REPORT: Illinois, Kansas are frontrunners for California transfer Charlie Moore

Fighting Illini basketball is reportedly a frontrunner to land California transfer Charlie Moore. FanRag Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported on Wednesday that Illinois and Kansas are the two likeliest destinations for the explosive 5-foot-11 point guard.

Moore, a Chicago native, announced his intent to leave the Bears last week. As a true-freshman, Moore started 34 games and averaged 12.2 points and 3.5 assists per contest. He’ll have three years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2017-18 season.

Moore is leaving California in order to be closer to his family and ailing father in Chicago. So, given his previous statements, Kansas doesn’t exactly seem to be the most logical fit from a distance standpoint.

"After many discussions with my family, I've made the decision to transfer to be closer to home," Moore said in a statement. "This was an extremely difficult decision for me, but the opportunity to be closer to my family is one that I feel is necessary for me at this time. I am grateful for my first year at California and for teammates who became my brothers. I look forward to supporting Coach Jones and the Bears in the future, and I also want to thank the fans for all their support this past season."

Illinois has four open scholarships for the 2017-18 campaign. While Moore obviously wouldn’t be able to contribute immediately, his long term value would make him a great addition to the backcourt.