2012 Illini Hoops Summer Workouts

[HeartofaChampion]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

Terrific summary. Just about everything he said matches what we saw last year except for Tyler Griffey who seems to have found new life with the change in coaches. My biggest concern remains Abrams at PG because he just isn't the sort of PG Groce needs to run his system. We probably aren't going to see a compromise version of Groce's system this season. Recruiting will be the key to getting the program heading in the right direction.

Agreed. Landing Jackson would free up JG to move TA to the 2 and RR or JB at the 3, though that combo would still not be ideal due to potentially shaky 3-point shooting.

TA should be OK next year but isn't the kind of dynamic shooter and driver/playmaker that JG's PG-centric offense thrives under. JG would love for BP to fill some of the driver role in the interim, albeit from the wing. Wouldn't be surprised to see BP attacking in that regard.

[Foo G]

Originally Posted by HeartofaChampion

...
RR: ... Has a bit of a nasty streak on the court. ...When he, TA and NE are on the same team, they almost always win.

NE: tireless worker. Far from polished offensively but working feverishly on his low-post game with DF. Takes pickup games more seriously than anyone else. He and TA are natural competitors. Has worked some on his pick and pop, too. Can hit shots out to about 15 feet in pickup games. Likes the baseline short corner jumper.

JB: the most fun player to watch in pickup games. Loves running the floor and finishes with lots of high-flying dunks. A couple of his dunks were NBA spectacular in July. Outside shot is off and on. Left hand is getting better thanks to JW. He loves Coach Walker. Biggest question is how he'll do driving against 2s and 3s after being guarded by a lot of 4s last season. Prediction: he'll be sixth man and play 25 mpg.

SML: not very polished but loves to mix it up. Watching him and NE battle around the hoop is fun. They just pound on each other sometimes. B1G-ready body. Rebounding, defense and putbacks will be his M.O. Good personality, too. Adds some fun to the roster.

ID: tireless worker. Fights guys in the post defensively. Everybody loves him.

[Foo G]

Originally Posted by HeartofaChampion

Agreed. Landing Jackson would free up JG to move TA to the 2 and RR or JB at the 3, though that combo would still not be ideal due to potentially shaky 3-point shooting.

TA should be OK next year but isn't the kind of dynamic shooter and driver/playmaker that JG's PG-centric offense thrives under. JG would love for BP to fill some of the driver role in the interim, albeit from the wing. Wouldn't be surprised to see BP attacking in that regard.

I wonder if Rayvonte could hold his own enough to defend the 4.
Offensively, he'd be tough for a lot of PF's to contain if Groce went to a 4-guard lineup in 2013-2014.
Unless Henry, Shaw, or Langford emerge by then, he may be the best option on that team.
Malcolm Hill may be the best 3-pt threat on the roster and get some major minutes.

[illinisc]

Originally Posted by Foo G

I wonder if Rayvonte could hold his own enough to defend the 4.
Offensively, he'd be tough for a lot of PF's to contain if Groce went to a 4-guard lineup in 2013-2014.
Unless Henry, Shaw, or Langford emerge by then, he may be the best option on that team.
Malcolm Hill may be the best 3-pt threat on the roster and get some major minutes.

at 6'3 or 6'4 probably not.

[Foo G]

Originally Posted by illinisc

at 6'3 or 6'4 probably not.

Given his strength, he seems like he would be as good of, if not a better PF option than Bertrand, Stu Douglass/Zach Novak, and Kim English, especially on a team that may not have much talent or depth at that position next year.

[IlliniByProxy]

Originally Posted by Foo G

Given his strength, he seems like he would be as good of, if not a better PF option than Bertrand, Stu Douglass/Zach Novak, and Kim English, especially on a team that may not have much talent or depth at that position next year.

I agree, especially when considering that it is becoming increasingly trendy to run a 4 guard offense.

[Brad18]

How does Rice compare with Serge? Seems like they have/had similar body types. Rayvonte seems to be more of a scorer, although not a great shooter, while Serge was a lockdown defender.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by Foo G

Given his strength, he seems like he would be as good of, if not a better PF option than Bertrand, Stu Douglass/Zach Novak, and Kim English, especially on a team that may not have much talent or depth at that position next year.

I wouldn't rule it out as an option (I'm a fan of playing smaller guys at the 4), but from what I saw of his play at Drake he isn't a particularly long 6'3" player. So although he is strong, I could see Rice having problems offensively and defensively at the stretch 4 position.

My model for an undersized stretch 4 is David Lighty, 6'4.75" tall with a 8'5" standing reach. I would guess that Rice is 3+ inches below that standard in height and reach.

[FeelYourPaign]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

Terrific summary. Just about everything he said matches what we saw last year except for Tyler Griffey who seems to have found new life with the change in coaches. My biggest concern remains Abrams at PG because he just isn't the sort of PG Groce needs to run his system. We probably aren't going to see a compromise version of Groce's system this season. Recruiting will be the key to getting the program heading in the right direction.

I bolded this to ask if you meant we ARE going to see a compromise?
At least that is what I thought you probably meant, but not your style to typo, so asking.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by FeelYourPaign

I bolded this to ask if you meant we ARE going to see a compromise?
At least that is what I thought you probably meant, but not your style to typo, so asking.

Yes, it was a typo. I think we will see a compromise system both offensively and defensively this season.

[HeartofaChampion]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

Yes, it was a typo. I think we will see a compromise system both offensively and defensively this season.

I agree. JG will need to find a balance between showcasing his preferred system and style of play for fans, recruits and for preparing his underclassmen players to play that style in future years with running things that get the most out of the current roster makeup in order to win games. Could be similar to how Huggins used the 1-3-1 some his first couple of seasons at WV as a carryover from Beilein's regime. As the season goes on and the players get more comfortable with the system (or show success running it), he'd then implement more and more of it. My total guess would be we'll run primarily his system with some carryover stuff. I think defensively we'll play JG's style almost exclusively. His teams at Ohio seemed to focus on forming a wall around the lane and just inside the arc whereas BW had his guards constantly pressuring the ballhandler even 35-40 feet from the basket, which seemed to lead to giving up dribble penetration. Offenively I think we'll play the majority of his system but add in wrinkles to get open shots should TA struggle to break down his man against tougher competition.

[Dan]

Groce said he appreciated the effort from the players. He also acknowledged he won't know the team's mental makeup until the games begin.

"What coaches worry about, especially when you're new, is how tough are we going to be? How tough are we going to play?" Groce said in his office at Ubben Basketball Complex. "When things are going well, can we handle that? When things are going bad -- and they do for every team -- how do we handle that? That's the toughness part.

"And how together are we going to be? There's a difference between liking each other and going to the movies together and being totally in sync and connected on the floor. That's totally different. That's what coaching is -- to get them to embrace the team."

Klee

[JJB]

He refuses to place lofty expectations on the improvements Nnanna Egwu will make this season — after Meyers Leonard leaped from a Big Ten footnote in his freshman year to the 11th overall pick in the NBA Draft in June — but the sophomore center has been Groce’s hardest worker this summer.

“The commitment he had in the weight room, the gains he had in there with his body, how hard he worked in skill, how much he ate that opportunity up to get better, he had an unbelievable summer,” Groce said. “Nnanna has not only done what he’s supposed to do, he’s gone above and beyond.”

http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2...-new-direction

[Kramer116]

^^^^

Regarding Egwu, no kid has really made the improvements on a year to year basis I have seen him make from FR year of HS to now. He is one of the hardest working kids we have had.

I have no reason to believe, after a year adjusting to the speed of the college game, he won't continue to make big strides. You have to appreciate his work ethic and desire to get better.

[Foo G]

Originally Posted by Kramer116

^^^^

Regarding Egwu, no kid has really made the improvements on a year to year basis I have seen him make from FR year of HS to now. He is one of the hardest working kids we have had.

I have no reason to believe, after a year adjusting to the speed of the college game, he won't continue to make big strides. You have to appreciate his work ethic and desire to get better.

I still wish he had more of a mean streak!
Maybe we'll see it come out as he gains confidence.

[FinalFour88]

Originally Posted by Kramer116

^^^^

Regarding Egwu, no kid has really made the improvements on a year to year basis I have seen him make from FR year of HS to now. He is one of the hardest working kids we have had.

I have no reason to believe, after a year adjusting to the speed of the college game, he won't continue to make big strides. You have to appreciate his work ethic and desire to get better.

We may not miss Meyers Leonard much the next couple years because of Nnanna.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by Kramer116

^^^^

Regarding Egwu, no kid has really made the improvements on a year to year basis I have seen him make from FR year of HS to now. He is one of the hardest working kids we have had.

I have no reason to believe, after a year adjusting to the speed of the college game, he won't continue to make big strides. You have to appreciate his work ethic and desire to get better.

Originally Posted by FinalFour88

We may not miss Meyers Leonard much the next couple years because of Nnanna.

I would be surprised if he wasn't a very good player for us next year. It is a tall order to expect that Egwu would be as good as Leonard, but in a couple of years he will probably be a better all around college player (though not as high a draft pick).

I still remember watching Egwu play as a senior in high school on ESPN3 and thinking "wow, he can really play."

[FinalFour88]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

I would be surprised if he wasn't a very good player for us next year. It is a tall order to expect that Egwu would be as good as Leonard, but in a couple of years he will probably be a better all around college player (though not as high a draft pick).

I still remember watching Egwu play as a senior in high school on ESPN3 and thinking "wow, he can really play."

Yeah, I don't expect Egwu to be a better player than Leonard, but I think he'll likely bring more energy to the floor and a better attitude (less pouty).

[DaytonIllini]

Originally Posted by FinalFour88

Yeah, I don't expect Egwu to be a better player than Leonard, but I think he'll likely bring more energy to the floor and a better attitude (less pouty).

Do you have any concerns about his hands? I am sure someone has discussed it at some point but he seems to have below average hands in the limited action I saw of his last season.

[FinalFour88]

Originally Posted by DaytonIllini

Do you have any concerns about his hands? I am sure someone has discussed it at some point but he seems to have below average hands in the limited action I saw of his last season.

I do to some extent, yes. Leonard has very good hands, if I recall, and Egwu's hands aren't his strength. But I'll take a guy with his size, skills, great attitude and work ethic any day.

[JimmyChitwood]

Originally Posted by FinalFour88

I do to some extent, yes. Leonard has very good hands, if I recall, and Egwu's hands aren't his strength. But I'll take a guy with his size, skills, great attitude and work ethic any day.

Egwu's hands were a big problem last year and if there was 1 thing he really needs to work on, it's that. He had a ton of "drops" last year. There was a night and day difference between Leonard's hands and Egwu's. Could of been nerves too, hard telling. Hopefully he is a man possessed this year.

[RealWorld52]

Nnanna looked like he had four feet last year, maybe some freshman jitters too. I hated to see that report on devin , I think he is one who could break out and do something in the new system.

[Combo]

Originally Posted by DaytonIllini

Do you have any concerns about his hands? I am sure someone has discussed it at some point but he seems to have below average hands in the limited action I saw of his last season.

I certainly do. He didn't have good hands in HS and that continued last
year. If I were the coaches that would be the priority in his skill
development.