Who might start for the Illini?

Who starts for the Illini? Good question. But one beat writer Scott Richey tries to answer:

Kylan Boswell

If there’s one player on the Illinois roster that is an absolute lock to start, it’s probably Boswell. The Illini more than made do without a traditional point guard on the roster last season, but bringing in the Arizona transfer will add some new wrinkles to the offense. Boswell’s ability as a career 38 percent three-point shooter allows him to play off the ball, too.

Kasparas Jakucionis

The fact Boswell doesn’t always have to have the ball in his hands to be an option offensively benefits Jakucionis. A team can’t have too many playmakers, and the 18-year-old Lithuanian qualifies. That Jakucionis does it with size at 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds provides a different dynamic to the 6-2 Boswell.

Ty Rodgers

This spot in the lineup might have the most options given five-star freshman Will Riley and Southern Cal/Louisville transfer Tre White are equally as legitimate choices. But the 6-6 Rodgers has the experience the majority of the team doesn’t (i.e. actually starting for the Illini), and the continued word out of Ubben Basketball Complex is he’s found his jump shot.

Ben Humrichous

Illinois’ offseason priorities of adding positional size and shooting are epitomized by Humrichous. The Evansville transfer brings both to Champaign as a 6-9 forward that knocked down 41 percent of his three-pointers last season with the Purple Aces. But Humrichous isn’t just a shooter, and there’s some “booty-ball” potential.

Tomislav Ivisic

This spot probably winds up as a timeshare, with Ivisic and freshman Morez Johnson Jr. splitting the responsibility. Johnson being the daily rebounding leader during summer workouts is both not a surprise and potentially his way to more minutes, but Ivisic’s experience (three years in the Adriatic League), size at 7-1 and shooting probably gets him the starting nod.