This new KU Jayhawks hoops transfer had clutch moments at Illinois. A closer look
Well-traveled University of Illinois junior men’s basketball player Tre White appeared to have found a home at the Big 10 school during two stretches of games this past season
In fact, White — who who played for Illinois, USC and Louisville in his first two years of college after attending three different high schools — was nearly unstoppable at times in 2024-25.
In fact, for 13 games encompassing 47 days, the 6-foot-7, 205-pound guard/small forward from Dallas resembled one of the best players in the league.
“Tre’s a glue guy, for sure,” Illini freshman forward Will Riley told 247sports.com after White scored 20 points in an 88-80 win over Purdue on March 7 in the Big 10 regular-season finale in Champaign, Illinois.
“I mean, you can look at it, he missed two shots today. ... He’s our guy. We trust him in everything. He does everything. He rebounds, he gets to the bucket, just a great player all around.”
White on Saturday announced plans to transfer again, this time to Kansas. And when things are going well for White, he can put up some points.
He scored 11 or more points (with three 20-point outings) in seven of eight league games from Dec. 10 until Jan. 11. That includes a Jan. 2 win at Oregon (109-77), in which he scored 20 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, dished four assists and blocked two shots.
Then, after an eight-game stretch in which he scored eight points or less (including two scoreless outings), he bounced back with 14 or more points in the final four games of the conference campaign. White had 22 points and five rebounds in a first round Big 10 tournament win over Iowa, but then scored just eight points in a league tourney quarterfinal loss to Maryland.
He combined for just 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting (1-of-6 from 3) as the Illini went 1-1 in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. He had seven points and seven boards in 29 minutes in an 86-73 first-round victory over Xavier followed by eight points and seven boards in 31 minutes in a 84-75 loss to Kentucky.
White’s final numbers in his one and only season at Illinois: 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game in 32 games (31 starts). He hit 50.7% of his shots including 32.9% of his 3-point attempts. He finished the year hitting 48.1% from 3-point range over the last eight games.
“He gave the Illini a much-needed veteran presence that could attack and finish at the rim, provide defensive fight and hit open corner 3’s. He was a key piece this past season,” wrote Dailyillini.com.
Regarding his inconsistency, White because of illness missed three games and played just one minute in another from Feb. 5-15.
“When he got back (from sickness), we had conversations about how important he is to our team. He’s just taken that and run,” coach Brad Underwood said of White after the team’s regular-season finale. “Tre is a spacer. He’s a guy who is an offensive rebounder who is going to go get a couple (baskets) that way. He’s always been a high free throw guy in terms of being with us and getting fouled. It’s kind of the full-meal deal, so to speak with him. He’s just going to find his way to score the ball,” Underwood added.
The player who committed to KU initially in June 2019 — before switching to USC a year later — seemed to be part of the Illini’s future after the second-round NCAA loss to Kentucky. Illinois finished 22-13, 12-8 in conference.
“I’m fiery right now. I feel like I can go play another game,” White told the Daily Illini after the UK defeat. “I know we’ve got a good group of returning guys, but it’s just going to be a great summer full of work, and I’m excited to bring this pain into next year. I had a bunch of experiences that I never had before. I’m just grateful for it all. Just ready to run it back,” he added.
Instead, he’s now going to be preparing for a senior season at KU. He picked the Jayhawks over St. John’s, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Mississippi State and USC.
“I love his versatility and he is a multi-positional do-it-all player who can score and attack the defense in a variety of ways. He is a high-IQ player,” Underwood said, describing White’s game in a past interview with thetelegraph.com.
White hit 114 of 225 shots during the 2024-25 season. He cashed 23 of 70 3’s and hit 84 of 102 free throws (82.4%). He also had 25 assists to 32 turnovers. White averaged 9.0 points and 5.1 rebounds his freshman year at USC. He transferred to Louisville where he averaged 12.3 points and 5.9 rebounds a game in 2023-24. He has been a starter throughout his college career.
“I feel I always try to be a rebounding guard,” White told Rivals.com. “Coming here with coach Underwood he always emphasized offensive rebounding for me. That’s a element that can win you games. It starts at practice. Our practice is a warzone. We work on our shooting. We all shoot a million balls a day, which helps our confidence. We trust each other and play free.”
The Dallas native averaged 18.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists as a senior at Prolific Prep in Napa, California. He helped Prolific Prep to a 26-6 record and spot in the GEICO High School Basketball National Tournament, where his team upended the No. 1 team in the country. He was ranked No. 28 in the recruiting Class of 2022 by ESPN.com.
While at Louisville, White told reporters he likes to wear jersey No. 22 because “it was one of the first numbers I ever wore and I want to live in that joy.”
At Louisville, he erupted for 29 points on 11-of-20 shooting and grabbed 14 rebounds at Clemson.
“I try to hold my hat on that (defense) and try to give our team extra possessions,” White told Illinois.rivals.com. “We’re so talented all around. If I could just get my hand in there and give us an extra possession, that’s probably extra points for us. Just trying to find different ways to affect winning within our team. I feel like that’s how I impact winning, just doing a bunch of different things to hold us together. If I can get us an extra three possessions that can win the game for us? Why not?”
He told 247sports.com that above all else this past season he just tried “to stay ready. For me, staying in the gym and staying ready until my number’s called. My teammates kept me in it. Getting those wins kept me in it. Whenever coach called my name, I feel like I was already playing. It wasn’t an adjustment.”
According to Illinois.rivals.com: “The Illini expected White to be part of a core of returning players to build from this offseason. Following the loss to Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, he sounded like a guy who wanted to come back.
He said after the game: ‘The things I learned on the court and off the court along with the brotherhood I was able to have with the guys in locker room meant something to me and felt different. The feeling of winning, the hatred of losing that I experienced here at Illinois is something I would like to run back next year and it’s something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.’’’
Illini guard Kylan Boswell said: “He makes his own way throughout the game with all the hustle plays he makes.”
Jackson Langendorf of SI.com wrote of White: “Doing most of his work attacking the basket, White can get to the goal practically at will, and does an exceptional job at finishing among the trees (58.7%), or drawing a whistle and earning a trip to the line (3.2 free throw attempts per game).
“An improved shooter, White has grown his free-throw shooting and 3-point shooting from respective marks of 69.0% and 26.5% in his freshman year to 82.4% and 32.9% percent this season as a member of the Illini. With 86 career starts, White is battle-tested and experienced.”
White on Saturday was not available for comment. Back in 2019 he explained his decision to commit to KU over LSU, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, USC and others.
“I mean, it (KU) has always been a dream school of mine. My dad has always loved the school, and my guy, Jalen Wilson, that is my guy, he has been telling me great things about it, there,” White said at the time. “I just wanted to get it out of the way so that I could focus on the next few years.
“It is really just that system,” he added in 2019. “They really want to play fast and everyone that goes there has had a great bond with the coach even after they leave there. I just loved it (on visit).”
This story was originally published April 6, 2025 at 10:55 AM with the headline "This new KU Jayhawks hoops transfer had clutch moments at Illinois. A closer look."
