CHAMPAIGN — The last month-plus hasn’t been kind to Illinois on the recruiting rail. Wing target after wing target has committed elsewhere. 

Brandon Weston chose Seton Hall and David Jones picked DePaul on consecutive days at the end of August. Thursday saw another recruiting domino fall, with Jordan Nesbitt committing to Memphis.

Nesbitt had a final three that also included Illinois and Saint Louis before he chose Penny Hardaway’s Tigers. The 6-foot-6, 205-pound four-star wing averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds per game as a junior at St. Louis Christian Academy (Mo.) and saw his recruitment spike this spring and summer. 

Few of Illinois’ top targets remain in the Class of 2021. The Illini are still in the mix for four-star forward Bryce Hopkins, with the Fenwick standout sticking with the top nine he announced in late August. Illinois also remains in pursuit of four-star center Mac Etienne, the 2020 Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year who will play his senior season at Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H.

The Illini’s 2021 class, which includes four-star guard Luke Goode, currently ranks 10th in the Big Ten and 64th nationally per 247Sports. With most of their other wing targets headed elsewhere, Illinois has other offers out to West Oaks Academy (Fla.) four-star guard Wesley Cardet Jr. and AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.) four-star guard TyTy Washington.

Scott Richey is a reporter covering college basketball at The News-Gazette. His email is srichey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@srrichey).