Good Morning, Illini Nation: Interest in 2025 wing

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Welcome to “Good Morning, Illini Nation,” your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey. He’ll offer up insights every morning on Brad Underwood’s team and college basketball at large:

Class of 2025 wing Shon Abaev has official visits set for Dayton, Syracuse, USC, Auburn, Cincinnati and Maryland over the course for the two months. But the consensus four-star prospect told national basketball writer Adam Zagoria that Illinois is still interested and expected to make a trip this fall to Calvary Christian High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to see him play.

Abaev is coming off earning MVP honors UA Next Elite 24 — a top Under Armour event — in New York. It's another feather in the cap for the consensus top 50 prospect in the 2025 class who is ranked as high as No. 35 by ESPN.

The 6-foot-7, 185-pound wing, who was born in Israel and grew up in South Florida, helped Calvary Christian reach the quarterfinals of the FHSAA Class 4A state tournament last season. He averaged 18.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists and put up a 43/33/76 shooting slash.