Keita Bates-Diop commits to Ohio State

[CharlesLawrence]

Just like HC - JG says, "we want people who want to be here" He doesn't want to be here, good luck to him and now being on the opposite side of it. He will loose at least 50% of the games against us..but he needed to do what he wanted.. Being an Illinois kids and playing for the Illini means being in the REAL SPOTLIGHT, if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen..

[ct3illini]

Originally Posted by CharlesLawrence

Just like HC - JG says, "we want people who want to be here" He doesn't want to be here, good luck to him and now being on the opposite side of it. He will loose at least 50% of the games against us..but he needed to do what he wanted.. Being an Illinois kids and playing for the Illini means being in the REAL SPOTLIGHT, if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen..

Agree, Groce will find someone else, UI b-ball is still going to be a force soon, with or without him. Still can't believe this, though.

[Calilama]

Originally Posted by ct3illini

Agree, Groce will find someone else, UI b-ball is still going to be a force soon, with or without him. Still can't believe this, though.

It's like Robert Smith said...Illinois kids who play for the Illini will always be able to tap the huge alumni business base in the State when their basketball days come to an end....always remembered...that's the real payoff of getting a great U of I education and bringing a National Championship home...Forward!

[HoopCity]

Originally Posted by Gumby

It isn't Matta..... It's the "Ed Martins" and the "Tatoo guys" that are doing the paying....Matta just has to ignore it and play dumb.

It will be really cool when the next Dee Brown steps up. A kid that wants to take on the task of returning the Illinois Basketball program to the top. A kid that, if successful, will be a hero to many in the state and will have that status after basketball is over.

Indiana kids have that kind of mentality. There's not a lot of it around any more. I sense a little bit in K. Nunn.

One can only hope that those kids are still out there.

BTW - Thad Matta grew up 30 miles from CU and was an Indiana fan....screw him.

This is one of the reasons some of the recruits don't want to come here, remarks like this !!! Matta grew up 45 miles from C/U on the ILL / IN border.

The Matta brothers were Indiana fans when growing up because Scott Eells, also from Hoopeston, was playing at Indiana for 4 years, got an NCAA championship ring and a NIT championship ring. The Matta brothers attended Knight's camps among others...

Was Scott Eells offered a scholarship to Illinois or either of the Matta Brothers ???

Thad Matta, while coaching at Xavier with Groce, wanted and applied for the Illinois position before Weber got it. Matta was not even given a chance to interview. There was no loyalty to an Illinois high school player, whom is making it big time NCAA coaching, by an Illinois grad who was athletic director !!!!

[Dan]

KBD to tOSU. Ouch.

So yes, this one hurts. We only have one scholarship to give in 2014, and in my mind, it was KBD's and KBD's alone. He would have been the perfect fit for the roster John Groce has recruited - an athletic wing who would fit perfectly with the 2013 class. With him, our 2014/15 season looked really promising. Without him, well, it's going to depend on who we get. Groce has recruited a solid supporting cast. Now he needs to find a star. And I think KBD was that star. That's pretty depressing.

But...

It's certainly not the end of the world. John Groce has all of next summer to take this one scholarship and find a star. In getting Austin Colbert from New Jersey and getting close with Demetrius Jackson, Xavier Rathan-Mayes, and Tyler Ennis, Groce has shown a willingness go of out-of-state to find the roster he needs. It's a long way until signing day, and this staff will have options.

http://alioneye.com/2012/11/18/kbd-to-tosu-ouch/

[Letswinagain]

Originally Posted by sdillini

Absolutely correct, from another UofI Engineering major who barely made it through (without the demands of big time sports). The material is very difficult, but it's the daily workload that kills you. And you don't see many D1 athletes doing it as a result, although you hear a lot of kids coming out of high school talking that talk:laugh:

It can be done. Everyone at the U.S. Naval Academy, West Point and Air Force does it. KBD's comments about engineering remind me of Corey Maggette, who repeatedly said he wanted to study architecture, then went to Duke, which doesn't offer architecture in its curriculum.

KBD is gone. I hope he drowns in orange every time he plays at The Hall. I'm confident Coach Groce will find another fine player who will take the scholarship, be an "Illinois guy," have a great run at Illinois and help hang a banner or three.

[IntenselyOrange]

Oh well, good luck to KBD except when playing the Illini.

Hopefully, the optimism by many regarding future classes is realistic. As I have no inside information, I'm forced to wait and see. I don't take much solace in getting "close" to landing recruits. You either win or lose, there isn't any partial credit in my mind.

Groce has hit on a few and missed on a few. I think that's what we should expect going forward. Very few coaches select the players on their team but rather make do with the best they can convince to play for them.

I'm much more concerned with player development personally because the ability to take guys ranked 40 - 100 and turn them into winners is as good a recipe for annual success as is Kentucky's new 5* lineup every year.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Originally Posted by CharlesLawrence

Just like HC - JG says, "we want people who want to be here"

"The freight train is moving. Either jump on or get off."

Good luck to KBD. The kid obviously didn't want to be here so there's no sense in worrying about him not coming here.

He feels comfortable with Matta at OSU and it's hard to blame him.

Meanwhile, Groce will keep things moving. KBD wasn't the only 2014 recruit in the world and this staff will not rest.

[OrchardDowns]

Originally Posted by IlliniOllie

What about all the idiots who came rushing to BTF's defense whenever anyone dared speak ill of this mighty "insider"? Why aren't they standing by their guy? :laugh:

Thank you....

[JaxIllini1]

Originally Posted by TCTORNADO

Turner's Dad was from Ohio and ET had a lot of family in CBus and spent summers there and played with a lot of OSU recruits including Diebler. He also was impressed w/OSU's presence all over the state versus Illinois' near non presence in Chicago.
An interesting tidbit is there are a lot of people who thought ET would have gone to Wisky if not OSU. Illinois was his 3rd choice!!
I think the Wolves connection is a big one, though.

Impressed with OSU's presence throughout the state? Ha! I've lived in Cincinnati for 4.5 years, and I have yet to meet a single person who cares even the tiniest bit about OSU basketball. Not one! So frustrating that KBD would want to go there, no one cares about OSU basketball outside of Columbus.

Oh well. Matta can sell, and giving him the "You're our next Evan Turner, we'll use you in the same way" line was probably pretty persuasive. Especially if the kid grew up liking OSU for some reason.

[URH Snyder 490]

Losing KBD blows. It does. Stings. Star caliber, from the area, perfect fit.



OK, it's been 24 hours so I'm moving on.


We have the right coach. He's already shown considerable recruiting ability both in the past and especially here. The dreck of the last 4 or so years has left a cloud and it is still lingering. That's what these kids have fresh in their minds, even 2005 is a distant memory. Winning cures all ills. We're set up to do that imo.

Right coach - check
Improved recruiting - check

As we get better-and we will-the better players will notice and and we will start landing some of them. Win more with them, better players notice, etc. Notice a pattern

I'm not an AAU guy but I don't have a problem with Mike Mullins, seems like a pretty straight shooter who thinks of the kids first. It should be that way. We will get some but not all of his players. I don't see how anyone can expect anything else.

[FIREHAWK]

Originally Posted by MikeThomas4Prez

As hard as it is to believe for some people on here, not every kid in Central Illinois is an Illini fan and dreams of playing here. He is just a junior in HS, so he was pretty young when Oden Conley and Cook were in the final game. I get we were there recently too, but we havent done much since. tOSU is a national brand, we arent.

Not that it excuses our failures during those years at all, but had the NCAA done their jobs correctly that little 05 recruiting class with Oden and Conley, and also that visit to the final four most likely NEVER would have happened. They were found guilty of providing improper benefits (paying player) and academic fraud, yet they were allowed to take a self imposed postseason ban (in a down year 04-05) and only get 3 years probation from the NCAA.

Had that same thing happened at Illinois, it would have been at least 2 scholarships taken away for 1 or 2 years and also been banned from postseason play for more then 1 year. The point here is, instead of serving a real punishment for the crime, they were allowed to set up what ultimately ended up being the start of a big run of success

[ComplementaryColors]

I don't know what's wrong with me, but losing KBD doesn't really bother me. Losing Demetrius Jackson, now that one really stings. I suppose it's because of the importance of a top point guard, and because I envision Malcolm Hill playing the 3, along with Myke Henry (3/4) I've always wanted others from the class of '14 more than KBD....like Lyle, Alexander, for instance.

[drumanimal]

no sweat, he must not of been the right fit. Groce will land a big recruit just give him time. I think that we will be fine.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by ComplementaryColors

I don't know what's wrong with me, but losing KBD doesn't really bother me. Losing Demetrius Jackson, now that one really stings. I suppose it's because of the importance of a top point guard, and because I envision Malcolm Hill playing the 3, along with Myke Henry (3/4) I've always wanted others from the class of '14 more than KBD....like Lyle, Alexander, for instance.

DJ would have been a more critical player, I agree. And like you, I'm not exactly sure where KBD would have played in Groce's system (I saw him as a stretch 4 more than a 3.) But what hurts about losing KBD is that he is an elite recruit not only from Illinois, but from downstate Illinois. This isn't the end of the world, but at some point Illinois needs to start signing a few elite (top 25) type players.

[bleedsorangenblue]

I am not convinced that KBD fit our priority of need. We only officially have one scholarship to offer and it is entirely possible that Illinois had softened on KBD. I am not saying that we wouldn't have taken him but I am sure that the reality of the situation was communicated. The kid could see he would have competition for playing time. Then there is the reality of us being in a rebuilding mode while tOSU is an established program right now. The pieces have to fit for everyone concerned. Best of luck to KBD. I am sure that Groce will find the right guy for our program going forward.

[Lasagna]

After XRM, jackson, now kbd, and the current state of illinois football, I really need a win somewhere. Hopefully USC, but we cannot come out the way we did against hawaii.

[IlliNYC]

I think some of us were in denial about just how far Illinois basketball's brand has fallen.

Recruiting skills get you in the door and results close the deal. Groce is obviously good at getting Illinois' name in the mix & is a hell of a salesman--we need a solid year this year that shows results/improvement (both teams & individuals) and we'll land the top guys.

I have full confidence in Groce to continue to get us in the door--and am quite sure that he'll show the results on the floor.

[ComplementaryColors]

It's been mentioned a few times that KBD might not be the most aggressive player who ever stepped on a court. I haven't seen him play, so I don't have an opinion on how KBD plays. But we all know by now that a tenacious, attacking type of player is going to thrive in Groce's system.

Of course, if KBD picked us, we wouldn't be questioning his style of play, where he'd fit, etc.....Ha ha!

[Lasagna]

Originally Posted by ComplementaryColors

Of course, if KBD picked us, we wouldn't be questioning his style of play, where he'd fit, etc.....Ha ha!

this is our nature :laugh:

[dmac279]

Originally Posted by Cool Hand Luke

"The freight train is moving. Either jump on or get off."

Good luck to KBD. The kid obviously didn't want to be here so there's no sense in worrying about him not coming here.

He feels comfortable with Matta at OSU and it's hard to blame him.

Meanwhile, Groce will keep things moving. KBD wasn't the only 2014 recruit in the world and this staff will not rest.

[lstewart53x3]

Originally Posted by Lasagna

this is our nature :laugh:

Yes and no. I think if he had picked us, we would all obviously be excited because he's a top 25 talent, but some of would still question his fit.

Personally, I'd like to see us bring in a really good point guard and a good big dude to play down low. That's what we really need.

[Leonardite]

I'm sure KBD is a nice kid and I wish him well, but I hope we whoop up on Ohio State every time we play them now and make him wish he chose Illinois.

[lstewart53x3]

Originally Posted by Leonardite

I'm sure KBD is a nice kid and I wish him well, but I hope we whoop up on Ohio State every time we play them now and make him wish he chose Illinois.

+1.

[lstewart53x3]

I think we need three things before JG can start bringing in guys like this:

1.) time with the prospects.

2.) fun basketball.

3.) winning.

If we can do those three, I believe JG will bring in some top notch players.