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5 hours ago
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During a night when Cooper Flagg going first overall to the Dallas Mavericks was inevitable, Illinois' two biggest stars had to wait their turn. One was Lithuanian star Kasparas Jakučionis.
The Illini freshman guard made program history Wednesday night during the NBA Draft. The Miami Heat selected him No. 20 overall, making him the first player to go one-and-done. It wasn't what the experts anticipated, but Jakučionis can now realize his dream for a lucrative price.
Jakučionis was a key piece of this past year's team despite a brief stint in Champaign. He averaged 15 points per game, helping carry the Illini to a Round of 32 appearance before falling to the Kentucky Wildcats in Milwaukee, Wis.
Jakučionis's now-former coach, Brad Underwood, marveled at his abilities despite his basketball high-level IQ still being in its early stages.
"Kasparas had a fantastic year, and I am so impressed with how well he handled all that was thrown at him," Underwood said earlier this spring. "To come in at 18-years-old, new country, new program, new teammates, and be handed the keys and tasked with running the offense against the competition he faced every night, that's a lot to ask of a freshmen. But he impacted the game in every area, by scoring, decision making and passing, and rebounding. KJ is successful because of his love for the game, his intelligence, his work ethic, his desire to be great, and most importantly his character. Those traits will continue to serve him well in the NBA."
Jakučionis joins a list of Illini in the Underwood era to take the next step, joining the likes of Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr., to name a few.
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For now, his career has officially begun.
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