Illinois adds Kent State grad transfer Adonis De La Rosa

The Illini have added Kent State big man Adonis De La Rosa, per his Twitter page. The 7-footer averaged 11.8 points and 7.6 rebounds in just over 25 minutes per game last season before suffering an ACL tear in Kent State’s loss to Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. He had surgery on the knee in March.

He will be immediately eligible for Illinois.

De La Rosa told the Record Courier that he expects to be ready to play by November.

“The normal recovery time for ACL surgery is six to eight months, so the time period says I’ll be back around Nov. 2. That would be eight months,” said De La Rosa. “I think I’m moving along pretty well. I think I’ll be stronger than ever and ready before November.”

De La Rosa has one year of eligibility remaining and could add immediate size to a small, inexperienced Illinois roster if he is able to come back healthy from the injury.

The Illini added Anthony Higgs last week, so Underwood is fleshing out his roster with some late pickups.

Here’s the updated scholarship chart for the Illini, with De La Rosa getting one year.

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