Physically, he doesn’t fit the mold for your typical Division I college basketball player.

He logs his playtime once everything has been decided and nothing is on the line.

While that might be deflating to some, he’s willingly dedicated the last three years of his life to a rigorous basketball schedule while simultaneously working on a political science degree from an elite university.

Kevin Berardini has totaled 11 points in 32 minutes over three seasons as a member of the Illinois men’s basketball team.

But numbers are hardly your average measuring stick for a college walk-on.

Berardini — a red-shirt junior who transferred from Loyola Marymount and is giving up his last year of eligiblity — will be honored during Saturday’s senior day ceremony, and he almost certainly won’t receive the loudest or longest ovation. That doesn’t mean he’s cared any less about winning basketball games or once neglected his time with the team.

“It’s eerie thinking about walking in here for one of my first practices three years ago, looking around the Assembly Hall and really taking it all in,” Berardini said. “Now I’m looking around and realizing it’s not going to be home for much longer. I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished here over the last three years.”

Berardini speaks of the camaraderie with this year’s senior class as if he were part of the normal rotation. On Tuesday, three practices before his final game at Assembly Hall, there’s no hint of selfishness in his tone. As he looks back on the good and bad fortunes of the last three seasons, he avoids talking about his time at Illinois and instead focuses on how the team has grown around him.

Berardini has seen it all firsthand.

He appreciates how the court shook beneath his feet as Assembly Hall reached the loudest point he’d ever heard it, when the Illini defeated North Carolina in his first season with the team. He suffered when former Illinois head coach Bruce Weber, the man who ushered him into the program, crumbled and lost his job. Now, he’s won over first-year Illini head coach John Groce and runs the offense once games are out of reach.

“A lot of people can’t handle some of the adversity, whether it’s sports or life, when things are thrown at them,” Berardini said. “Instead of going our separate ways when it could have been easy to, the tough times have brought us closer together. That’s something we’re going to be really proud of as a senior class.”

Berardini has changed numbers every year he’s been asked to return as the last man on Illinois’ bench. After school, he wants to work as a lobbyist. He’s always been fascinated with the dynamic of Congress and mobilizing the voiceless. He’s a normal guy, who, as he looks around Assembly Hall, appreciates every game he’s suited up for in his career.

“We’ve still got some things left to accomplish this year, and I’m really excited to be a part of that,” Berardini said. “I’m just trying to enjoy this, everything that’s going on around me right now, being there for my teammates and enjoying this moment.”

That’s how you measure a walk-on.

Ethan can be reached at [email protected] and @AsOfTheSky.