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Paul and Starks Transferring to Illinois
Champaign,
Ill. - University of Illinois head coach John Groce announced Wednesday
the additions of Western Michigan's Darius Paul and Oregon State's
Ahmad Starks to the Fighting Illini program.
Darius Paul is a
6-8, 220-pound forward who was named Mid-American Conference Freshman
of the Year after averaging 10.4 points and 5.7 rebounds. He started 33
of 35 games for the Broncos last season, scoring in double figures 21
times and recording five double-doubles on the season. Paul's best game
came at Toledo on Feb. 27, when he registered career highs in both
scoring and rebounding with a 27-point, 12-rebound performance. It
marked the highest scoring output by a Bronco freshman in 11 years.
Paul
helped Western Michigan to 22 victories - its highest win total since
2004 - and a tie for first place in the MAC's West Division (10-6). The
Broncos also advanced to the semifinals of both the MAC Tournament and
College Basketball Invitational.
Paul hails from Gurnee, Ill.
and attended Warren High School, leading the Blue Devils to a 2011 IHSA
Class 4A state runner-up finish as a junior. He is the younger brother
of Brandon Paul, who recently concluded a standout four-year career
with the Fighting Illini.
"Darius is an outstanding person from
an exceptional family," Groce said. "He is a talented player who can
score in a variety of ways and is a physical presence at both ends of
the floor. His versatility and skill will be a welcome addition as we
continue to move this program forward."
Ahmad Starks is a
5-9, 170-pound guard who was a career double-figure scorer at Oregon
State and finished as the Beavers' all-time leader in 3-point field
goals. He started 27 of 32 games last season, averaging 10.4 points and
2.3 assists while shooting nearly 40 percent from behind the arc
(64-162) to rank sixth in the Pac-12 in 3-point percentage. Starks
scored a career-high 33 points against New Mexico State on Nov. 11 and
tied an OSU school record with a career-high seven 3-pointers en route
to a 25-point effort at Kansas on Nov. 30.
Starks averaged a
career-high 12.1 points with 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals during his
sophomore campaign. He started 35 games, scoring in double figures 24
times, led by a season-high 24 points versus California (Jan. 5, 2012).
Starks shot 37.1 percent from the land of three with his 79
three-pointers that season ranking second on the all-time OSU
single-season list. He played in 30 games as a freshman, averaging 7.8
points.
Starks totaled 991 points during his three seasons at
Oregon State (10.2 ppg) and buried 185 three-pointers, the most in
school history.
A Chicago native, Starks played at Whitney Young
High School. He helped lead the Dolphins to the 2009 IHSA Class 4A
state championship as a junior and 2010 runner-up finish as a senior.
"Ahmad
is another terrific, high-character young man, and we are pleased to
welcome him to the Fighting Illini," Groce said. "He was an
accomplished player at Oregon State but has elected to return closer to
home for family reasons. Ahmad is an explosive scorer who is capable of
making plays for others as well. His versatility will help bolster our
backcourt."
In addition to the roster additions, Groce also
announced that sophomore Myke Henry has decided to transfer. Henry has
been granted a release to contact other schools regarding potential
transfer opportunities. "Myke is looking for a new opportunity where he
will be able to play a different position," Groce said. "He was a
valued member of our team, but we want what is best for him, so we will
help Myke find the right fit that will help him further his goals both
on and off the court."
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