Illinois
‘My dream’: Illinois basketball freshman Kasparas Jakucionis will enter 2025 NBA Draft
Illinois freshman Kasparas Jakucionis will enter the NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-6 guard from Lithuania told ESPN on Monday morning he’s declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft. Jakucionis is a projected lottery pick by several mock drafts including as high as No. 7 to the Toronto Raptors by CBS Sports.
“This has been my dream from a young age,” Jakucionis told ESPN. “I’ve waited for this moment a long time. Saying goodbye to Illinois will be the hardest part. I’ve made friendships and built real relationships with players, coaches, support staff, and everyone around Champaign. My goal now is to work as hard as I can, and be the best version of myself.”
Jakucionis was the Fighting Illini’s leading scorer, averaging 15.0 points per game, while adding 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists in starting 33 games. He was named to the Big Ten Conference all-freshman team, second-team all-Big Ten and a unanimous freshman all-American by The Athletic.
This is the fifth Illinois player from the 2024-25 roster to leave with Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Tre White, Morez Johnson Jr. and Carey Booth, who all entered the transfer portal over the last few weeks.