Illinois basketball fans didn't see Sencire Harris take the court in Illinois’ season-opening win over Eastern Illinois.

Harris' absence wasn't due to being injured or benched. Instead, Harris will redshirt the 2023-24 season; a move that coach Brad Underwood said was Harris’ decision, according to The Champaign Room.

Harris played in all 33 Illinois basketball games last season as a freshman, starting seven of them. He averaged 3.7 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.

“He’s a really good player,” Underwood said. “One of the things that he understands about his development is that he needs to get stronger, he needs to get bigger.”

Underwood recently had Terrence Shannon Jr. and Coleman Hawkins withdraw their names from the 2023 NBA Draft and return to Illinois basketball.

Notably, Harris attended St. Vincent St. Mary high school, the Catholic high school in Akron, Ohio famous for being Lakers star LeBron James' high school. In May 2013, James donated $1 million to the school for the purpose of renovating their basketball arena. The project included the installation of a new basketball court, scoreboard, locker rooms, and bleachers. The seating capacity was also raised from 1,600 to 1,831.

The now renamed LeBron James Arena now also serves as home of the American Basketball Association's Akron Aviators.

When Harris committed to Illinois basketball, James weighed in on social media, sharing his excitement for the incoming freshman.

Harris shared a statement on social media Monday night, saying “Thank you all for respecting my decision to redshirt for basketball. Your understanding and support mean the world to me. Knowing that you all respect and stand by this choice allows me to focus on my personal growth and development, also be there for my team during this time.”