Illinois basketball: Three-star 2024 power forward Jaskon Jakstys commits

Illinois men’s basketball received a commitment from in-state three-star power forward Jason Jakstys earlier this week, per his social media.

Jakstys hails from Yorkville High School in Yorkville, Illinois. He joins four-star Morez Johnson, another in-state player, in the Illini’s incoming class of 2024. The duo are the first in-state players heading to Champaign since Ty Rodgers in 2022.

Recruiting the state, particularly the Chicago area, has been a priority for Brad Underwood at Illinois, though he’s had to battle powerhouses such as Duke, Kentucky and even conference foe Michigan State for the state’s top talent. The biggest win in this area was five-star Ayo Dosunmu out of Chicago back in 2018.

Jakstys’ other offers included Drake, Illinois State, Indiana State, Penn and Yale. There was recruiting interest from Big Ten rivals Indiana and Iowa, but neither program extended an offer.

The No. 47 rated power forward and No. 7 overall player out of Illinois in 2024, Jakstys will in all likelihood provide some depth for the Illini as he grows into a larger role.