Nothing is official yet, but it is looking more and more like Coastal Carolina power forward Sam McLaurin will transfer to Illinois for next season. As a graduate student, he will be eligible to play immediately.
If this happens as expected, it’ll be a huge one-year addition for an otherwise unproven, youthful Illini frontline that can no longer count on Meyers Leonard to carry the load. The 6-foot-8, 230-pound McLaurin averaged over 7 points and 7 rebounds while shooting at least 65 percent from the floor in each of the last two seasons, and one would think he’d have a chance to start immediately.
John Groce will need more out of young bigs Nnanna Egwu and Mike Shaw as sophomores next season, but the addition of McLaurin would relieve some of that pressure. Tyler Griffey, who averaged just over 16 minutes a game last season, also returns.
– Joe Kaiser
