Peoria, Illinois, native and four-star recruit Quinton Kitt committed to Illinois Thursday afternoon, making him the first commit in head coach Brad Underwood’s 2027 recruiting class. The 6-foot-6 wing out of East Peoria is the No. 114 overall recruit in the class of 2027 and the No. 2 recruit in Illinois, according to 247Sports. 

During his sophomore year at East Peoria High School, Kitt averaged 23 points per game and led the Raiders to a 20-win season in 2025. Even at a younger age, Kitt is already developing into an efficient scorer. As a bigger guard on the perimeter, his size allows him to drive to the basket and be physical in the lane, a key component of the Illini’s current offensive scheme. Kitt is a developing distributor too, as he averaged 2.5 assists a game his sophomore year.  

Alongside his scoring and passing abilities, Kitt is a consistent rebounder on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. Kitt averaged eight rebounds per game during his sophomore season at East Peoria. His size benefits him on the glass, and his effort to grab rebounds on both ends as a guard will be an asset for the Illini when he arrives in Champaign. Rebounding is a cornerstone of Underwood’s philosophy, not only for bigs, but for wings and guards as well.

Kitt also has plenty of experience playing against and with top talent in his recruiting class nationally, as he played on the EBYL circuit last summer. Overall, Kitt’s versatile and complete offensive skillset mirrors Illinois’ current guards, making Kitt, on paper, the right fit for Illinois. His height and rebounding capabilities also give him the chance to be a successful two-way player for Underwood. 

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