Illinois Hoops Summer Recruiting Thread

[Dan]

This thread is about Illinois basketball recruiting.

[Hoppy2105]

Keita Bates-Diop picked up his offer from Michigan. He said he was humbled and excited by it.

My bad if this is old news.

[DaytonIllini]

Well I am not really sure where to put this.

But we were talking about how Groce et al talking down expectations for the 2012-13 team is going to negatively impact recruiting. Someone stated that Groce hadn't done that but he certainly has talked about how they are behind in recruiting 2013 and so have our coaches and so have our main reporters.

That tempers the expectations of fans and more importantly donors but it should also send a clarion bell to any 2013 recruit that we are not going to be good for the majority or the entirety (if they are really good) of their college career. I think that is a mistake.

And of course managing expectations = talking them down by definition.

[mdonsbach]

Hoopniks

Kendrick Nunn said Illinois and Marquette have been coming at him the hardest. Says he wouldn't mind staying close to home.

Obviously not earth shattering here but good hear.

[bleedsorangenblue]

Unfortunately, we are behind with 2013 recruits and our expectations for the coming year are an unknown, particularly, given our tough schedule. Is Groce supposed to say we are going out and kick butt when the reality is uncertain? I think there is a fine line that can be walked that says we are building something special here without raising immediate expectations. Should we have a decent season, that will be the proof necessary to propel the vision of Illinois basketball into the future.

[LincolnIlliniFan]

Originally Posted by mdonsbach

Hoopniks



Obviously not earth shattering here but good hear.

That could mean either school though. Both are probably equal distance but I'd give the edge, distance from home wise, to Marquette if I had to guess

[FaninCa]

Is Jaylon Tate on Groce's radar? With Moore going to SMU, things aren't looking to good on the pg front. Hope I'm wrong, but I suspect the odds of getting an out-of-state 2013 pg aren't too good, since Groce is getting a late start...

[combes]

Tate is not at the level we would want, IMO. I would rather have Davis. I like Morris from Michigan, too.

[joshmp]

I've been wondering about Jaylon Tate, also.

[FaninCa]

Originally Posted by combes

Tate is not at the level we would want, IMO. I would rather have Davis. I like Morris from Michigan, too.

Is Tate still borderline top 100? It would be nice to start building that Simeon bridge.

[Chris Yates]

Malcolm Hill's team won the championship at the NBPA top 100 camp, and he's getting some very positive reviews for his steady play:

https://twitter.com/#!/JaceyZembal

"The Thunder win NBPA @Top100Camp title, with Daniel Hamilton, Kendal Harris, Malcolm Hill, Stevie Clark and others playing key roles."

[illiniparkie]

Hoops Reports rankings for top 2015 players in the country:

12. Jalen Coleman, SG, Indianapolis, IN
13. Hyron Edwards, PG, East Chicago, IL
16. Charles Mathews, SG, Chicago, IL
26. Brandon Hutton, WF, Chicago, IL
55. Tyler Jackson, C, LaGrange Park, IL
75. Joffrey Brown, SG, Westchester, IL

http://hoopsreports.blogspot.com/201...of-top-25.html

[DaytonIllini]

Originally Posted by illiniparkie

Hoops Reports rankings for top 2015 players in the country:

12. Jalen Coleman, SG, Indianapolis, IN
13. Hyron Edwards, PG, East Chicago, IL
16. Charles Mathews, SG, Chicago, IL
26. Brandon Hutton, WF, Chicago, IL
55. Tyler Jackson, C, LaGrange Park, IL
75. Joffrey Brown, SG, Westchester, IL

http://hoopsreports.blogspot.com/201...of-top-25.html

I hope they know more about hoops than they do geography.

[illiniparkie]

Illinois is getting a solid wing scorer in 6-foot-5 shooting guard Malcolm Hill. He's not at all flashy, but the Illinois native is a good jump shooter, gets to the rim to finish in transition and doesn't force things. Hill will need to add some strength, but his effort at camp has been solid.

http://illinois.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1376125

Yes, I saw that boo-boo for the location of East Chicago. But I just report it as I read it. ;-) And I have read that Hyron Edwards will be visiting Illinois soon.

[UofIChE06]

Originally Posted by Chris Yates

Malcolm Hill's team won the championship at the NBPA top 100 camp, and he's getting some very positive reviews for his steady play:

https://twitter.com/#!/JaceyZembal

"The Thunder win NBPA @Top100Camp title, with Daniel Hamilton, Kendal Harris, Malcolm Hill, Stevie Clark and others playing key roles."

That's great news. Maybe a UI commit will rise in the rankings for a change.

[Hoppy2105]

Originally Posted by DaytonIllini

Well I am not really sure where to put this.

But we were talking about how Groce et al talking down expectations for the 2012-13 team is going to negatively impact recruiting. Someone stated that Groce hadn't done that but he certainly has talked about how they are behind in recruiting 2013 and so have our coaches and so have our main reporters.

That tempers the expectations of fans and more importantly donors but it should also send a clarion bell to any 2013 recruit that we are not going to be good for the majority or the entirety (if they are really good) of their college career. I think that is a mistake.

And of course managing expectations = talking them down by definition.

I truly think he is just an honest man giving an honest assessment of the situation he inherited. How we all interpret that may be bad/neutral but I don't think he is downplaying to cover his own butt. Those type of people annoy me to no end.

[mdonsbach]

Jabari Timeline

Jabari Parker Says He Will Decide in November: The top two players in the Class of 2012, Nerlens Noel and Shabazz ...

Link

Let the countdown begin

[combes]

Louisville transfer Stephen Van Treese visiting this week. 6-8 and could be immediately eligible.

[bradford_illini]

Link? Sure that its Klee (HQ) but would like to see the report

Originally Posted by combes

Louisville transfer Stephen Van Treese visiting this week. 6-8 and could be immediately eligible.

[combes]

It's in print version of News Gazette. Klee.

Update, here it is online-

Stephan Van Treese, a 6-foot-8 forward transferring from Louisville, is scheduled for a campus visit Monday. The junior from Indianapolis was granted his release from the Big East program earlier this month.

Due to a knee injury, Van Treese was limited to three games as a junior last season at Louisville. That could allow him to earn a medical redshirt and pursue an NCAA waiver that would make him eligible for the 2012-13 season at his next school. Van Treese told the Indianapolis Star earlier this month he would pursue a waiver.

When he was healthy as a sophomore, Van Treese started 12 games and averaged 4.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in Big East games.

http://www.illinihq.com/sports/illin...gan-and-recrui

[midastouch11]

No thank you on Van Treese.

[ericac]

Mike Thomas on Sat Sportsline indicates he is not a fan of the one and dones...

The implication of this is pretty large. Of course, he doesnt coach the team, but if your boss is not a big fan of that type of system or athlete, I dont think you spend a lot of time recruiting those players.

I am sure others heard that, any thoughts?

[Indicchief]

Originally Posted by ericac

Mike Thomas on Sat Sportsline indicates he is not a fan of the one and dones...

The implication of this is pretty large. Of course, he doesnt coach the team, but if your boss is not a big fan of that type of system or athlete, I dont think you spend a lot of time recruiting those players.

I am sure others heard that, any thoughts?

I am rather certain that UoI is not on Parker's grand scheme of things. By his own admission:

Illinois is also on his list but Parker says he has yet to establish a strong bond with new coach John Groce.

“I don’t have a background with the coach but as time goes, I can just gain a relationship,” Parker said of Groce.

So, Thomas' statement really should not have any impact on Parker - IMHO, of course.

Did Thomas say why he feels that a way?

But, I would support that thinking, with one exception - if the one-and-done kid WANTS to come to UoI. I would suggest that we recruit such kids, but not stoop too low for them. I feel for UoI it is far better to get kids the liks of M Hill oe Leonard. Two-and-done, with the potential of one-and-done. That until we can compete with Duke/MSU/KY without going under the table to get such kids.

[IlliniWC]

Originally Posted by Hoppy2105

I truly think he is just an honest man giving an honest assessment of the situation he inherited. How we all interpret that may be bad/neutral but I don't think he is downplaying to cover his own butt. Those type of people annoy me to no end.

Therein is a typical problem you see around many companies. Do you attempt to give an honest assessment and your approach to the problems, or do you try to sugarcoat your prospects? I generally am more in favor of the honest approach, but both approaches have value in business, and it's tough to say how is the best way forward.

I'm sure Groce focuses on the positives and immense potential the program has when talking to recruits with an attractive mix of honesty and forward vision.

[ctblaisdell83]

We've discussed on the recruiting page the ability of coaches to get their players to the NBA and the positive impact that can have on recruiting. So I decided to do a little research on which coaches/programs were best at getting their kids to the NBA

My analysis was simple. I wanted to check on which RSCI top-30 recruits made it into the first round of the NBA draft (1st 30 picks). I used the RSCI final ratings from 2005 thru 2010 (6 yrs). This method equates 2nd round pick or undrafted who eventually plays in the NBA as a failure, and 1st round picks who wash out as success. Reason for this is that development (or lack thereof) after the draft is difficult to attribute to the college coach

I summarized for the big programs, so not all results are in the table below. One other thing, I lumped Memphis under Cal and UK under Cal into one entry

Here are the results (highest % of 1st rd success at top)

Ist Rd Not %
UK/Mem (Cal) 7 0 100%
OSU 5 0 100%
No Car 5 2 71%
Kansas 5 4 56%
Syr 2 2 50%
Duke 4 7 36%
UConn 1 2 33%
Tenn 1 2 33%
OK 1 3 25%
AZ 1 3 25%
Gtown 1 4 20%
MSU 0 2 0%

From this analysis, Cal and OSU (Matta) are tops, and St. Izzo is at the bottom.