CHAMPAIGN — Not long after point guard Te’Jon Lucas’ commitment to Illinois satisfied a major need for the Illini, John Groce and staff set their sights on landing a big man in the 2016 class.
High on Illinois’ list is James Banks, a 6-foot-11 center from Indiana’s La Lumiere School. Banks, a native of Atlanta, will be on the Illinois campus today — along with members of his La Lumiere program — making an unofficial visit.
Banks is a four-star prospect rated among the Top 100 players in the country in the 2016 class. The 230-pound big man holds offers from a dozen high-major programs, including Illinois, Purdue, Syracuse, Georgetown, Tennessee and North Carolina State.