Illini forward Ty Rodgers enters transfer portal

Illinois forward Ty Rodgers is getting into the transfer portal, ESPN’s Jeff Borzello experiences. Rodgers spent 4 seasons at Illinois and didn’t play a recreation within the final two seasons.

• Rodgers missed the 2025-26 season after sustaining {a partially} torn patellar tendon throughout an offseason pickup recreation in Michigan, his dwelling state. I’ve opted to redshirt the 2024-25 season.
• Rodgers final performed as a starter on the 2023-24 Elite Eight staff that misplaced to UConn. He began all 38 video games that season and averaged 6.2 factors, 5.8 rebounds and a pair of.0 assists in 17.4 minutes throughout that season.
• Rodgers was a four-star recruit out of highschool and the No. 55 participant within the Class of 2022, in keeping with 247Sports.

What it means: Illinois should change Ben Humrichous off the bench, and Rodgers figures to issue into that as a backup 4 to David Mirkovic, who can add rebounding and protection. He expressed curiosity in returning to the Illini, though cautioned there have been nonetheless conferences available on the finish of the season. Although Rodgers is not a plus shooter, he discovered a manner as a sophomore within the dunker spot and with vitality performs. Given how a lot Illinois is retaining — Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, Jake Davis — and including both by way of the highschool ranks (notably Quentin Coleman and Lucas Morillo) it is exhausting to completely gauge how a lot taking part in time could be obtainable for Rodgers this season.

Why it issues: Rodgers was a superb program man who, when wholesome, might make an impression within the Big Ten. Although his profession did not fairly play out in the way in which it appeared it might throughout his sophomore 12 months, Rodgers was a worthwhile locker room presence the final two years and sure would have had some form of function for Illinois this season. Now the Illini should change Humrichous with a unique mixture, whether or not that is by taking part in the Ivisic twins collectively extra with Mirkovic on the bench or letting Morillo soak up these minutes together with Jake Davis.

Rodgers mentioned after the Final Four loss to UConn: “For me, the little wins are huge because I can just use it as positivity. When things aren’t going right, I can always fall on that. Just being able to do this little stuff is huge for me. Really, all I can do is smile when I do it, honestly. Just even every day being able to be out there and practice with them, even though I’m not 100%, just being able to be out there is a blessing after all the time I was out.”

head coach Brad Underwood mentioned of Rodgers’ and AJ Redd’s impression on this system: “They’re our culture guys. Those guys impart our culture every single day. …They impart their knowledge in different ways and utilize it, but they’ve also seen a lot of success and a lot of winning. Very grateful to have those two.”