In one of the most controversial moves of the current NCAA basketball offseason, new St. Bonaventure general manager Adrian Wojnarowski announced the commitment of Ilia Ermakov to play for the Bonnies next season.
Not only is Ermakov one of the top prospects in the world, but he will be coming directly from his native Russia.
What We Know About Illia Ermakov
Little is known about Illia Ermakov outside of his basketball career. He is currently 17 years old (born in 2007), plays point guard, is 6’5″ tall and weighs 187 pounds. He began to make headlines in Russian basketball in 2017, when he started playing in the Russian U11 league, playing for BK Rusichi.
A few years later, everyone in his country was talking about him. This is how the current president of the Russian Basketball Federation and former Utah Jazz star Andrei Kirilenko recalled it:
“When Ilya was 14-15 years old, I saw him at the Russian championship,” Kirilenko told the Russian outlet Championat. “He immediately caught my eye because he has a good head for basketball and a really great game IQ. Moving to the United States can help him a lot…I’m sure it will be a great experience for him.”
Ermakov has played for CSKA Moscow’s development teams for the past four seasons. In 2024-25, he plays for CSKA-2, where he is a starter despite playing mostly against adult players.
Ermakov plays for CSKA Moscow-2, posting 12.6 points, 4.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals in the Russian Superleague versus men this season.
He’ll form a formidable international freshmen backcourt duo with 6’5 Italian guard Achille Lonati in the Atlantic 10 next season. https://t.co/ekMbHnEoNM pic.twitter.com/eHteV3aqyx
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 24, 2025
The rising star has played 43 games in all competitions this season, averaging 12.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. His two-point shooting percentage is excellent (45%), but not so much on 3-pointers (29%) and free throws (78%).
Russian basketball authorities have made no secret of the need to develop Ermakov’s extraordinary talent. Kirilenko put it this way:
“Many of our talented players need international experience, which we cannot give them because of Russia’s suspension. Of course, you need to play with the best to grow. The NCAA provides that opportunity.”
Ermakov will join other talented prospects on the Bonnies’ roster, such as 6’5” Italian guard Achille Lonati, who comes directly from playing for AX Armani Exchange Milano of the Italian Serie A.
KEEP READING: Woj Bomb, St. Bonaventure Secures Commitment From 17 Year Old Top Young Prospect From Russia Ilia Ermakov
St. Bonaventure plays in the Atlantic 10 Conference, where they finished eighth in the 2024-25 season. They had a record of 22 wins and 12 losses overall, 9-9 in the conference, and in the A10 Championship, they lost in the quarterfinals to VCU.
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