What have I said that wasn't credible?

Good point.

This question might be slightly OT, but anyone spoken to any recruits and or current players how they feel about Shaka? Wonder if they are as excited as we are?

I haven't actually seen Nunn play, but everyone says he gets after it defensively. Would he then be perfect in the Shaka system? Just wondering.

I watched the Simeon Findlay prep game about a month ago . Honestly , I didnt see anything about Nunn that made me think he was all that great. Of course it was only one game and Simeon has many other players than just him. Maybe he had a bad game . Any more I just watch to see if a recruit can dribble and pass.

I agree, but I'm apparently a terrible judge of high school talent. Watching Simeon, all I got out of it was they are bigger and faster than other teams, and Nunn just blended in with everyone else. I also thought Parker's game looked identical to Jereme Richmond's (I'm well aware I'm wrong).

I thought the same about Parker but we must both be wrong . On another note , when Richmond was a senior his team had two of the quickest guards I'd seen . The ball seemed like it was attached to them and I'm thinking thats what we need . So , what do I know . We didn't recruit either one . Maybe nobody else did either.

Probably would. Also good dribble driver, quick and can hit the 3.

I don't think JP is seriously considering UI, but landing SS could make UI even less of a possibility imo. SS's system is about trapping, mad hustle, scrambling D, uptempo O and lots and lots of high ball screens for guards. He could adapt it to fit a talent like JP on the offensive end, but his system seems to cater to quick guards who can drive and shoot.

Having said that, if hiring SS means no shot at JP, that's perfectly fine since JP was unlikely to come here anyway and landing SS is much more beneficial to our program than any one-and-done player would be.

With Shaka,
 

If it happens, I'm thinking Austin & Ulis.

^^^^ LA would be ideal for SS's system. Ultra quick, great lateral quickness, loves D, quick hands, fast baseline to baseline.

Hill would do well in the system, too, imo. Quick, long arms, good off the dribble, would be great as a trapper and in transition and on high-ball screens.

OK !!
These descriptions of guys who would fit SS system are just getting me even more excited. Let's go MT !!

I will very graciously give you until Wednesday.
No more, though.
Wednesday

I may be in the minority - but I would take Sterling Brown over Nunn.
Give me somebody that can shoot and also likes to attack the rim and get into the lane.

+1, but SS would be happy landing either, imo.

Jabari Parker could fit into any system.

The question is would he want to play in the Havoc system? JMO, but I'd guess no. SS could easily tailor his O to JP, but at VCU his system has been geared to quick guards as the focal point of his O. Plus SS's system relies heavily on full-court defensive pressure that prevents players from being able to play 36-40 mins/game, and that kind of defensive effort means not having as much energy for O.

I think there are two problems.
1) Jabari says he wants to play somewhere that he can win a championship. I doubt that we have enough time with our current players to show that either they or SS system can respond to be close to that team. Just seems too much, too quick to me.
2) System does not feature offense, which is JP strength.

But, on the other hand, he seems to be a rather selfless young man. So maybe I am underestimating his character in even thinking that he would opt out of a program that featured team over individual. I hope so.

Offensively, Parker is a matchup nightmare. You just don't see it much watching Simeon because he's the focal point of every defense and the talent around him doesn't always space the floor well. You'll see it as soon as he plays in college, where there is more organization and more overall talent on the floor. You play him at the 4 and he goes around the less mobile but bigger 4's, you play him at the 2 or 3 and he posts up the smaller 3's. This is why he's had so much success in camps and in AAU.

Beyond that, he's unstoppable in transition: he's fast for his size and can handle the ball to lead the break and is a great finisher and always seems to make the right pass. If VCU had Jabari Parker right now, there's not much doubt in my mind he'd be scoring 15-20 points per game. Is he quick enough to play Smart's defensive scheme? Parker is a lot quicker than most people here seem to think. He could absolutely play in that system.

The "Havoc System" is just a defensive philosophy. It's no different than Syracuse always playing zone. Parker is by no means slow. He's not the quick-and-agile thin guy you characteristically see playing for Smart at VCU, but he absolutely has the potential to play in Smart's system.

I'm not sure if it's as much of a system question for Parker anyway. I think his recruitment is more about the overall situation he'd be going into. Just my opinion

Good points. In my mind, I think it's not so much a question of whether JP could play in SS's system but would he want to and will he consider UI a national title contender if he joined the program for his one year of CBB. Hopefully we land SS and find out one way or the other.

Agree with you there. I think Smart (or whoever the coach is) would have to sell him on something other than being a contender, probably something such as being the catalyst for a new age of Illinois basketball (new AD, new coach, renovated stadium, completely new image, new brand) and being remembered as a program-changer and the one who brought UI basketball "back" in the eyes of people in the state. His state legacy would be unmatched if he stayed home, that's for sure.

I think Parker does have an innate desire to stay in-state if the situation were right and all other things were equal, but all other things aren't equal. Somehow, the next Illinois coach would have to hit home on that desire to work around the struggles Illinois has had on the court.

I get what you are saying Heart, but I think irregardless of whom we add, Jabari will be difficult to land due to the limited turn-around time-frame. I do think he would fit Shaka's system as a stretch Power-Forward. Stating all this, I want program changers in coaches and not one year wonders (meaning I don't want to get a coach just to get Jabari). If Bradford Burgess is the 4 for VCU, I know Jabari would be too!

Parker could easily play PF in Shaka's system. That said, Parker is not coming to Illinois. It's time we just face it.

I think we have a good shot at Larry Austin though, and he would be a great fit for Shaka's system.

Honestly none of us knows what type of system Smart would use if he is hired. Most have assumed he will try to play "VCU" ball at Illinois. My guess is he alters his system a good bit for the day to day of Big 10 play. From all the stories about how intelligent Smart is, do you really think he will try to force the havoc system? Isn't that eeriely similar to what the knock on Weber was? That he kept trying to get the players to play the system instead of using their abilities in the most natural way.

Also, all the talk about Parker not fitting into the havoc and defensive system that Smart runs at VCU is ludicrous. Anyone that has watched Simeon should know that they play defense better than pretty much any HS team. Their whole system is based on defense. I have no doubt Parker will excel; I will conceed that Parker would probably be better showcased in a half court game though. I think this is because he would have much more of an opportunity to abuse defenders on the college level in the half court. He has a pretty refined inside-out game already. For those comparing JR to JP that is the biggest difference. JR was a post up guy with limited 3 pt range. JP has a pretty solid 3 to go along with an interior game.

As far as some of the other targets, I would say Smart should increase the chances with Nunn, Alexander, KBD, LA, and Schilling. There is probably even less of an already slim chance at Okafor and Hamilton.

It will be interesting to see who the new coach begins to target as his recruits. It may be people we weren't previously recruiting, and the new coach may pull a number of scholarship offers already extended.

Assuming Leonard leaves, it will also be interesting to see if the new coach can pull in a 2012 player late that fits his scheme.

The effect of Smart is a complete unknown when it comes to recruiting.

Priority one would be for him to recruit the current players on the team (that he wants to keep) and Jerrance.

After that, who knows? Smart isn't known as a recruiting guru. He seems like a coach a lot of people would want to play for but time will tell.

Even if Leonard stays, the new coach will have a scholarship available.