Illinois Soars Up 2026 Recruiting Rankings After Ethan Brown Commitment

Quickly rising up the recruiting charts over the past weeks and months, Brown is now a top-150 recruit and a four-star prospect according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. As the inaugural addition to coach Brad Underwood’s 2026 class, Brown – even as the No. 144 player in the country – has launched the Illini upward in the 2026 team recruiting rankings.

With Brown, Illinois' group rates as the No. 20 class in the nation and the sixth-best in the Big Ten. And although that number will move over time as other programs sign their own prospects, it also means that the Illini have a head start on their peers. Building a recruiting class early allows Underwood and his staff to better understand what their future may offer, assess the gaps they’ll need to fill and craft a well-thought-out plan of attack for the next offseason – specifically the transfer portal.

In the meantime, Illinois can be sure of the bare minimum it's getting from Brown: a heady guard with a pure stroke from deep. Brown has an innate understanding of the game and is the kind of player who can see a play unfolding before it happens. And although his athleticism isn't yet ideal to face Big Ten competition, Brown has the long distance shot to make up for it (and years ahead of him to work with strength and conditioning guru Adam Fletcher). Both off the dribble and the catch, Brown is a knockdown shooter – obviously the key draw for the shooting-enamored Underwood.

Perhaps Brown is just the first domino to fall in the 2026 class. But even if that isn’t the case, Brown is a worthy score for Underwood and Co. as a long-term play that can pay dividends down the road.

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