After adding Camryn Crocker as an assistant coach earlier in the offseason, Illini head coach Brad Underwood made another addition to his coaching staff ahead of the 2025-26 season on Wednesday evening. Former UNLV head coach Kevin Kruger will join the Illinois basketball staff as an assistant to the head coach.
“When the opportunity arose to add a basketball mind and a person the caliber of Kevin Kruger to our staff, it was a no-brainer,” Underwood said in a statement. “Kevin is a proven winner who has worked tirelessly throughout his career to elevate every program that he has been a part of. His experience level – not only as a player and assistant coach, but as the head coach – will be invaluable to our team. I’m so excited to welcome Kevin back to Illinois.”
Kruger is the son of former Illinois head coach Lon Kruger, who led the program from 1996-2000. During those four years, Kruger played on the Champaign Centennial High School basketball team for two seasons. Now, Kruger will make his return to Champaign, almost 30 years after first touching down in the area.
“I‘m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join the Fighting Illini staff and come back to a place that is so special to me and my family,” Kruger said. “The program that Coach Underwood and his staff have built here is first class in every way. To be in a position to contend year-in and year-out at the highest level of our sport is so special, and I am so fortunate in this role to be able to contribute to the success of the program moving forward.”
Kruger spent the last six years as a coach at UNLV, starting as an assistant in 2019 before being promoted to head coach ahead of the 2021-22 season. After he took the reins, Kruger led UNLV to four consecutive winning seasons, finishing his tenure in Las Vegas with a 76-55 overall record as head coach.
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Before his time at UNLV, Kruger held assistant coach positions at Oklahoma and Northern Arizona. Those coaching stints followed his collegiate playing career at Arizona State and UNLV, as well as his six year professional career (2007-2013). Kruger played for teams overseas in Bulgaria, Italy, China, Mexico, Belgium, and Germany. He was also invited to NBA training camps for the Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks, along with playing for the Utah Flash and Los Angeles D-Fenders in the NBA D-League.
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