Portal perusal: Shawn Phillips Jr.
Apr. 8—The transfer portal is filling quickly. Beat writer Scott Richey dives in every day to spotlight a player on the move and how they would fit at Illinois:
Introducing ... Shawn Phillips Jr.
Height: 7-foot
Weight: 245
Position: Forward
Where he's coming from: Phillips played sparingly in his first — and now only — season at LSU after flipping to the Tigers from North Carolina State late in the recruiting process. The 7-footer out of Dayton, Ohio, appeared in 20 games off the bench and played just 7.4 minutes per game behind K.J. Williams, Derek Fountain and Jalen Reed. Phillips ended his debut season averaging 1.4 points and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 45 percent overall and 54 percent at the free-throw line.
How he'd fit in C-U: The Illinois coaching staff already has a familiarity with Phillips after recruiting him out of both Ypsi Prep (Mich.), where he was brought in to play on a team created for Emoni Bates, and Dream City Christian (Ariz.). Phillips' production at Dream City Christian — 15.9 points, 14.7 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game — had him ranked as high as the No. 54 overall prospect in the Class of 2022 by Rivals. The opportunity to show that at LSU wasn't there. He'd still likely be behind Dain Dainja at Illinois, but a less deep Illini frontcourt could provide what Phillips is looking for in a new program.
What they're saying: "Shawn is a physical, tough, and competitive addition to our front court. He is a shot-blocking rim protector and active rebounder on the defensive end of the court. With his size and mobility, he is a strong finisher around the rim. We love the development in his game over the last two years." — LSU coach Matt McMahon after signing Phillips
