Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks commits to Illinois

Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks has committed to Illinois out of the NCAA transfer portal, On3 has learned. Vaaks is the No. 11 overall player in the portal, and No. 5 shooting guard.

Vaaks, who was a 6-foot-7 freshman last season, is a native of Estonia. He averaged 15.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game and shot 40% from the field and 35% from three.

The best performance of his college career so far was a 28-point performance against Butler in the first round of the Big East Tournament, leading the Friars to a win. Vaaks went on to score 20 or more points in 10 games this season.

For his efforts, Vaaks, 20, was named to the All-Big East Freshman Team and was a two-time Big East Freshman of the Week. Now, he’s set to play for Brad Underwood and an Illinois program fresh off a Final Four.

Before college, he played professionally in his home county for the Estonian-Latvian Basketball League. Last season he played for BC Kalev and averaged 15.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He was named to the league’s All-Star Five and also played in the FIBA Europe Cup.

His decision to transfer away from Providence came shortly after a regime change within the program. Kim English, who recruited Vaaks, was fired at the end of the season. Former USF coach Bryan Hodgson has since replaced him.

Vaaks is the first transfer to commit to Illinois since the NCAA transfer portal opened up. They previously lost both point guard Mihailo Petrovic and small forward Toni Bilic to the transfer portal.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.