at Iowa, as he went from just 8.7 minutes per game as a freshman to 22.4 minutes per game as a sophomore. He averaged 8.8 points and 2.9 rebounds and, perhaps most importantly, shot 40 percent from three on 4.2 attempts per game.
Jaylin Sellers, 6-4, Sr., G
It will take a medical hardship waiver for Sellers to get a fifth season of eligibility after he missed most of the 2024-25 season at UCF with a back injury. Playing in just three games qualifies him. That one of those games came Jan. 5 against Kansas might do the opposite. In his last full season in 2023-24, Sellers averaged 15.9 points and 3.6 rebounds for the Knights.
Malachi Smith, 6-0, R-Jr., G
A torn meniscus in the 2023-24 season opener (after just 7 minutes) allows Smith to seek a fifth season elsewhere after spending the last four years at Dayton. The Bronx, N.Y., native was healthy again in 2024-25, started 31 of 33 games, ranked fourth on the Flyers in scoring at 10.4 points per game and led the team averaging 5.3 assists. Smith also shot 38 percent from three-point range this past season.
Jamichael Stilwell, 6-8, Jr., F
The move from JUCO ball to the Horizon League worked well for Stillwell, who wound up an all-conference selection after averaging 13 points and 10.7 rebounds at Milwaukee. The Atlanta native was the top rebounder in the league and finished his first (and last) season with the Panthers with 16 double-doubles in 31 games.
Christoph Tilly, 7-0, Jr., C
Tilly would check multiple boxes ... Needed frontcourt piece. Experienced. International. The German 7-footer, who grew up in Chile, was a two-year starter at Santa Clara. He started all 31 games he played this past season and was the Broncos' second-leading scorer at 12.5 points per game. Tilly also averaged 4.9 rebounds and earned All-WCC Second Team honors.
Jacari White, 6-3, Sr., G
The "Diego Pavia Rule" is in effect here, with White eligible for a bonus season of eligibility after starting his college basketball career at State College of Florida. White was an All-Summit League Second Team selection this season after averaging 17.1 points as a 45/40/85 shooter to go with 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He was also a Summit League All-Defensive Team pick in 2023-24.
All Wright, 6-3, Fr., G
Wright was Valparaiso's second-leading scorer this past season at 15.5 points per game on 41/38/81 shooting and earned Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year honors. He scored at least 20 points in 13 of 31 games, including a career high 32 against Indiana State, and also averaged 2.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds.
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