Return home a '180 degree culture change' for Boswell

Want to purchase today’s print edition? Here’s a map of single-copy locations.

CHAMPAIGN — Kylan Boswell could have had his pick of college basketball destinations when he opted to enter the transfer portal in early April.

There was a lot to like about his résumé. Five-star pedigree as a recruit. USA Basketball experience, including a gold medal at the 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship. Two seasons at Arizona, including one as a starter during the 2023-24 season on a Sweet 16 team.

Boswell was one of the highest profile players in the portal among the nearly 2,000 looking for a new basketball home this past spring.

Who might start for the Illini?

Deep roster gives Brad Underwood plenty of options

But Illinois was at the top of Boswell’s list. For several reasons. He had a strong relationship with assistant coach Geoff Alexander dating back to his initial recruitment out of high school. The Illini were also one of the first teams to reach out once he hit the portal.

Mostly, though, Illinois topped Boswell’s list because it was home. He might have left for California before entering high school, but Champaign was home. And that’s what Boswell wanted — and needed — to reset himself on and off the basketball court.

“This was a place we were thinking about when we entered the portal,” Boswell said. “Coming home has always been the biggest thing for me, probably, to be back in orange and blue.”

Familiar surroundings

Boswell rarely got a chance to visit Champaign after moving out West before he started his high school career. That included just one trip to visit during his two college seasons playing at Arizona.

So there was plenty of catching up to do when he returned in May. Like checking out his old stomping grounds at Edison Middle School.

That was one thing that had certainly changed since he was a sixth grader roaming the halls of the school on Green Street.

“Honestly, the new Edison gym kind of surprised me,” Boswell said. “I didn’t know they redid that whole thing. I remember it being that tiny, little court. Slippery. Dark. When I saw the new one I was like, ‘Dang, that’s pretty nice.’”

There was also one must-visit stop after he moved back to town. One he’s sure Illinois strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher might have protested — and definitely would now given the regimen the 6-foot-2 guard has been on this summer.

“Don’t tell Fletch, but I had to go to Monical’s,” Boswell said with a smile. “It wasn’t even a debate. It was really exciting for me and my family trying to go around town and see old spots. Some stuff is new. A lot of nostalgia and a lot of memories coming back. The only thing for me is getting prepared for the cold. I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”

Support system in place

What Boswell is ready for, though, is a fresh start at Illinois. One he can approach with a sense of calm only derived from being home. From having the support of family and friends.

Boswell described his sophomore season at Arizona as a “roller-coaster” in the wake of the Wildcats’ Sweet 16 loss to Clemson. Clear highs happened, like his 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals in an early-season win at Duke and his 20 points and eight assists in the opening round of the NCAA tournament against Long Beach State.

The latter was a lone bright spot at the end of the season, though. Boswell scored five or fewer points in five of Arizona’s last six games, and he started ceding more playing time to Jaden Bradley in the last two games of the NCAA tournament.

“Last season was a whole lot,” Boswell said. “I have my own opinions about that. I just don’t want a narrative to be some type of way anymore. That’s the main thing. I know that’s not the type of person I am. Some things happened and people drag it a little bit. My mind is past that. The main focus right now is to change my whole persona, how people think about me. I’m going to come out here and win for this team. That’s the main focus.”

That’s a process aided by returning home. Boswell has family and friends nearby for support, and he’s also felt the love from the Illinois fan base since he committed three months ago.

A sense of calm seems to encapsulate Boswell, too, with his return home. One that lets him not overthink and just put in the work at Ubben Basketball Complex.

“Since I’ve been home, I have people I can reach out to if I need something,” Boswell said. “I’ve got family I can always lean back on. There’s no uncertainty with what I need to do here. I can always find something to do, find someone to help me with something. It helps me not worry about outside distractions. My day-to-day life routine gets a lot easier, too, because everybody is near me if I need something or to do something they can always help me out.”

Boswell’s support system is just as happy to have him home. His family will finally get the opportunity to watch him play. It’s something they couldn’t really do when he was playing high school basketball in California and Arizona and the past two seasons in the Pac-12, but easily done now that he’ll suit up for the Illini.

Trent Meacham is part of that support system. The Centennial graduate and former Illinois guard went to high school with Boswell’s dad, Brandon, and helped train Boswell when he was in middle school.

“Whenever you have a local kid, there hasn’t been too many of them,” Meacham said about Champaign natives who have played at Illinois. “There won’t be a ton of them. When you have one that’s capable and can be an impact player, that’s really exciting. Kylan’s got the chance to be the best player ever to come out of this area. I don’t want to say that like it’s pressure or anything, but I just think that’s the reality.

“Hopefully someone like him can help inspire other younger kids. … To have someone from here represent the Illini — and I think he’s going to have a really good couple years here — I’m just really excited for Kylan first and foremost. Then selfishly for him to be around is pretty cool for myself and I think a lot of people in this community.”

Underwood a big selling point

Illinois might not have been on Boswell’s radar — at either stage of his recruitment — if not for Brad Underwood. The memories of Illini basketball Boswell has from growing up in Champaign aren’t the best given they coincided with the end of the Bruce Weber era in 2012 and some equally lean times under John Groce in the mid-2010s.

“Coach Underwood, for sure, has changed this program in a drastic way,” Boswell said. “I remember watching them as a little kid and thinking, ‘Man, I don’t know if I’d really want to go there.’ Now, it’s one of the best Big Ten schools.

“It’s all because of the coaching staff, for sure. They know how to recruit. They know how to put together pieces that can help the team win. Their offense and defense and how strong they believe in their philosophies has been shown proven right on the court.”

How Underwood runs his team — what he expects — is also what Boswell felt he needed to reset his career. He called it a “full 180 degree culture change” arriving at Illinois from Arizona.

“I don’t think I’ll be comfortable all the time here,” Boswell said. “I’m not saying I was at Arizona, but I just know Coach Underwood won’t let you be comfortable. He’ll definitely get on your (butt). All the other coaching staff down the line, they’re all just as crazy as him in a strict manner. They expect a standard and they have a standard going on for multiple years in this program.

“I just feel like that’s something I need — somebody to make sure I stay up to my standards as a person, as a basketball player. I need somebody to push me to that and is always, consistently, trying to get me there. … They’re trying to make sure I’m doing what I need to do to get to the next step of my life and not holding myself back.”

That’s the message Boswell said he got from the Illinois coaching staff when Underwood and Co. reached out this spring. Hearing about it, of course, is one thing. Experiencing it is another, and the Illinois staff is all about consistency and accountability.

“I need someone to be doing that for me,” Boswell said. “I need someone to make sure I get to a certain standard every day in practice. Or you’re not going to play. That’s how it is over here if you’re not doing what you need to do and as hard as you need to do. All that can do is make you better as a person and as a player.”

High praise from the coach

A player Underwood believes still has his best basketball ahead of him. Easy to say considering Boswell has played two seasons in college and just turned 19 in mid-April. Underwood can envision Boswell flourishing in Champaign,

“He’s done it against the best competition and at a very high level,” Underwood said. “I’m also excited about what his future holds. Adding Adam Fletcher. Adding what we do stylistically opening the court up for him. They played a certain way at Arizona that was very successful for them. We’re going to open the court up, and it will be a different experience for him.

“We’ll all see that. Everybody knows he’s a good shooter, so you better respect him, and he’s a great shooter off the bounce. I think that will set up a lot of things for him as well as seeing an open floor and giving that young guy space to create and get downhill as well. I’m really excited. I think his best stuff is in front of him. He’s an awfully hard worker and comes with great pedigree and success he’s had at a very young age.”