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Illinois basketball: 3 starting lineup options for 2020-2021 season

By Mike Phillips

CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 08: Ayo Dosunmu #11 of the Illinois Fighting Illini is seen during the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - MARCH 08: Ayo Dosunmu #11 of the Illinois Fighting Illini is seen during the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at State Farm Center on March 8, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Illinois basketball starting lineup
(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Best-case scenario

  • Point Guard: Da’Monte Williams
  • Shooting Guard: Adam Miller
  • Small Forward: Ayo Dosunmu
  • Power Forward: Giorgi Bezhanishvili
  • Center: Kofi Cockburn

This is clearly the best option for Illinois, which sees Dosunmu opt to return to school for another year. The Illini are already loaded as is, but the return of Dosunmu gives them upper-echelon talent in the starting five.

Starters Andres Feliz and Kipper Nichols did graduate, creating two new holes in the starting five. Nichols’ spot at the four will be occupied by Giorgi Bezhanishvili, who was a rotation player last year and can be a presence down low.

Feliz was a backcourt player, and Illinois is not short of options to take his spot in the lineup. The one that offers the most potential is four-star recruit Adam Miller who played with Dosunmu in high school.

Miller is a good combo guard that has point guard skills and a decent shot right now, so he could thrive between Dosunmu and Da’Monte Williams. Add in Cockburn down low and Illinois basketball could have a diverse offense capable of scoring in multiple ways.

If this is the group Illinois basketball can run out on a nightly basis, the Illini will likely be a top-10 team in the preseason polls. Illinois would also have a great shot to be competing for the Big Ten title in this scenario.