Four-Star Recruit Compared to Shaquille O'Neal Includes Illinois in Top Seven

For a few weeks, it felt like Illinois was in the market only for shooters. At every position, 1 through 5, the Illini were in the hunt for long-range snipers. But over the past few weeks, coach Brad Underwood and his staff have targeted more than one traditional, low-block big.

One of them, Marcis Ponder, is a rising senior from Virginia – a mammoth of a young man who stands at 6-foot-11 and weighs 328 pounds yet has the feet of a ballet dancer.

With his size, frame and agility, Ponder seems to dunk everything. Not surprisingly, he has drawn many comparisons to NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. A class of 2026 prospect, Ponder is the No. 84 player in the nation and ninth-rated center according to 247Sports.

And on Tuesday night, Ponder cut his list of possible destination schools to seven – and included Illinois among them. The other six: Miami, Indiana, Providence, Florida State, Texas and Cincinnati.