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, in the third of 15, we shine a light on forward Jake Davis. Find our scouting reports of other Illinois players as they're added below.
Hometown:McCordsville, Indiana
High School:Cathedral
Transfer School:Mercer
Height:6-foot-6
Weight:210 pounds
After playing a limited role in his first season at Illinois, Davis took a significant step forward in 2025-26. As a junior, he appeared in all 37 games, starting in 22 - including the final 19 games of the season. Davis averaged 5.4 points and 2.2 rebounds while shooting an impressive 40.6 percent from three-point range. He knocked down 54 three-pointers, more than doubling his total from the previous season, and played an important role in Illinois' run to the Final Four.
| Season |
School |
Minutes |
Points |
FG% |
FT% |
3s |
3FG% |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Blocks |
Steals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 |
Mercer |
28.6 |
9.0 |
41.9 |
84.8 |
60 |
38.7 |
4.5 |
1.1 |
0.4 |
0.7 |
| 2024-25 |
Illinois |
9.4 |
3.0 |
41.2 |
50.0 |
22 |
34.4 |
1.4 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
| 2025-26 |
Illinois |
19.6 |
5.4 |
42.9 |
75.0 |
54 |
40.6 |
2.2 |
0.7 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
Davis is the best pure shooter on Illinois' roster (and likely among the best in the country) and has established himself as a key floor spacer in the Illini offense. At 6-foot-6, he has solid size for a wing and a quick release that allows him to get shots off even with defenders closing out. He is especially effective in catch-and-shoot situations, particularly from the corners, where he can make defenses pay for leaving him open. Although Davis isn't much of a shot creator, he understands his role and rarely forces anything offensively, making him an extremely efficient player.
Defensively, Davis made noticeable improvements last season. Although not the quickest or most athletic wing, he makes up for some of those limitations with his effort, positioning and basketball IQ. He is a fundamentally sound player who rarely makes mistakes and is willing to do the dirty work on both ends of the floor. His ability to contribute without needing the ball in his hands makes him an extremely valuable role player for the Illini.
Davis began his college career at Mercer, averaging 9.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as a freshman while shooting 38.7 percent from beyond the arc. Davis then entered the transfer portal and committed to Illinois, where he is now entering his third season with the Illini and Brad Underwood.
Illinois coach Brad Underwood on Davis at Big Ten media day in October:
"He's a championship-level role player. He's invaluable to our team. He's an incredible leader. He's capable of scoring 20 [points] in a half because he does everything we ask him to do - but he doesn't need the ball. And yet he creates great space with his shooting."
Davis enters his senior season as one of the most experienced players on the Illinois roster and should again play an important role for Underwood. After starting the final 19 games last season, Davis has proven he is capable of handling significant minutes against some of the best competition in the country. With Andrej Stojakovic presumably returning to the starting lineup and several talented newcomers joining the roster, Davis may find himself coming off the bench more often, but he will still be a regular part of the rotation.
Offensively, Davis doesn't need to take a major leap to be effective. His ability to knock down open three-pointers and space the floor will be extremely valuable for an Illinois team loaded with offensive talent. Even if he doesn't put up huge scoring numbers, Davis has shown that he can make a significant impact without dominating the ball. Expect him to be one of Illinois' most dependable role players as the Illini look to build on last season's Final Four appearance.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/illinois as Illinois Basketball 2026-27 Scouting Report: Jake Davis .
