Good Morning, Illini Nation: Class of 2025 team rankings

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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:

Wednesday's commitment from Brandon Lee — a week after one from Keaton Wagler — made Illinois one of just three Big Ten teams with multiple recruits on board in the Class of 2025. How that two-man class stacks up among its Big Ten brethren is what's apparently up for debate.

The 247Sports' rankings has Illinois' class ranked fourth behind Wisconsin (three commits even though it's missing New Zealand guard Hayden Jones), Penn State (also two) and Indiana (just four-star forward Trent Sisley). The On3 rankings also has the Illini's class in fourth behind Indiana, Ohio State (four-star guard Dorian Jones) and Maryland (four-star big man Marcus Jackson).

But Rivals has Illinois' class first in the Big Ten. For the moment. Even though it only values Lee more than the other services at No. 89 nationally. Wagler's top ranking comes from 247Sports at No. 150.

So, yeah, maybe recruiting rankings can be a bit of a crapshoot. Brad Underwood would certainly agree (and has). And these consecutive commitments are clearly a situation where Underwood and Co. are trusting in their evaluations. Because Wagler's only other high major offer was Minnesota (at the same time the Illini got on board), and Lee's only other high major offer was Seton Hall. That one came last week.

The way Underwood has built Illinois back into a contender — both in the Big Ten and nationally — probably means trusting his trust in his evaluations is fine. And it's easy to see how both Lee and Wagler popped on Illinois' radar. Lee filled it up on the EYBL circuit as a scorer (albeit not overly efficiently) and has international experience. Wagler checks both the positional size and shooting boxes.

The impact they might make at Illinois? TBD.