Brad Underwood shook up his staff on Tuesday. Assistant coach Jamall Walker, who spent the last two years as an assistant for Underwood after spending five years on John Groce’s Illinois staff, will be reassigned to assistant to the head coach/defensive coordinator.

To replace Walker, Underwood hired Gonzaga director of basketball operations Stephen Gentry as an assistant coach.

Gentry was alongside Underwood for four-plus seasons prior to his tenure at Gonzaga. He was at Stephen F. Austin for three years, Oklahoma State for one, and was part of Underwood's original staff at Illinois, as assistant to the head coach, during the spring of 2017 before departing for Spokane.

"I've said it often that Stephen has a great basketball mind, and he was a crucial piece to what we were able to accomplish at Stephen F. Austin and Oklahoma State," Underwood said in a statement. "I am excited to have him return to our bench coming off two incredibly successful years at Gonzaga with Coach Few. Stephen is gifted with Xs and Os and analytics and excels with player development. Given his familiarity with our system and our program, he will provide a seamless transition for our players."

Walker will work closely with Underwood in handling all the daily coaching and administrative facets of leading the Fighting Illini, with special emphasis on defensive game-planning, preparations and analysis.

"I appreciate Coach Underwood providing this new role as I seek to gain experience in our industry that goes far beyond what happens on the court," Walker said. "I have invested so much in Fighting Illini Basketball over these last seven years and am motivated to continue pushing forward with this staff and help our program realize the success that everyone is working so hard to achieve."

"Jamall is a talented young coach who, without question, has a future as a college head coach," Underwood said. "I saw that first-hand with the outstanding job he did leading the Illini during the 2017 NIT. He will work alongside me when it comes to the many responsibilities, opportunities, and issues that come across a head coach's desk every single day. This partnership will allow him to gain more experience in running a program, with the ultimate goal that the professional development opportunity allows him to realize his dream of becoming a division one head­­ coach."