Night one of the 2025 NBA Draft marked a historic moment for the Illinois basketball program, as two of its players, Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley, were selected in the first round. In a remarkable turn of events, they were drafted consecutively, with Jakucionis going to the Miami Heat as the 20th overall pick, and Riley being chosen by the Utah Jazz with the 21st pick before an immediate trade to the Washington Wizards. Both players spent just one season with the Fighting Illini, making their “one-and-done” success particularly impactful.

The joint drafting experience was deeply meaningful for both athletes. “That's crazy, to be honest. Like last year, I didn't expect that it would be this moment, like you said, going one after another, and I'm so happy for him,” Jakucionis shared. “I'm so happy that we both made it. But like I said, it's just the beginning for something new, and I just want to start working.” Riley echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing their shared journey: “I feel like, you know, the one-and-done area, I feel like we did it, me and him. Together we fought through and we did our best for Illinois.” Despite some personal challenges during his time at Illinois, Riley expressed gratitude for the experience, stating, “I feel like adversity is the best way to put it, and I feel like I dealt with it, and I feel like I'm a strong person for it. So I feel like it was very good for me as a human being.” Both Jakucionis and Riley had outstanding seasons, culminating in their status as first-round draft picks, with bright futures ahead.

This dual first-round selection was a significant victory for Illinois basketball head coach Brad Underwood and the program as a whole, signaling what many believe to be the dawn of a new era. Underwood, hired in March 2017, has steadily built the program, leading the Fighting Illini to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances since the 2020-21 season. Prior to the 2025 draft, only two players, Ayo Dosunmu and Brandin Podziemski, had been drafted into the NBA under his leadership. The 2025 draft alone equaled that number in a single first round.

The unprecedented success of having two one-and-done players drafted back-to-back is expected to have a massive positive impact on recruiting efforts for Illinois. Coach Underwood himself reflected this sentiment, posting on social media, “Proud is an understatement. Only the beginning.” The program has been aggressively pursuing new talent, and their current transfer class, notably featuring a significant number of European players, is shaping up to be one of the best under Underwood. This success and future potential were recognized with Underwood signing a substantial 6-year extension, keeping him with the Fighting Illini until the 2030-31 season with an annual salary of $4.4 million. With financial resources from being a Big Ten school, including significant NIL opportunities and revenue-sharing, Illinois basketball is well-positioned to become a consistent NBA talent factory.