CHAMPAIGN — Ty Rodgers didn’t find his way to Lou Henson Court until just before the start of Monday night’s season opener against Eastern Illinois. When he did, he was wearing a gray Illinois basketball tracksuit.

There was no reason to make an earlier appearance at the State Farm Center. Rodgers was not going to play, after informing Illinois coach Brad Underwood on Sunday that he wanted to redshirt for the 2024-25 season.

“I think the thing about young people is they have goals, things they want to try to achieve,” Underwood said. “I think it was an opportunity that he felt, and we felt like he could continue to grow in terms of his offensive game. … Development is what we’re all about in this program, and he knows he has a great group of coaches to help him get there.

“There is no gentler and kinder young man. Good heart. Good human being. Did everything correctly. Will be a coach for these guys. But he just wants to continue working on certain areas of his game. We supported that.

Underwood said there is no specific timetable for Rodgers’ decision to redshirt, but it has been a topic of conversation over the past 3-4 weeks. Essentially since the start of practice on September 30, although Illinois sent Rodgers, along with Kylan Boswell, to the Big Ten media day next week in Rosemont.

Rodgers was the only returning starter – and one of only two returning scholarship players – on Illinois’ 28-win Elite Eight team last season. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound guard/forward averaged 6.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and two assists last season while starting all 38 games.

“It certainly requires a lot of other people to step up,” Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn said. The Illinois sophomore, who is the only other returning scholar, declined to speak further about Rodgers’ decision.

Even with that experience last season, Rodgers’ role on a new Illinois team was unclear after multiple offseason additions. The Saginaw, Michigan, native played just 14 minutes off the bench in the Illini’s loss to No. 24 Mississippi on Oct. 27 in Oxford, Mississippi. He didn’t attempt a shot and finished with more turnovers (four) than rebounds (three) or assists (two).

Louisville transfer Tre White started both this exhibition and Monday’s season opener against Eastern Illinois. Five-star freshman Will Riley was the first power forward off the bench in both games and dropped 31 points Monday night in his official Illinois debut.

“We won’t have him on the field, but we’ll have to hear his voice to help guys develop and grow in the locker room,” Underwood said of Rodgers.

This is the second year in a row that an Illinois returning player has opted to redshirt before the start of the season. Sencire Harris did the same before the 2023-24 season and eventually followed former Illini guard turned assistant coach Chester Frazier to West Virginia. The Mountaineers will reap the benefits of the development Harris achieved during his off season.

There’s no guarantee that Rodgers’ situation will play out any differently.

“This is the world we live in,” Underwood said before repeating that phrase. “I think he’s an Illini. I think he’s our guy. We love Ty to death, but our world has no guarantees anymore. We will do everything in our power to help him succeed as much as possible. There’s no rhyme or reason to anything, but we sure hope he’s an Illini.