NIL Opportunities

Dainja's Career & Season Game-By-Game Stats (PDF)

2023-24 Junior

• One of six Illini to play in all 37 games this season
• Ranked sixth on the team in both scoring (6.3 ppg) and rebounds (3.7 rpg)
• Team-leading 68.2% from the field (101-148)
• Set the Illinois program record for consecutive field goals made at 20 (3/17-28), a streak that spanned 6 postseason games (3/15-28). 
• Totaled 7 points and 6 rebounds (3 offensive) vs. Iowa State in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 (3/28)
• Scored season-high 21 points (9-9 FGs) and tied season bests of 8 rebounds and 2 blocks vs. Morehead St. (3/21)
• Posted 9 points (4-4 FGs) and 7 rebounds (2 off.) in a season-most 22:36 in BTT Championship vs. Wisconsin (3/17)
• Scored 18 points (most since 12/29 vs. FDU) and pulled down a season-high tying 8 rebounds in BTT quarterfinal win over Ohio State (3/15/24)
• Recorded 9 points (his most in a road game this season), 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks at Iowa (3/10)
• Scored 11 points, his sixth game in double-figures, and added 6 rebounds vs. Minnesota (2/28)
• Tallied 6 points and a game-high 8 rebounds (3 offensive) vs. Iowa (2/24)
• Scored 2 points at the free-throw line in 2 minutes at Penn State (2/21)
• Recorded 4 points and six rebounds in 12 minutes vs. Michigan (2/13)
• Tallied 2 points at the FT line and added a rebound in 7 minutes at Michigan State (2/10)
• Notched 6 points, 3 rebounds and a block in 9 minutes in home win over Nebraska (2/4)
• Posted 7 points, 5 rebounds and a block in 11 minutes of road win at Ohio State (1/30)
• 2 points and 1 steal in 5 minutes in win vs. Indiana (1/27)
• 4 points on 2-for-2 FGs in home win over Rutgers (1/21)
• 7 points, including 3-of-4 FTs, and 4 rebounds in 10 minutes vs. Maryland (1/14)
• 2 points and 1 rebound in win vs. Michigan State (1/11)
• 2 rebounds,1 assist, and 1 block in 6 minutes at #1 Purdue (1/5)
• 2 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist in just 4 minutes vs. Northwestern (1/2)
• Team-high 19 points (9-10 FGs) and 6 rebounds (5 offensive) vs. FDU (12/29)
• Tied a season-high with a game-high 8 rebounds vs. Colgate (12/17)
• 2 points, 3 rebounds and a block in just 4 minutes at #17 Tennessee (12/9)
• 4 points (2-2 FGs) with one rebound and a block in win vs. #11 Florida Atlantic (12/5)
• 4 points, 4 rebound in just 8 minutes in reserve role at Rutgers (12/2)
• Season highs of 16 points and 8 rebounds in third straight start vs. Western Illinois (11/24)
• 12 points on 5-7 FG vs. Southern (11/19)
• Season-high 16 points with 7 rebounds and 2 blocks vs. Valparaiso (11/17)
• 10 points and 7 rebounds, and 1 block vs. Oakland (11/10)
• 8 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block and 1 steal in opener vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6)

2022-23 Sophomore

• Illinois’ No. 4 scorer and No. 2 rebounder, averaging 9.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg
• Shot 63.6% from the field (131-206), second in B1G in 2-point percentage
• Ninth in Big Ten, (third on the team) in blocked shots (1.2 bpg)
• 13 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists in Big Ten Tournament vs. Penn State (3/9)
• 12 points and four rebounds in win over Minnesota (2/20)
• 11 points and 5 boards at #14 Indiana (2/14)
• 15 points (7-12 FG) and seven rebounds in win over #24 Rutgers (2/11)
• 17 points on 7-11 FG and game-high 9 rebounds at Iowa (2/4)
• 9 points, 8 boards and 2 blocks in win at Wisconsin (1/28)
• 11 points on 5-6 FG in win at Minnesota (1/16)
• 20 points (8-12 FG, 4-5 FT) with 7 boards and two blocks in win over Michigan State (1/13)
• 9 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks at Northwestern (1/4)
• Career-high 22 points (8-10 FG) with 4 blocks and 4 steals vs. Bethune-Cookman (12/29)
• 9 points and six rebounds in win over #2 Texas (12/6)
• 13 points on 6-6 FG in win over #8 UCLA (11/18)
• 20 points and career-high 15 rebounds and 5 blocks vs. Kansas City (11/11)
• 17 points and 10 boards for first career double-double in UI debut vs. Eastern Illinois (11/7)

2021-22 Freshman

• Appeared in Baylor’s first three games of the season, totaling six points and three rebounds in nine minutes, before electing to transfer
• Transferred to Illinois at the semester break and practiced with the Illini during the spring semester

2020-21 Redshirt (at Baylor)

• Sat out the season as a redshirt during Baylor’s run to the 2021 NCAA Championship

High School

• Four-star, top-100 recruit in Class of 2020, ranked No. 52 by ESPN and No. 91 by 247Sports
• Led Park Center to a 23-5 record, conference title, and 5AAAA section final as a senior before the season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic
• Second-team All-State by the Associated Press
• Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Series green team
• All-Northwest Suburban West Conference Team

Personal

• Born July 16, 2002 in Chicago
• Majoring in communication
• Parents are Baba Dainja and Latasha Kilgore
• Father played college basketball at Minnesota from 1990-93
• Hobbies include fashion, clothing and photoshoots
• Biggest sports achievement is earning a scholarship to play college basketball
• Favorite athlete is Carmelo Anthony
• Favorite artist is Young Dolph
• Enjoys soul food
• Lists his father as the person who has most influenced his basketball career, “He brought the game to me and worked with me.”
• Chose Illinois because, “It’s the best place for me with my type of game, and getting my body right working with Fletch. He’s the best in the country.”