Good morning, Illini Nation: Lots of familiar faces | Contents

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Welcome to Good Morning, Illini Nation, your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey. Each morning he will provide insight into Brad Underwood's team and college basketball in general:

Ayo Dosunmu is entering his fourth overall season with the Chicago Bulls and second after signing a three-year, $21 million contract last offseason. His squad position? It's secured. But there are others eager to make an NBA roster as training camp is set to begin Tuesday.

Not just random professionals either. Lots of familiar faces, including former Illinois guard Marcus Domask (who played in Summer League with the Bulls), two-time News-Gazette All-State Player of the Year EJ Liddell, former Whitney Young star DJ Steward and former Simeon star Talen Horton-Tucker.

First, domask. If there's such a thing as a breakout season for a fifth-year player who has already scored 1,600 career points, Domask had it last year in Champaign. The Southern Illinois transfer put together a one-of-a-kind All-Big Ten season with the Illini, helping them reach the Elite Eight.

Domask's Summer League stint with the Bulls wasn't particularly notable, with seven points in three games, but he obviously caught the attention of the front office. Regardless of whether he signs a two-way deal or not (being added to the active roster is a big possibility), Domask will find someone who will pay him to play basketball next season.

The rest of the “Who’s Who?” of former IHSA stars is kind of incredible. Illinois recruited all three, Horton-Tucker, Liddell and Steward. In an alternate universe, all three plus Dosunmu could have been on the same team. (Dosunmu and Horton-Tucker were in the class of 2018, Liddell was in the class of 2019, and Steward was in the class of 2020). So it's kind of surreal to see them all together in camp with the Bulls.

Horton-Tucker spent the 2023-24 season – his fifth in the NBA – with the Utah Jazz, making 11 starts in 51 games. Steward played for the Maine Celtics of the G League last season and signed a two-day contract with the Bulls in July.

Liddell never got going with the New Orleans Pelicans after tearing his ACL before his rookie year, and spent almost all of last season with the Birmingham Squadron of the G League (where he teamed with former Illini Malcolm Hill). . He was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in July, then again to the Phoenix Suns later that month, then waived in August.