4-star 2022 small forward Ty Rodgers signs with Illinois

Grand Blanc (Mich.) Thornton Township small forward Ty Rodgers has signed with Illinois, he announced on Twitter Wednesday afternoon.

The four-star forward posted a graphic with a photo of him in an Illinois jersey and the word “Signed” behind him.

just a kid from Saginaw, MI… pic.twitter.com/H0p05HsMtQ

— Ty Rodgers (@Ty_rodgers20) November 17, 2021

Rodgers is the No. 58 prospect in the 2022 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is ranked as the No. 15 small forward and the No. 1 player in Illinois.

The 6-foot-6, 180-pounder transferred in October from his home in Michigan to Illinois, where he’ll play at Thornton Township. Tai Streets, his coach with Meanstreets on the Nike EYBL circuit, is the head coach at Thornton. Rodgers averaged 8.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals for Meanstreets this past summer. He shot 54 percent from the field, 33 percent from three-point range and 64 percent from the free throw line.

“It’s a great program that I want to be a part of in playing my college basketball,” Rodgers told the Chicago Sun-Times. “I fully trust the coaching staff and what they want to do to further my game and progress as a player. My development as a player was important to me. And I believe and trust they can best prepare me for the NBA. They will get me to play hard.”

As a junior last season, Rodgers led Grand Blanc (Mich.) to a state championship averaging 17.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.

Ty Rodgers is Illinois’ third signee in the 2022 class, joining four-star combo guards Jayden Epps and Sencire Harris. He chose the Illini over offers from Alabama, Florida State, Memphis, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue.