While I agree that strictly from a basketball sense, getting him on Illinois’s campus makes the most sense — and likely benefits the Illini most. But there are differences between the two circumstances. Dainja had already been on a college campus, was 20 years old when he transferred, lived his whole life in the U.S. (or at least wasn’t new to the country) and didn’t really have much of an option about coming on campus once he transferred.
Perrin is now fairly new to the country and only just turned 18 I believe. From a strictly basketball developmental point of view, getting to Illinois would likely be best. But from a personal growth and developmental POV, spending a full year at a “high school” might be best for him. He’s not likely going to lose much if anything academically as the original poster suggests. I’d assume if he’s able to do the college level work he’d have to do if enrolled at Illinois that they have classes there he could take that would earn him college credit. And it’s not like he’d be playing at some local Kansas HS. He’d be playing against top level competition and likely with future D1 players.
So while I agree the basketball benefits at Illinois far out weigh those at Sunrise, and we can see Dain seems to have thrived with the extra on-campus semester, taking a full year at HS to get acclimated to U.S. in a less stressful environment might be best for him. He’s already going through big change being in new country and away from family, taking away the outlet of playing basketball (would only be able to practice at Illinois, not play games) might not be best thing. I have no idea cuz I don’t know him or how he is adjusting. Just saying might have to look beyond strictly basketball and jump starting his Illinois basketball career to determine what is best for him.
