Illinois basketball: How the NCAA's age-based, five-year eligibility rule impacts the Illini

Key Points:

• The Ivisic twins, Tomislav and Zvonimir, will not receive an extra year of eligibility under new rules as both turn 23 on August 9, marking the final year on their five-year eligibility clocks; replacing them will be a top priority for Illinois next offseason.
• Andrej Stojakovic, after withdrawing from the NBA draft, returns for his senior season with the option of a fifth year, aiming to improve his three-point shooting and decision-making to boost his draft stock.
• Jake Davis is likely to benefit most from the new eligibility rules, potentially gaining two additional years to contribute as a valuable role player and leader, which Illinois would welcome for continuity.
• Freshmen such as Quentin Coleman and Lucas Morillo have promising futures, with Coleman expected to be a high NBA draft pick possibly after one or two seasons, while Morillo could develop into a key player with the possibility of a fifth year.
• Several other players, including Stefan Vaaks, David Mirkovic, and Zavier Zens, have varying eligibility and development prospects, with some likely to enter the NBA early and others positioned to benefit from extended college careers under the new rules.