Illinois landed its prime target in the Class of 2020 back in November when Adam Miller gave an oral commitment. But the Morgan Park star didn’t make it official.
With so many Illinois basketball recruiting whirlwinds and runner-up finishes in heated recruiting battles over the past two decades, Illini fans were anxiously waiting –– and slightly nervous –– for five months.
But the high-scoring 6-3 guard inked his letter-of-intent late Wednesday afternoon, joining a recruiting class that is ranked No. 15 in the country by 247sports and No. 16 by Rivals.
“I watch them all the time, those are my brothers,” said Miller in a January interview with the Sun-Times when asked how closely he’s following the Illinois basketball season. “DaMonte [Williams] was my like my hero when I was growing up in Peoria. So it’s hard watching, because I want to be out there helping them. I can’t wait until I can.”
The trio of Miller, ballyhooed New York point guard Andre Curbelo and promising 6-10 Coleman Hawkins of Prolific Prep in California helps keep the positive momentum flowing for coach Brad Underwood and Illinois basketball.
Fresh off rejuvenating the program with a 21-10 record this past season, Underwood now follows up a breakthrough season with a recruiting haul that is among the best in the Big Ten.
Miller, a consensus top 35 prospect nationally, has been a prime target of Illinois for years. Former coach John Groce and his staff were on him before he even entered high school. When Underwood and his staff took over in March of 2017, Illinois immediately made Miller a recruiting priority.
He becomes the second straight Morgan Park top 30 national recruit to sign with Illinois, following current Illini sophomore star Ayo Dosunmu.
More importantly, Miller brings something to the table Underwood and the program desperately need: shooting. Miller is a space-the-floor shooter with endless range who is capable of sliding over and playing some point guard.
The addition of Miller, who averaged 23.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists a game, gives Illinois the best combination in any recruiting class since Bruce Weber’s haul of Jereme Richmond and Meyers Leonard, a pair of top 30 prospects in the Class of 2010.
