Jason Jakstys Scouting Report: Illinois Basketball 2025-2026

He doesn’t appear to be comfortable as a perimeter shooter yet – although there’s plenty of time for that. Between his length and athleticism, Jakstys can be effective playing in the dunker spot and on the offensive glass in the meantime. His stronger frame (now 225 pounds) may even allow him to make an impact as a back-to-the-basket player.

And that additional weight and power can pay dividends on the other end – specifically in post-defense situations. Combined with his springiness and size, Jakstys has the tools to be a top-notch shot blocker.

Jason Jakstys highlights

What they're saying about Jason Jakstys

“Jason amazes us every day. I think he’s continuing to gain strength, which allows him to gain stamina. Jason reminds me of a young man I had a few years ago when I was at Stephen F. Austin who was a high school volleyball player, and he was really bouncy, he was really quick off the ground. He would dunk on you, and you’d be shocked – and Jason’s that,” said Illini coach Brad Underwood. 

“He’s quick. He’s very cerebral. He’s got a great IQ. He’s a little bit deceiving in that he’s got a really good handle, so he can play into a lot of different actions. Maybe our best screener. … Very, very excited about him. And he’s got just a tremendous knack to block shots, as well.”

What we expect from Jason Jakstys

Jakstys is, once again, playing behind a loaded frontcourt. Morez Johnson Jr. and Carey Booth may have departed, but Zvonimir Ivisic and David Mirkovic have taken their respective places, while Ben Humrichous and Tomislav Ivisic both returned to Champaign as well.

Through no fault of his own, Jakstys’ route to rotational minutes remains a murky one. As a non-shooter – at least for now – he also doesn’t seem to fit into the mold for the Illini's preferred method of play. That said, Johnson proved last year that Underwood is perfectly willing to play non-shooters if they bring other skills to the table.

For Jakstys to earn meaningful tick, he will have to be extremely useful on defense. Per Underwood himself, Jakstys is an elite rim protector, but he must also display that quickness and blossom into a versatile defender to force himself on to the court. Offensively, if Jakstys can just offer clean-up crew capabilities and be a respectable threat from the dunker spot, he may crack the back end of the rotation. At the very least, he offers quality depth in the Illini frontcourt and a foundation for the future.