Armchair Illini Podcast

In this episode of the Armchair Illini Podcast, Alex and Robby Nardini dive deep into a massive weekend for Illinois basketball commits and targets on the EYBL and Adidas circuits. We break down the "flamethrower" performance from Mason Martin, who exploded for 16 combined threes in two games, and the dominant 31-point outing from Peoria native Quentin Kitt. Cole Kelly & Jaxon Davis: Are these...

The college basketball transfer portal is officially closed! Join Alex and Robby Nardini on the Armchair #illini podcast as they recap a busy first month of the offseason following the Fighting Illini's Final Four run. In this episode, we dive deep into: Elite Retention: Why keeping key players like Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic, and Zvonimir Ivisic is a massive win for the pr...

Ayo Dosunmu is officially "balling" in the NBA Playoffs! In this episode of the Armchair Illini Podcast, Alex and former Illinois basketball manager Robby Nardini break down the electric performance of former Fighting Illini legend Ayo Dosunmu. After being traded from the Chicago Bulls, Ayo has found a new home with the Minnesota Timberwolves and is proving every doubter wrong as they take a 2-1 l...

Illinois basketball signee Quentin Coleman joins Alex and Robby Nardini on the Armchair Illini Podcast! Fresh off a legendary performance where he dropped 50 points in the state championship to secure his second straight title, Quentin breaks down his elite competitive edge and why he believes the "Illini Blueprint" is the perfect fit for his game In this episode, we discuss: The 50-Point Mastercl...

Zavier Zens is officially a Fighting Illini! In this exclusive episode of the Armchair Illini podcast, we sit down with the newest member of the 2026 recruiting class, Zavier Zens. As the reigning Mr. Basketball from Wisconsin, Zavier discusses his whirlwind recruitment process and why Illinois was the perfect fit for his future. In this interview, we discuss: The Decision: Why he chose Illinois o...

THE CORE IS BACK. 🔶🟦 Welcome back to the Armchair Illini podcast! In today's episode, Alex and Austin break down the massive news that junior guard/forward Andrej Stojakovic is returning to Champaign for his senior season. After evolving into one of the most indispensable players on the roster during the Illini's Final Four run, Stojakovic’s return marks a major victory for #TheRetention. We div...

Illinois Basketball just landed a massive piece for the future! 🔶🔷 Join Alex and Austin on this special edition of the Armchair Illini Podcast as we break down the commitment of 2026 three-star guard/forward Zavier Zens. Coming off a historic Final Four run, Brad Underwood and his staff are showing no signs of slowing down, securing their fifth prep prospect for the Class of 2026. In this episod...

Is Illinois #illini Basketball officially an NBA Draft Factory? We sit down with Albert Ghim from No Ceilings NBA to break down why Keaton Wagler is a projected lottery pick, what to expect from David Mirkovic's sophomore leap , and an exclusive look at the newest Illini commit, Lucas Morillo, fresh off the Nike Hoop Summit We discuss: Keaton Wagler: Why he’s a surefire top-10 (and potentially top...

Illinois Basketball fans, the news we’ve been waiting for is finally here: David Mirkovic is officially returning to Champaign for his sophomore season In this episode of the Armchair Illini Podcast, Alex and Austin break down what this means for Brad Underwood’s squad and why Mirkovic is the undisputed focal point for next year’s roster. After a historic freshman run where he joined the likes of...

Keaton Wagler has officially declared for the 2026 NBA Draft! 🏀Join Alex and Austin on the Armchair Illini Podcast as we break down the meteoric rise of the freshman phenom who went from an unheralded three-star recruit to a projected top 10 NBA draft pick. We discuss his historic season in the Orange and Blue, his de facto leadership on a Final Four squad, and why he might be the greatest freshm...

Illinois Basketball just landed one of the top names in the transfer portal! 🏀🔶🔷 In this episode of the Armchair Illini Podcast, Alex and Austin break down the massive news that Stefan Vaaks from Providence has committed to the Fighting Illini. With Keaton Wagler heading to the NBA Draft, the Illini needed an offensive spark, and they found it in Vaaks—a top 15 transfer prospect with elite shot...

The 2026 offseason is heating up! In this episode of the Armchair Illini Podcast, Alex Kyi and Robby Nardini dive deep into one of Illinois basketball's most exciting incoming freshmen: Lucas Morillo Standing at 6'7", Morillo is a versatile, multi-positional "big guard" who has skyrocketed into the top 60 of national recruiting rankings since committing to the Illini. We break down his impressive...

In this edition of the Armchair Illini podcast, Alex Kyi and Robby Nardini break down the massive news that 2026 Wisconsin Mr. Basketball, Zavier Zens, is headed to Champaign for an official visit this weekend. After opening up his recruitment from Northern Iowa, the 6'7" wing is now at the center of a high-stakes battle between Illinois, Wisconsin, and Utah State. We dive into: Zens' Game: Why hi...

Can Illinois Basketball make it back-to-back Final Four runs in 2027? 🏆 With the 2026 season officially in the books, Alex Kyi and Robby Nardini break down the Armchair Illini Offseason Wishlist. From the critical importance of roster retention to finding that "missing piece" in the transfer portal, we dive deep into what Brad Underwood and the staff need to do to sustain elite success. We discus...

The 2026 Illinois Basketball offseason has officially begun, and the transfer portal is already heating up! Join Alex Kyi and Robby Nardini as they break down the biggest news of the day: Wisconsin star guard John Blackwell has officially entered the transfer portal. As a legacy prospect whose father, GlynnBlackwell, played for the Illini in the 80s, John is already a top priority for Brad Underwo...

Quentin Coleman is an ILLINI! 🔶🏀 Illinois basketball is on an absolute heater! Just days before the Final Four matchup in Indianapolis, Brad Underwood and his staff landed a massive commitment from Quentin Coleman, a top 20-30 prospect in the Class of 2026. The O'Fallon, Illinois native chose the Illini over Missouri, Texas Tech, and Wake Forest, proving that Illinois is now a national recruitin...

The Illinois Fighting Illini are headed to the Final Four in Indianapolis! In this special game day preview, Alex Kyi and Robby Nardini break down the massive Saturday showdown between Illinois and the UConn Huskies. This isn't just a game; it's Underwood vs. Hurley Round 3. After a tough regular-season meeting in November and last year's tournament clash, the Illini are looking for revenge on the...

Illinois is headed to the Final Four for the first time in 21 years! 🔶🔷 In this episode of the Armchair Illini Podcast, Alex and Austin are joined by Greg Waddell from Sleepers Media to break down the massive National Semifinal matchup between the Illinois Fighting #illini and the UConn Huskies. We dive deep into the "Round 3" history between Brad Underwood and Dan Hurley, analyze why this Illin...

What a historic night for the Fighting Illini as they go their first Final Four in 21 years! 🔶🟦 In this episode of the Armchair Illini podcast, Austin Burklund and Robby Nardini recap the Elite Eight win over Iowa and what it means for the program. The Men’s basketball team is officially headed to the Final Four after a double digit win over Iowa. We break down the second-half adjustments agains...

The Illini are one win away from the Final Four! Join Alex Kyi and Austin Burklund on the Armchair Illini podcast as they break down Illinois' dominant 65-55 victory over Houston and preview the massive Elite 8 showdown against Iowa. In this episode, we discuss: The Defensive Masterclass: How Brad Underwood and defensive coordinator Cam Crocker suffocated Houston, holding them to just 55 points. K...

Welcome back to another episode of the Armchair Illini podcast! In this episode, Alex Kyi and Robbie Nardini break down the massive Sweet 16 matchup between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Houston Cougars. The Illini are fresh off a strong opening weekend, including a dominant win over VCU, and are headed to Houston to take on one of the best teams in the country. We discuss the keys to victo...

Welcome back to another episode of the Armchair Illini Podcast! In this special episode, host Alex Kyi and Austin Burklund are joined by college basketball content creator Ryan Hammer to preview the massive Sweet 16 clash between the #3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini and the #2 seed Houston Cougars. We dive deep into: Illinois vs. Houston Preview: Analyzing the contrasting styles and key matchups l...

What a historic weekend for the Fighting Illini! 🔶🟦 In this episode of the Armchair Illini podcast, Alex Kyi and Austin Burklund recap an incredible stretch of Illinois athletics. The Men’s basketball team is officially headed to the Sweet 16 after dominant wins over Penn and VCU. We break down the second-half adjustments against VCU’s physical defense, Andrej Stojakovic’s massive 21-point perfo...

Join Alex Kyi and Austin Burklund on the Armchair Illini Podcast as they recap Illinois’ dominant 105-70 victory over Penn and preview the massive Round of 32 matchup against the VCU Rams! We break down David Mirkovic's historic 29-point, 17-rebound performance and discuss what Illinois needs to do to handle VCU’s scrappy guard play and high-pressure defense. Plus, we look at the potential lineup...

Apologies for the audio issues, but we still wanted to give the fans a voice before the Penn tip off. I bring on mega Illini fan Blair Bruns to discuss the NCAA tournament draw, the excitement level of a possible run, faith in the Euros and Brad Underwood, We talk leaders in Kylan Boswell, or David Mirkovic, Keaton Wagler going up in the rafters and much more!