Kasparas Jakucionis is a Lithuanian basketball player who, as of March 2025, plays as a guard for the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Big Ten Conference. Born on May 29, 2006, in Vilnius, Lithuania, he stands 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds.
Early Life and Career
Jakucionis began his basketball journey with Perlas Vilnius, a team affiliated with Rytas Vilnius. In 2021, he joined FC Barcelona’s youth ranks, spending the 2022–23 season with both the junior team and the reserve team in the Liga EBA.
He was named to the 2023–24 U-18 Euroleague All-Tournament Team and made his professional debut for FC Barcelona’s first team in April 2023, becoming the third youngest player to appear for the club in the Liga ACB.
College Career at Illinois
In May 2024, Jakucionis committed to the University of Illinois. During his freshman season (2024–2025), he made an immediate impact:
- Scoring and Playmaking: Averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, with a field goal percentage of 44.2%.
- Accolades: Earned All-Big Ten honors and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
- NBA Draft Prospects: Recognized as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, with projections placing him among the top ten selections.
Recent Performance
In the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Illinois faced Kentucky in the second round. Jakucionis contributed significantly, but turnovers were a factor in the team’s loss.
Future Outlook
Following the season-ending loss to Kentucky, Jakucionis expressed uncertainty about his immediate basketball future, indicating he was undecided on whether to declare for the NBA Draft.