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CHAMPAIGN – The courtship between the Illini and Alex Legion began years ago.

"I remember coach (Bruce) Weber coming to my school at Detroit Country Day. I believe I was a (high school) sophomore at the time," Legion said Thursday. "I was coming out of class and I saw him there."

Between then and now, Legion experienced a whirlwind of change: three seasons at Detroit Country Day; one season at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia; an oral commitment to Michigan; a decommitment from Michigan; a signed letter of intent with Michigan; enrollment at Kentucky; one semester at Kentucky.

Believe it or not, those changes weren't necessarily the hardest part. The waiting was. After he transferred from Kentucky to Illinois in January, NCAA transfer rules forced Legion to sit out the spring semester and the first 10 games this season.

A 6-foot-5 shooting guard, Legion is expected to debut for the Illini on Saturday when Illinois hosts Detroit at the Assembly Hall (7 p.m., Big Ten Network). Legion must wait for his fall semester grades to be posted before he is eligible, though player and coach are optimistic he will be good to go Saturday.

"I think it's been kind of a learning curve for me, just kind of a humbling experience," Legion said of sitting out the past year. "To go from playing and then not playing, being a team player and encouraging my teammates on the sideline. Just getting better overall as a player.

"I've enjoyed it. If I had the opportunity to do it again, I would, just because I learned a lot from it."

When he arrived at Illinois, Legion said he was content with the decision because he was the one who made it. In the past, those in his inner circle, from coaches to family members, had chosen his destinations.

"When you make your own decision, you have to live or die with it," he said Thursday. "If someone else makes a decision for you, you kind of do it, but at the same time there was always a doubt that you could have done it your way."

Legion admitted there would be some nerves when he comes off the bench Saturday.

"It's sort of like my freshman year. I only played six collegiate games (at Kentucky)," said Legion, who averaged 6.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 17.5 minutes in those games. "So I'm going to be nervous because it's my first time (at Illinois). It's my seventh college career game. I don't expect too much. Just to go out there and help the team and whatever."

The nerves surfaced in the last three practice sessions at Ubben Basketball Complex, as Legion missed a number of shots that he normally makes. But he has played on big stages before – at two of the nation's premier high school (Oak Hill) and college (Kentucky) programs – so the nerves figure to calm after a few games.

"It's kind of ironic that the last couple of days he's struggled shooting. I think maybe he's a little overanxious," Weber said. "He's kind of excited, like it's the night before Christmas for him. You get a chance to run down the stairs and open up the presents. The presents are playing in the game.

"It's been a long time if you really look back. It's been March of (2007) at Oak Hill (since) he's had major minutes."

His teammates made sure to measure early expectations for Legion, who will wear No. 33. But he has gone on scoring binges in practice, providing hope a versatile offense will get another boost.

"Now you have a shooter and your main goal is to get him the ball and fill up the stat sheet," point guard Demetri McCamey said. "It just helps you out and makes your job easier. You have a guy on the perimeter that can score in a bunch of ways."

"I just think he's going to help everyone. We bring another scorer in there and somebody that can shoot the ball," guard Trent Meacham said. "Teams are going to have to respect him. He's a great scorer. Whether it's myself, Demetri, Chester (Frazier), the big guys, he's going to help everyone."

pklee@news-gazette.com