The Illini guard showed off his (largely unseen) vertical bounce with an emphatic dunk against LIU on Saturday
has been well established. The Illinois senior guard has a quick first step, straight-line speed with the ball, strength and balance, plus exceptional lateral ability on defense. And possessing all those traits at 215 pounds is unbelievably impressive – as his head coach has often pointed out.
“He’s maybe, pound for pound, the best athlete I’ve coached,” said Illini head man Brad Underwood back at Big Ten Media Day during the preseason.Nov 19, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell goes to the basket against Alabama Crimson Tide during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Nevertheless, Boswell has never been lauded for his vertical jumping ability – at least not as a dunker. Sure, we’ve seen him elevate into a defender in the paint, create contact and finish through an opposing player’s chest, but we have yet to see him throw down any big-time jams with the Illini. That was, until Saturday afternoon against Long Island. Boswell may have shown us some already-stunning windmills in warm-ups, but in-game dunks are an entirely different story. And although he put one down during his time at Arizona, that was a wide-open breakaway bang-out – a noteworthy feat, but not the same as a halfcourt, in-the-flow-of-the-game dunk.bringing the ball up the floor and reliving his younger days as a point guard for a play, Boswell spaced the floor at the top of the key. Then, Mirkovic attempted to put his defender in a blender – a task he was only somewhat successful at – driving downhill before spinning back to his right hand for a semi-wild layup. Boswell, watching with a keen eye as the sequence unfolded, caught his defender ball-watching and took off down the middle of the lane unchecked. As the ball caromed off the rim, the 6-foot-2 Boswell rose up off a hop-step – making the dunk altogether even more awe-inspiring – before picking it one-handed and slamming it through the rim in front of a shocked State Farm Center crowd that needed a second to take in what it had just seen before erupting.Boswell's putback slam was the reminder all hoops fans didn’t know they needed: Even the guys who make you wonder “Can he dunk?” still have otherworldly bounce and can do things that the rest of us mortals can accomplish only in their dreams.Primarily covers Illinois football and basketball, and Kansas basketball, with an emphasis on analysis, features and recruiting. Langendorf, a third-generation University of Illinois alum, has been watching Illini basketball and football for as long as he can remember. An advertising student and journalism devotee, he has been writing for On SI since October 2024. He can be followed and reached on X @jglangendorf.
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