Wednesday’s Illinois Basketball Tip-Off Classic event at the Champaign-Urbana Kiwanis Club gave Fighting Illini coach Brad Underwood a chance to update media and fans on the status of some of his team’s most important players.
One player who could ascend to that status sooner than the pundits expected is freshman forward Landon Davis, who has caught Underwood’s eye this offseason with his versatile skill set and potential on both defense and offense.
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The excitement in the Fighting Illini head coach’s voice was undeniable as he highlighted the Waukee, Iowa native’s best traits ahead of his forthcoming 2026-27 debut.
Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood applauds during practice ahead of a Final Four game on Friday, April 3, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Davis, a 6-foot-8, 210 pound forward and three-star freshman forward according to 247Sports.com, was described in myriad superlatives by coach Underwood at the event.
“Landon’s been off the chart, he’s been very, very good, very, very good three-point shooter, athletic, he’s long, he’s got great basketball instincts,” Underwood said.
“I think defensively, he’s got a chance to guard multiple positions, and it’s been a real plus.”
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Davis was not heavily recruited out of high school but appears to be in the process of proving college scouts wrong judging by his new head coach’s comments. He received offers from the Iowa Hawkeyes, Drake Bulldogs, Illinois-Chicago Flames and Northern Iowa Panthers, choosing Underwood’s team over Ben McCollum’s hometown Hawkeyes.
With David Mirkovic still recovering from foot surgery, Davis could get extra reps in practice leading up to November’s opening week.
The freshman class has impressed Underwood as a whole this offseason and could become a big part of the team’s plans this season.
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Last season, Mirkovic and Keaton Wagler were among the team’s best and most durable players. This season, several freshmen appear to be candidates for playing time, including Davis, Quentin Coleman, Lucas Morillo and Lincoln Williams.
“All these freshmen have shown a lot of positive things here to this point, so I’ve been really pleased with them,” Underwood said. “Their knowledge, their ability to process, all of that has been pretty sharp as we get close to the start of practice, we ramp things up, that’ll be the go-time for them,” the Illini coach added in comments to Glenn Kinley of WCIA-3 Champaign.
llinois’ non-conference schedule is one of the nation’s toughest with games against Texas Tech, Duke, UConn, Missouri and North Carolina all expected to put Underwood’s deep and talented roster to the test.
Davis and the rest of the Illini freshmen are peaking at just the right time, with injuries taxing Underwood’s lineup and a tough slate of games a little over two months away for one of college basketball’s most exciting programs.
