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Illinois Basketball Offers a Pair of Intriguing East Coast Guards
Feb 22, 2025; New York, NY, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Illinois Basketball Offers a Pair of Intriguing East Coast Guards

Originally posted on Illinois Fighting Illini on SI
By Jackson Langendorf  |  Last updated May 22, 2025 8:21 PM ET

With the offseason in full swing and Illinois’ rotation for the upcoming season nearly entirely locked down, coach Brad Underwood and his crew have quickly pivoted to high school recruiting.

In the past couple of days, the Illini have offered a pair of guards from the northeast – one from the class of 2026 and the other a member of the class of 2027.

On Sunday, it was Boston combo guard Lucas Morillo – who announced his offer via X. The 6-foot-6 senior suits up for City Rocks on the EYBL Circuit and is fresh off an excellent weekend in which he showcased his entire skill set.

A three-level scorer, Morillo can score in a variety of ways. He's a solid shooter and a respectable spot-up threat with a true pull-up. Still, he prefers to do his work around the basket, where he has tremendous touch with both hands. Crafty getting downhill and an excellent cutter, Morillo lives at the rack, and plays well off two feet.

Figuring the only thing better than one East Coast guard is two, the Illini quickly extended an offer to Anderson Diaz, a New York point guard ranked 54th in the cClass of 2027 by 247 Sports.

Diaz is twitchy and keeps the ball on a string, allowing him to get downhill almost at will, often leaving defenders stuck behind in quicksand. He also has a smooth lefty stroke, as well as quick hands on the defensive end.

With assistant coach Orlando Antigua’s proven track record in the Northeast (especially the New York area), the Illini may already have a leg up in the race for both Morillo and Diaz.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Top Three NBA Landing Spots for Illinois Forward Will Riley

Illinois Basketball's Best of the Century: No. 10 Malcolm Hill

Surprising Stat Highlights Underrated Impact of Illinois' Tomislav Ivisic

This article first appeared on Illinois Fighting Illini on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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