Illinois scored a major early win in the 2027 recruiting cycle on Thanksgiving, securing a commitment from East Peoria native Quinton Kitt, a 6-foot-6 forward ranked No. 114 nationally by 247Sports.

Kitt becomes the Illini’s first pledge in the class and continues a trend that has become increasingly familiar under head coach Brad Underwood – top in-state talent choosing to stay home. His decision is another reminder that Illinois basketball is no longer simply competing on the national stage. It is becoming a program that players want to be part of.

Kitt’s commitment also reinforces the momentum Illinois has built over the past several seasons. Since Underwood’s arrival, he has resurrected the program and turned it from a middling Big Ten team into one of the most consistent winners in college basketball. The Illini have pulled top recruits, landed marquee transfers, developed NBA talent and built an identity centered around toughness and modern offensive spacing. When a top prospect commits this early, it signals more than momentum – it shows Illinois is becoming the type of powerhouse that can reload year after year with players who believe in what Underwood is building.

The centerpiece of Kitt’s game is his premier skill: high-level spot-up shooting. At 6-foot-6, he possesses clean mechanics, fluid footwork and a natural rhythm that makes him one of the best floor spacers in the Midwest for his age. Underwood has made three-point shooting a priority in roster construction, and Kitt fits that philosophy seamlessly. He projects as an immediate shooting threat who can open the floor for Illinois’ guards and bigs, whether stationed in the corners, popping off screens or trailing in transition.

Although shooting is the headliner, Kitt isn’t a one-dimensional piece. He’s not the twitchiest athlete in the class, but he gets to the rim with efficiency, using size, stride length and composure to finish through contact. He has the IQ to make the right reads – finding cutters, swinging the ball to shooters and delivering simple but effective passes that keep an offense flowing. That feel for the game elevates his value well beyond spot-up scenarios.

All of this makes Kitt a classic Underwood-style Swiss Army Knife. He can dribble, pass, shoot and play multiple spots without needing plays run for him. He enhances spacing, connects actions and fits into virtually any lineup construction Illinois might throw onto the floor. For a program that has thrived with multipositional, high-IQ wings, Kitt checks every box.

Landing Kitt sets a strong tone for the 2027 class – and again shows that Illinois doesn’t have to leave the state to find talent that fits its growing powerhouse identity.