Good Morning, Illini Nation: 'I think they nailed this offseason'

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Sign up for our daily basketball newsletter here Welcome to Good Morning, Illini Nation, your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey.

Hell offer up insights every morning on Brad Underwoods team and college basketball at large: Field of 68 has increasingly turned to former Illinois (and Wright State) guard Mike LaTulip for all things Big Ten basketball.

It makes sense.

LaTulip knows ball, and he can explain it in a relatable way.

LaTulip joined Rob Dauster on Thursday to discuss the latest in the college basketball offseason, but with a particular emphasis on the Illini.

The word from LaTulip after Illinois' spring of retention and addition? "I think they nailed this offseason," he said.

"I think if there's one thing Brad Underwood can do and he's proven over the years is adapt," LaTulip said.

"How many coaches, how many programs, have we seen kind of left in the dust for their inability to do that? He's been able to change and mold their scheme around the personnel as opposed to, 'Here's is what I want to do.

Go find the players to do it.'" The return of Kylan Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic stood out the most to LaTulip among Illinois' offseason efforts.

It's a stark change compared to what he rightly called a "total overhaul" ahead of the 2024-25 season.

"Tomislav Ivisic and Kylan Boswell were their two most consistent players by the end of that season, and you return both of them as really kind of pillars and foundations," LaTulip said.

"You have a point-of-attack defender and a guy who I think is going to shoot it better from three (in Boswell).

Tomislav, I think, was just kind of completely overlooked with his production last year.

...

He was outstanding, and you get that guy back." "I like that this isn't an overhaul.

I like that it's not being reliant on freshmen anymore.

Think about the way they filled the gaps.

What are the questions at point guard? You go out and get (Mihailo) Petrovic.

I think the conversation has gotten a little crazy for him.

When he committed people were like, 'Move over, Braden Smith.' I don't think that's what it's going to be with Petrovic, but what he is is a really, really good ball screen point guard, table setter, which is really what they need." LaTulip was also high on Illinois adding Cal transfer Andrej Stojakovic.

"This is why I love this commitment and I love the fit is because it's really damn good system fit for Andrej," he said.

"The system and guys around Andrej is going to allow him to be more efficient.".

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