Illinois basketball utility man taps out of 2024-25 season

Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk won't finish his college basketball career with the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Bosmans-Verdonk is entering the transfer portal with two remaining years of eligibility, he announced Monday on social media. The 6-foot-8 forward from Belgium spent three seasons at Illinois after redshirting his first year in Champaign.

The departure of Bosmans-Verdonk could mean more playing time for freshman Ty Rodgers or junior Coleman Hawkins this season. However, it also means a hole in the frontcourt that must be filled. The Illini currently only have four healthy scholarship players listed as forwards or centers, including Dain Dainja, Matthew Mayer, Jayden Epps and Sencire Harris.

Bosmans-Verdonk averaged 3.9 points and 2.8 rebounds in 11.1 minutes per game over 90 career games for the Illini.

He played in 25 games with nine starts as a redshirt sophomore, then came off the bench in all 33 of his appearances as a junior. A high point for Bosmans-Verdonk came in the Illini's Big Ten Tournament win over Minnesota in March when he scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds.

Bosmans-Verdonk's exit follows the departures of Luke Goode, Omar Payne, RJ Melendez, Brandin Podziemski and Andre Curbelo since the end of last season. The Illini are also still figuring out whether Epps and Rodgers will be eligible this winter after transferring to Illinois in the spring.

The Illini open the 2023-24 regular season on Nov. 7 against Eastern Illinois in Champaign.