The cornfields of Illinois have become an unlikely hub for European basketball talent — and that is Brad Underwood for you. At this point, you cannot knock it either. Underwood just led the Illinois Fighting Illini to the Final Four and will have a preseason top-10 team heading into the 2026-27 season. The European pipeline did not happen overnight. It was built deliberately, and it is paying off in a major way.
It started in 2024 when Underwood landed international prospects Kasparas Jakucionis and Tomislav Ivisic. Jakucionis had a standout freshman season, averaging 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game before becoming a first-round NBA Draft pick. Ivisic was built for the long haul. In his first season he averaged 13 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, then made the decision to return for the 2025-26 season — and in doing so, helped recruit the rest of Europe to Champaign.
First came Tomislav’s younger brother, Zvonimir, giving Illinois a two-headed seven-foot frontcourt that was unlike anything in the Big Ten. They were joined by David Mirkovic, who had an excellent freshman campaign averaging 13.3 points and 8 rebounds per game on his way to earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. And then there is Andrej Stojakovic — the former five-star recruit with deep European ties — who averaged 13.5 points per game in his own right. The 2025-26 Fighting Illini frontline was a European showcase, and it worked beautifully. Illinois was one of the best rebounding teams in the NCAA Tournament and made a memorable run all the way to the Final Four. Brad Underwood has even embraced the culture off the court, sporting the European orange jumpsuit on occasion — a coach fully bought into his own vision.
And the vision is not slowing down. Both Ivisic brothers, David Mirkovic, and Andrej Stojakovic are all returning for the 2026-27 season. Tomislav, Mirkovic, and Stojakovic are each legitimate All-Big Ten candidates, and the continuity this group brings is as valuable as any individual talent. Every returning piece has Final Four experience. The chemistry has been built.
Oh, and Underwood added more. Top-15 transfer Stefaan Vaaks is coming to Champaign after averaging 15 points per game at Providence in his first college basketball season — having previously played professionally in Estonia. This Illinois roster is overloaded with experienced, battle-tested talent that just happens to come from overseas.
What makes the 2026-27 Fighting Illini truly dangerous is not just the talent — it is the experience. These are not freshmen finding their footing in a new country and a new system. These are proven college basketball players with Final Four pedigree, returning hungry. Brad Underwood has done something genuinely unique: he found a recruiting lane that nobody else was mining, built a culture around it, and is now reaping the rewards at the highest level. The rest of college basketball should be paying close attention to what is happening in Champaign.
