In the days leading up to Illinois' Nov. 2 regular-season opener at Champaign's State Farm Center, Illinois on SI will share a scouting report for each Illini player on the team's official 2026-27 roster. Today, we shine a light on guard Blake Fagbemi. Find our scouting reports of other Illinois players as they're added below.

Blake Fagbemi | Guard | Sophomore | No. 8

Hometown: Naperville, Illinois

High school: Benet Academy

Height: 6-foot-0

Weight: 180 pounds

Scouting Blake Fagbemi

Fagbemi is a quick, athletic point guard who helps make up for some of his lack of size with his basketball IQ and effort on both ends of the floor.

Fagbemi is at his best on offense with the ball in his hands. He has excellent court vision and a natural ability to create opportunities for his teammates. His ball-handling and ability to control the pace of the game allow him to operate effectively as a facilitator, while his quickness makes him a threat to attack the basket.

Fagbemi brings plenty of energy and intensity to the defensive end as well. He is an aggressive on-ball defender who uses his quick feet and active hands to pressure opposing guards and force mistakes. Although undersized, he isn't afraid to get physical and compete against bigger players.

Ultimately, Fagbemi's biggest strengths are his playmaking, defensive effort and ability to contribute without needing to score. Whether those qualities can translate into a consistent role at the Big Ten level remains to be seen.

Blake Fagbemi's experience

Fagbemi arrived at Illinois after a decorated high school career at Benet Academy, where he helped lead the Redwings to a 33-5 record and the 2025 IHSA Class 4A state championship. As a senior, he averaged 12.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game while earning East Suburban Catholic Conference Player of the Year honors.

After originally committing to Division II Truman State, Fagbemi instead elected to stay close to home and join Brad Underwood's Illinois program.

As a freshman in 2025-26, Fagbemi appeared in 11 games, totaling two points, 11 rebounds, four assists and one steal across 40 minutes of action. His most significant playing time came against Jackson State in his college debut, when he recorded two points, three rebounds and an assist in 14 minutes.

Although he rarely saw the floor, Fagbemi gained valuable experience practicing against high-major competition and was part of an Illinois team that reached the Final Four.

Blake Fagbemi highlights

What they're saying about Blake Fagbemi

Illinois coach Brad Underwood on Fagbemi early last season:

"Blake's a winner. His team wins a lot in practice. ... He's a scary athlete. Great competitor, knows his role, doesn't try to do too much. He's maximizing his opportunity.

What we expect from Blake Fagbemi in 2026-27

After playing sparingly in his freshman campaign, Fagbemi enters Year 2 facing another uphill battle for playing time.

Illinois has plenty of talent in its backcourt, including Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks and freshmen Quentin Coleman, Ethan Brown, Lincoln Williams and Lucas Morillo. With so many players ahead of him in the rotation, it's difficult to envision Fagbemi earning significant minutes this season.

Still, that doesn't mean he can't make an impact. Fagbemi's defensive intensity and ability to run an offense make him a valuable asset on the practice floor, where he can continue developing his game while challenging Illinois' rotation players. Additionally, if anything were to compromise Coleman's availability at any point this season, Fagbemi is arguably the team's only other pure point guard.

For now, the biggest priority for Fagbemi will be continuing to develop his outside shot and adjusting to the physicality of Big Ten basketball. With three seasons of eligibility remaining, there is still plenty of time for him to work his way into a larger role.