Reports: Breakout Providence frosh Stefan Vaaks headed to Illinois

Field Level Media|published: Sun 12th April, 18:03 2026

NCAA Basketball: Big East Conference Tournament First Round - Butler vs Providence

Mar 11, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Providence Friars guard Stefan Vaaks (7) drives to the basket against Butler Bulldogs guard Jamie Kaiser Jr. (7) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Estonian guard Stefan Vaaks will transfer from Providence to Illinois, according to multiple reports Sunday.

Vaaks had a standout freshman season for an otherwise disappointing Friars team that finished 15-18. He averaged 15.8 points, 3.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds per contest across 31 games (22 starts).

His value comes from the perimeter. A 6-foot-7 sharpshooter, he led the Big East Conference with 91 3-pointers made on 260 attempts (35%).

Vaaks joins an Illinois squad that rolled to the Final Four with wins over Penn, VCU, Houston and Iowa before falling to UConn. The Fighting Illini were also known for their European-laden roster with three players from Croatia, plus representatives of Serbia, Montenegro and Greece.

--Field Level Media

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