CHAMPAIGN — Jacob Grandison wasn’t looking to reinvent himself during his sit-out season at Illinois.

Growth was sort of a given, though, both on and off the basketball court when the former Holy Cross standout turned his focus to the long term.

All the work he put in during the 2019-20 season — from the scout team to more individual workouts along fellow sit-out transfer Austin Hutcherson — wouldn’t pay immediate dividends. Grandison’s return on investment comes now, with the Illini continuing to prepare for whatever and whenever the 2020-21 season might be.

“I’m not a different person,” the 22-year-old Grandison said. “I’m still me, but I’m a more mature me. I have a whole new vocabulary when it comes to basketball. I don’t think I needed to reinvent myself. I just need to do what I do and just learn and keep an open ear and and open mind.”

Grandison said he now feels like a “full-on adult.” He added to his list of responsibilities by recently adopting a dog. Pluto — his part Pitbull, Beagle, German Shepherd and Golden Retriever — has meant some early mornings and working in puppy duties around basketball workouts and class.

“I kind of always wanted a dog,” Grandison said. “It felt like the right thing to do. I don’t regret it. It’s fun so far. It’s a lot of work, though, but I can’t wait until he’s a real dog and not just a little puppy.”

Grandison has settled into life in Champaign.

He admitted his first year on the team was a bit of a “blur,” but that full season of growth — on and off the court — has him eager for the 2020-21 season and his Illinois debut.

“I’m just looking forward to finally getting to show people after a year what I’ve been working on,” he said. “To be honest, I don’t even know. I haven’t played in so long. I’m kind of excited to see what I can do myself.”

Grandison last played on March 7, 2019. The 6-foot-6 wing had 13 points and nine rebounds during Holy Cross’ 77-65 loss to Bucknell in the second round of the Patriot League Tournament. Grandison’s basketball grind then went behind closed doors. It’s been individual, small group and team workouts since.

What Grandison did outside of full-scale team practices last season is what Illinois has done since basketball-specific workouts resumed in late July. It’s familiar to the Oakland, Calif., native.

At least from a procedural and physical sense.

The redshirt workouts, he said, are similar to the current workout regimen.

“Mentally, last year I was learning, and this year I’m applying,” Grandison continued. “I’m thinking more about, ‘What is the scenario I’m trying to read to where I would make either this decision or that decision?’ Last year I was kind of just learning both options. Now that I know them, I’m focusing more on the ‘why.’”

The decision Illinois coach Brad Underwood made in delaying the start of full team workouts until at least a bit later this month has turned the focus to really breaking down different parts of the offensive and defensive schemes. Repetition has been key. So has perfecting minute details like footwork and angles.

Grandison can be fully focused on what Illinois will do on the court, too. Last season he played a crucial role on the scout team, mimicking players the Illini would face in games.

“Last year a lot of the focus was just personal development and modeling how I’m playing as someone else to prepare people,” Grandison said. “This year is more oriented to what we do. Even as simple as just certain footwork and shots — knowing what to do with my body in certain spots and studying our offense because I’m a part of it instead of just behind the scenes.”

That season on the scout team didn’t go to waste from a personal improvement standpoint, though. Grandison had to perform specific actions against the Illinois defense, which he said wasn’t an easy task. Piecing together the moves he would work on in each practice, he said, would collectively come together and show up in little parts of his game.

The biggest change in 2020-21 is Grandison actually playing as himself instead of a laundry list of other Big Ten wings.

“It feels good, but it’s not like I’m in my comfort zone now,” he said. “I’m always in a comfortable space to do anything I need to do. … I don’t think I have one way I do things. I can adapt. I kind of like adapting. The defense doesn’t know, ‘Oh, he’s a shooter.’ This game I might be doing something different switching things up.”