Massive Illinois Basketball Target Sets Official Visit to Big Ten Rival Purdue

From A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas to Matt Haarms and, of course, Zach Edey, Purdue has become the go-to spot for the best 7-footers in college basketball. The Boilermakers are already working on building up their next in line, 7-foot-4 Daniel Jacobsen, who was a starter during his freshman campaign before suffering a season-ending injury in his second outing.

Outbidding just the Boilermakers for Suigo’s talents already may be an uphill battle – although it’s an encouraging sign that Illinois was the first program to host him for a visit. But even beyond the Boilers, the Illini will have more competition: According to Tipton, BYU, Kentucky, Louisville and Texas A&M, among others, have also been sniffing around Suigo.

But, if Illinois can land Suigo – who is considered a four-star recruit by On3 Sports despite being unranked – the Illini would be getting a game-shifting rebounder and defender, and an efficient scorer.

Although Suigo's jumper appears to be a work in progress, his 77.8 percent free-throw shooting at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament earlier this year is a sign that growth can be expected.

Assuming current Illini big man Tomislav Ivisic takes a step forward next season, he could be off to the NBA as soon as next summer, leaving a gaping hole in the frontcourt that Suigo could fill particularly well.

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