CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS — Providence College transfer Stefan Vaaks has committed to the University of Illinois men's basketball program, agents at Excel Sports Management said. Vaaks, a 6-foot-7 perimeter player from Estonia, was ranked as a top-10 transfer in national transfer rankings.

Vaaks spent his freshman season at Providence, where he averaged 15.8 points and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 35% from three-point range. He scored in double figures in all but two games during the season. He showed playmaking ability and offensive versatility for his size during his lone season with the Friars.

Vaaks produced several standout performances during Big East conference play. He scored 23 points in one game and 20 in another against St. John's, while posting 25 points and 21 points in two separate contests against Villanova. He finished the conference schedule with a 28-point performance against Butler in the Big East tournament.

Illinois carries a starting backcourt vacancy into the 2024–25 season. Kylan Boswell is out of eligibility, and Keaton Wagler has declared for the NBA draft.

Head coach Brad Underwood had six players with European backgrounds on last season's roster: Andrej Stojakovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, David Mirkovic, Mihailo Petrovic and Toni Bilic. Petrovic and Bilic each entered the transfer portal last week, creating additional roster openings heading into the offseason.