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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men’s basketball team has kickstarted its 2026 offseason recruitment efforts with a promising addition.
According to ESPN, Stefan Vaaks has announced his commitment to join the Illinois squad. Vaaks is making the move from Providence, where he made a significant impact in his debut season, averaging 15.8 points per game during the 2025-26 campaign.
Standing at 6-foot-7, the guard hails from Estonia and quickly earned accolades for his performance, securing a spot on the Big East All-Freshman team. He demonstrated solid shooting skills, achieving a 40.3% field goal percentage and a 35% accuracy from beyond the arc.
As Illinois celebrates this new acquisition, the team is also facing changes with several players departing following their impressive run to the Final Four.
Illinois also has several outgoing players following its trip to the Final Four.
The Illini graduated AJ Redd, Ben Humrichous and Kylan Boswell. Two players, Toni Bilic and Mihailo Petrovic, are planning to enter the transfer portal. Plus, Keaton Wagler declared for the NBA Draft on Saturday.
Illinois is also set to bring in four high school commits from the 2026 class.