Illinois Basketball Lands In-State Big Man

Originally posted on Armchair Illini | By Alex Kyi | Last updated 7/23/23

BREAKING: Illinois Basketball Lands In-State Big Man

Illinois Basketball has a prep addition to their class of 2024. Yorkville Big man, Jason Jakstys decided to commit to Illinois over offers from Illinois State, Drake and Valparaiso. Jakstys is a 6 foot 10 big man who has shown some solid flashes of versatility and shooting capabilities that enticed Illinois. Jakstys joins Morez Johnson as the other prep commit in the class of 2024. From a recruiting standpoint, Jason may remind Illinois fans of the myriad of other big men that Illinois basketball has taken a flyer on. Brandon Lieb, Jermaine Hamlin and Matic Vesel were all big men who were sold as a “high-upside” kind of players without any high-major offers.

Though I would love to sit here and say this situation is different, it really kind of is that same situation with a few differences that I want to outline.

The Player.

Jakstys is 6 foot 9 to 6 foot 10. He shows the ability to shoot the ball, however also shows the ability to get up quick for a dunk. Though there really is not one trait that sticks out, the main calling card for him is his shooting stroke for his size coupled with solid athleticism. The biggest hurdle is his strength. He is slender at best, and will certainly need at least two years to fill out his frame in preparation for the Big Ten.

I am sure the Brandon Lieb comparisons will be inevitable, however Jakstys looks a lot more quick footed than Lieb. Similar things may have been said about Lieb, however he was extremely stiff and slow-footed. Jakstys looks far more nimble and has way better hands. Jakstys compares to Coleman Hawkins before he arrived on campus as opposed to Brandon Lieb.

The Fit.

Illinois does not have that stretch big yet. Amani Hansberry, Morez Johnson and Dain Dainja are all interior paint players. They are rugged, tough rebounders while Jakstys can play a power forward position and stretch the floor. For context, Coleman Hawkins weighed 195 pounds per 247sports. Jakstys is currently listed as 205 pounds. He has a frame that can fill out. Despite that, there is valid skepticism. Joe Henricksen is a respected basketball opinion and he told the Illini Inquirer Podcast that Jakstys is a “mid-major” guy.

Time will tell, however the upside of Jakstys could be very exciting in two-three years.

This article first appeared on Armchair Illini and was syndicated with permission.

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