Illinois Basketball Makes First Transfer Portal Addition

Originally posted on Armchair Illini | By Alex Kyi | Last updated 4/1/24

Illinois Basketball Makes First Transfer Portal Addition

Illinois Basketball has made its first transfer portal addition! Two days after their season ended, Brad Underwood and his staff moved quickly. They have added Jake Davis, a pure shooter, from Mercer. After their Elite Eight loss, Illinois Basketball knows that it needs to continue spacing the floor with elite shooters and guys who can make shots. They also continue to target size on the perimeter and have done so by adding Davis.

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— Jake Davis (@Jake_6davis) April 1, 2024

A Pure shooter

Jake Davis is a 6 foot 6 guard/wing from McCordsville, Indiana. Davis played his freshman year at Mercer. He averaged 9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists on 38.7 percent three-point shooting percentage. Davis entered the transfer portal after Mercer made a coaching change. As an Indiana native, I am sure smaller schools like Butler and Notre Dame will throw their hats into the ring for Davis. Despite this, Davis seems like a great fit for the Illini.

He will have three years of eligibility. With the number of players leaving after this year, Illinois needs perimeter shooting surrounding Ty Rodgers, Sencire Harris, Morez Johnson, and more. Luke Goode will also run out of eligibility after the 2025 season, hence Illinois must bring in a veteran shooter. Jake has an incredibly quick release and he can certainly bring similar traits to what Luke Goode has while also developing a strong handle. His 6 foot 6 frame will also allow him to develop into the “Booty Ball” offense that Illinois has adopted.