Illinois hosted one of the top prospects in the class of 2023 earlier this week in five-star guard Kylan Boswell from Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona.
Orange and Blue News spoke with Boswell, the No. 9 prospect in class according to Rivals.com, to get the lowdown on his trip to Champaign.
After a big summer in which he led Team Why Not 16U to the EYBL title, Boswell went from unranked to the No. 9 player in the class of 2023. He racked up double digit offers in the process.
Illinois offered back in June with assistant coach Geoff Alexander heading up the recruitment. Getting him on campus for a visit was a big step for the Illini.
Boswell arrived in Champaign on Sunday and stayed until Tuesday for his unofficial visit, and got the usual tours and got to take in an Illinois basketball practice.
"The visit went really well," Boswell said. "Everybody is locked in and focused on this season and the future. I was able to tour the campus, State Farm Center and see the what’s happening at Ubben. It’s exciting what they have planned for the future."
He's getting a high level of national attention, with offers coming in from Arizona, Kansas, Florida, Louisville, Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA, and a host of others.
The Illini staff is hoping a connection to the state of Illinois will be a factor. Boswell is originally from Champaign and was an Illini fan growing up.
On his visit, Boswell said he got a great feel for the team, the staff, and much of the support staff, including getting to know athletic director Josh Whitman. He also enjoyed being around star center Kofi Cockburn.
"I feel like I have a great relationship with everyone," Bosell said. "Coaches for sure but I enjoyed meeting the team managers, the director of media, and Mr. Josh Whitman. I spent some time with Kofi too. He’s a part time comedian. "
A chance encounter with strength and conditioning coach Adam Fletcher also caught his eye.
"My last morning there we happen to drive past Coach Fletcher running in east Urbana," he said. "I know he’s serious about strength and conditioning and I love it."
Boswell figures to be very high on the Illini wish list in the class of 2023. He's a dynamic playmaker. The 6-foot-2 Boswell is capable of scoring from range as well as inside, but he shines as a ball handler and facilitator.
After watching the practice, he believes he would fit well in the up-tempo style of play at Illinois. He likes that Underwood gives the player a lot of freedom on the court.
"Practice was intense," Boswell said. "Illinois does a lot through the pick and roll, and the guards are free to make decisions. Curbelo and Kofi do it at high level and that’s how we play at AZ Compass and it’s how I like to play."
So far, Boswell has taken visits to Arizona, USC, UCLA, and San Diego State. He plans to start locking in some official visits soon.
A return trip to State Farm Center may also be in the cards to catch an Illinois game.
"I would definitely like to visit Illinois during their season," Boswell said. "I’ll work with my family and Coach Underwood to see when we can make that happen."
Just starting his junior season at Compass Prep, Boswell is in no hurry to make a decision on where he'll play the next level.
"With recruitment I want to make sure I make the right choice," he said. "I’m going to watch a lot college film whenever I can this season. I want to see the play calls and who really has the best fans."
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