July isn’t exactly an action-packed month for college basketball – or is it? If you’re a member of Illini Nation, there have been a number of recent developments worth noting. Most newsworthy have been 2026 transfer portal entrant Mihailo Petrovic finally finding a new destination and a pair of former Illini players showing out in different settings. Here is the latest on Petrovic, Ben Humrichous and Kasparas Jakucionis.
Mihailo Petrovic commits to Seton Hall
Illinois’ lone transfer addition of the 2026 offseason – former Providence combo guard Stefan Vaaks – committed to the program back in mid-April. And his timeline was the norm for the vast majority of players who entered the transfer portal this year.
Meanwhile, Petrovic, who entered the portal one day before Vaaks pledged his talents to the Illini, had yet to find a new home as of early July – until he finally touched down Sunday. According to a report from Jonathan Givony of Draft Express, Petrovic has committed to Seton Hall and coach Shaheen Holloway.
In his one season at Illinois, Petrovic averaged 1.6 points and 1.1 assists in just 5.7 minutes across 19 games. A former Adriatic League star, Petrovic came to the Illini as the projected starter for the 2025-26 campaign. But in a story now familiar to the entire hoops world, freshman guard Keaton Wagler emerged as a bona fide superstar, squeezing Petrovic out of the lineup – and even the rotation.
And with the arrival of Vaaks and five-star guard Quentin Coleman, it appeared unlikely that Petrovic would be in much of a position to change that next season – making his move to the portal likely the best decision for his future.
Although the Petrovic-Illini union didn’t quite work out, the player’s on-court ability can’t be questioned. Even in his brief stints on the floor, Petrovic showcased a playmaking canniness that created (despite occasional chaos) advantages for the Illini. Expect him to thrive at Seton Hall – although it will be interesting to see how the slower-paced Pirates deploy the speedy, transition-oriented Petrovic.
Ben Humrichous turning heads in California Classic
A three-and-D option with great size and length, Humrichous has rotational-player ability in the NBA – which he showcased on Saturday and Sunday for the Brooklyn Nets in NBA Summer League action.
After connecting on two three-pointers (on 2-for-5 shooting) and collecting two steals and one block in just 12 minutes on Saturday, Humrichous went for 15 points (on five threes), eight rebounds and two steals while posting a plus/minus of plus-21 points to push the Nets to an 89-69 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. He may be earning an NBA roster spot before our eyes.
Kasparas Jakucionis shines for Lithuania
Another former Illini who is impressing, Jakucionis – who was recently dealt from the Miami Heat to the Milwaukee Bucks – has been suiting up for Lithuania in FIBA World Cup action.
Jakucionis displayed his versatile skill set in Lithuania’s opener, scoring 16 points, snagging seven rebounds and dishing out six assists in a 20-point win over Great Britain. He followed that up with a tamer 10-point, four-rebound outing in a three-point loss against Italy on Sunday. Jakucionis will eventually land in Milwaukee to find a scrum of competitors for playing time in the Bucks’ backcourt (Kevin Porter Jr., Tyler Herro, Jaime Jacquez Jr. and rookie Brayden Burries, among others), so any signs of progress in FIBA play could at least give him a head-start.
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