Mike LaTulip – The Basics

Year:  Freshman
Previous School: Prospect High School
Ht/Wt: 6-0/165
Jersey #: 10

The Orange & Blue Scrimmage will take place tonight! Let’s celebrate by getting to know the last newbie player on the list, who also happens to be the one and only true freshman of the group: Mike LaTulip.

The preferred walk on actually committed back in September to join the Illini, but he reaffirmed that he was sticking with the team, and with new coach John Groce, in May. He attended Prospect High School, and is a member of the Full Package AAU team.

LaTulip, a 6-0, 165-pound guard averaged 22.0 points, 4.0 assists and 2.7 rebounds during his senior season, leading Prospect to a record of 17-9 and 7-3 in the Mid-Suburban League’s East Division. He made 75 three-pointers on the year while shooting 38.5 percent from behind the arc. He averaged 22 points, four assists and 2.7 rebounds as a senior, and was voted Third-team All-State by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.

The Illini are in need of some good offense next year and having someone like LaTulip on the team that can really shoot could be a nice boost. Though he is a preferred walk-on, that doesn’t mean he won’t be able to make a difference on the team. Jeff Jordan and Trent Meacham both started out as preferred walk-ons, so that’s the club that LaTulip is now joining. While things worked out better for Meacham than for Jordan, it’s still important to note that preferred walk-ons should not be discounted.

LaTulip will be wearing jersey No. 10, and he will turn 19 on December 7. A little fun fact about LaTulip is that his father was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies organization and played minor league baseball.

Check out some video highlights below.