Another weekend, another high-profile recruiting visit for John Groce and the Illinois basketball program.

Jawun Evans, a 6-foot, 160-pound guard out of Kimball High in Dallas is set to take an official visit to the Illinois campus Sept. 5-7. Like Jalen Brunson, who visited last weekend, Evans is considered to be one of the top point guards in the Class of 2015, and he is one of the Illini’s highest-ranked targets.  

The challenge for Groce and his staff will be to convince Evans that he is a top priority, less than a week after the Brunson left the Illinois campus along with the fan frenzy that occurred during his visit. Brunson is more of a household name in Illinois, being the top player in the state and considered by some to be the best point guard in the country. Evans may or may not be as good as Brunson on the court, but at this point he is less established on the average Illini fan’s radar.

It’s easy to imagine that Evans might feel like he’s playing second fiddle at this point, and I’m sure Groce and his staff will do everything it can this weekend to erase that notion in Evans’ mind. In reality, landing a commitment from either Brunson or Evans would be a huge accomplishment for Groce and a big step forward for Illinois basketball.

Why Illinois wants Evans

I may sound like a broken record in this section if you read last week’s Brunson piece, but Groce’s desire for a top point guard in the 2015 class cannot be understated. Evans has shown the ability to create off the dribble and he projects as an elite floor general, capable of running Groce’s ideal fast-paced offense.

The Illini are also recruiting Evans’ AAU teammate, 2015 big man Elijah Thomas, also out of Texas. There is speculation that if Evans commits, there might be a greater incentive for Thomas to join him in Champaign.

Thomas and Evans are considered the two best Texas players in their class, and the Illini are pushing hard to land both of them. An early commitment from Evans would allow Groce to sell Thomas on the prospect of joining his friend and teammate in what would be a legendary Illini recruiting class.

Why Evans should choose Illinois

Groce’s selling points to Evans should be similar to the perks he was able to pitch to Brunson: playing time, a new arena and a large fan base that is hungry for success. But Evans’ situation could carry a unique spin. Deron Williams, the most successful point guard in Illinois history, also played high school ball in Texas. With the NBA being Evans’ ultimate goal, the draw of following in Williams’ footsteps could prove to be appealing.

At this point in the recruiting season, projections show that the Illini are likely in the driver’s seat in Evans’ recruitment. Seven of eight analysts on 247sports.com have picked Illinois as the most likely destination for Evans. But until he signs a letter of intent, predictions are just hearsay.

The competition

Evans is fresh off a visit to USC last weekend, where he made the rounds with Trojan head coach Andy Enfield. He plans to visit Oklahoma State on Sept. 24, with Texas rounding out the list of his final four schools. USC is considered a dark horse to land Evans, and the point guard has yet to schedule an official visit with the Longhorns. I’d have to believe it’s a two-horse race between Illinois and Oklahoma State at this point.

The visit

Groce has already visited Evans at his home twice during his recruitment, and now Evans is finally coming to him. The visit will likely follow a similar script to Brunson’s weekend, with the exception of no home volleyball match for Evans to appear at this weekend. Look for Evans at the football game on Saturday, where he’ll get a chance to interact with students and fans.

While the public appearances generate hype and give Evans a sense of the environment that campus has to offer, the real action takes place behind closed doors. During private tours and meetings throughout the weekend, Groce and his staff will continually make their sales pitch to Evans and his family. Illini fans can do their part and show Evans love, but it ultimately comes down to whether Evans buys what Groce is selling.

With only one more official visit lined up for Evans, his decision could be right around the corner.  

Alex is a junior in AHS. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @aroux94.