Four-Star Guard Mason Martin Officially Signs With Illinois

Illinois men's basketball has officially secured the signature of one of the state's top basketball prospects, with head coach Brad Underwood announcing Thursday that four-star shooting guard Mason Martin has signed a Big Ten Athletics Aid Agreement.

Martin, a 6-foot-5, 180-pound guard from Naperville, Illinois, attends Neuqua Valley High School and is ranked the No. 1 player in the state in the 2027 recruiting class.

The signing formalizes Martin's commitment to Illinois, which he announced in January. He becomes another important addition to Underwood's 2027 recruiting class as the Illini continue to build for the future.

Martin will arrive in Champaign with an impressive scoring résumé. As a junior at Neuqua Valley, he averaged 19 points, 4.5 rebounds and two assists per game, earning second-team All-State recognition from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.

His shooting numbers were particularly impressive. Martin knocked down 117 three-pointers during his junior campaign, converting at a 44% clip from beyond the arc. He also shot 93.5% from the free-throw line.

One of his standout performances came in Neuqua Valley's season opener against West Aurora on Nov. 25, 2025. Martin poured in 41 points while connecting on a program-record 11 three-pointers.

He helped lead the Wildcats to a school-record 32 victories, finishing the season with a 32-2 record, a 29-game winning streak and a 4A regional championship.

Martin continued to showcase his shooting ability on the Adidas 3SSB circuit this past spring and summer with Breakaway Basketball. He led the circuit with 80 made three-pointers, shooting nearly 41% from deep while averaging 16.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

Underwood believes Martin's shooting ability will translate well to Illinois' system. His perimeter shooting, scoring production and ability to contribute across multiple areas of the game were key features of his high school and AAU performances.

"We have added one of the best shooters in the country in the Class of 2027 in Mason Martin," Underwood said in the university's announcement. "He can really shoot it and fits our style of play as a high-IQ guard with the ability to process."

Martin's combination of size, perimeter shooting and scoring production gives Illinois another promising in-state talent for its future backcourt as they continue to build the next era of their basketball program.

With his signing now official, the Naperville native is one step closer to beginning his next chapter in Champaign, bringing an accomplished high school career and an established reputation as one of the state's premier shooters to the Fighting Illini.