Underwood gets commitment from 1st Illinois Mr. Basketball since 2010
Brad Underwood has yet to coach a game at Illinois, but he's already done something that his predecessor John Groce couldn't: keep the state's "Mr. Basketball" at home.
Four-star point guard Mark Smith announced his commitment to Underwood and the Fighting Illini on Wednesday night, signifying the first time since 2010 that Illinois has signed the state's "Mr. Basketball."
| Player | Year | College |
|---|---|---|
| Charlie Moore | 2016 | Cal |
| Jalen Brunson | 2015 | Villanova |
| Jahlil Okafor | 2014 | Duke |
| Jabari Parker | 2013 | Duke |
| Jabari Parker | 2012 | Duke |
| Ryan Boatright | 2011 | UConn |
| Chasson Randle | 2011 | Stanford |
While Smith won the prestigious award, he's ranked as the sixth-best player in the state headed to college next season. Shooting guard Da'Monte Williams, the fifth-ranked player in the state, is also signed on to play for Illinois next season, as well.
Underwood showed he can make an immediate impact with his one season at Oklahoma State, where he improved the team from 12-20 to 20-13 and took them to the NCAA tournament. Wednesday's commitment from Smith shows he's stockpiling the talent to make a similar improvement at his new school.