Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[tprince34]

Going to the flying to the hoops tournament this weekend in Kettering,Oh. Maverick Morgan will be playing also this is a link to the schedule http://flyintothehoop.com/ftth-schedule/. 4 day event top players from everywhere good tournament to attend

[DaytonIllini]

Just for clarification. I am sure the OP meant Colbert is more skilled than Mike Davis was at a comparable point in his career. If people are expecting Colbert to come in and be the same player that Mike Davis was as a sophomore-->senior, they are going to be sorely disappointed. He doesn't have Davis's ability to shoot from outside. He isn't as big as Davis.

He has been downgraded for a perceived lack of aggression. That is a fair statement. It does or ought to be a concern until he demonstrates that it isn't a problem. I agree that it is a very common problem with HS players.

[Monte Carlo]

delete

[Monte Carlo]

Originally Posted by BrooksTaylorFan

Everything I have heard is that he is around 200-210. Scout has him listed as 6'8" and 205.

it is very hard to guess a guys weight by looking at him on the floor. If you have ever watched a UFC event you will see two fighters in the same weight class announced and one just looks so much thicker than his opponent and yet they are the same weight. With all three sites having him from 200-210, I am sure that is about right. And again, I think the weight thing is vastly overrated in many cases. If you are a Jared Sullinger type player you need the weight because you play below the rim and need that weight to move opponents for position, however, if you are a Rodney Williams type player who is an above the rim guy you rebound on athleticism and jumping ability so the weight not nearly as important and there seems to be less below the rims guys at the 4 that are stars. Again the best 4 on the planet is Kevin Durant and no one weighs less than he does on that 6'9"/6'10" frame. Heck our flying Illini in Kenny Battle and Lowell Hamilton had no problem rebounding and being very productive inside and neither of them was a George Montgomery type.

[Illiniwek06]

Originally Posted by Monte Carlo

it is very hard to guess a guys weight by looking at him on the floor. If you have ever watched a UFC event you will see two fighters in the same weight class announced and one just looks so much thicker than his opponent and yet they are the same weight. With all three sites having him from 200-210, I am sure that is about right. And again, I think the weight thing is vastly overrated in many cases. If you are a Jared Sullinger type player you need the weight because you play below the rim and need that weight to move opponents for position, however, if you are a Rodney Williams type player who is an above the rim guy you rebound on athleticism and jumping ability so the weight not nearly as important and there seems to be less below the rims guys at the 4 that are stars. Again the best 4 on the planet is Kevin Durant and no one weighs less than he does on that 6'9"/6'10" frame. Heck our flying Illini in Kenny Battle and Lowell Hamilton had no problem rebounding and being very productive inside and neither of them was a George Montgomery type.

Kinda off topic, but those UFC guys don't weigh the same at the fight as they do for the weigh-ins pre-fight. That is, on fight night, George St. Pierre does not weigh 170, Benson Henderson does not weigh 155, etc.

I would have to assume that Colbert's weight provided by the various recruiting services is based off of more than just "looking at him on the floor."

[TCTORNADO]

Why doesn't somebody with a twitter account tweet him and ask him his weight. Maybe it's not that simple but worth a try.

[TCTORNADO]

Originally Posted by tprince34

Going to the flying to the hoops tournament this weekend in Kettering,Oh. Maverick Morgan will be playing also this is a link to the schedule http://flyintothehoop.com/ftth-schedule/. 4 day event top players from everywhere good tournament to attend

Stop and pick Dayton up so we can have 2 opinions on Maverick.

[AzIlliniFan]

Originally Posted by TCTORNADO

Stop and pick Dayton up so we can have 2 opinions on Maverick.

I think Dayton said he may be attending this event as well. It would be nice to get two separate accounts of MM's performance/abilities.

[IlliniPunk]

Originally Posted by Monte Carlo

it is very hard to guess a guys weight by looking at him on the floor. If you have ever watched a UFC event you will see two fighters in the same weight class announced and one just looks so much thicker than his opponent and yet they are the same weight. With all three sites having him from 200-210, I am sure that is about right. And again, I think the weight thing is vastly overrated in many cases. If you are a Jared Sullinger type player you need the weight because you play below the rim and need that weight to move opponents for position, however, if you are a Rodney Williams type player who is an above the rim guy you rebound on athleticism and jumping ability so the weight not nearly as important and there seems to be less below the rims guys at the 4 that are stars. Again the best 4 on the planet is Kevin Durant and no one weighs less than he does on that 6'9"/6'10" frame. Heck our flying Illini in Kenny Battle and Lowell Hamilton had no problem rebounding and being very productive inside and neither of them was a George Montgomery type.

Is Colbert's game similar to Otto Porter's from Georgetown. Porter is an All-American type player as a Sophomore but he measures at 6-8 205 and plays the PF position for them.

[Hugh Jorgen]

Originally Posted by RyanK

He saw the Auburn game at UC as well. Heck, if I'm a 7' recruit watching us play, I see good guard play with a lot of PT up for grabs down low.

Maybe...or I look and see how little the center is utilized in this system offensively, and I wonder if that is how I really want to gain experience and possible exposure for the next level.

[Hugh Jorgen]

Originally Posted by PeoriaIllini1

If you are to be a power player maybe so but i think Rodney Williams proved you can play and be tall and very thin. He is 6'7'' and 206. I think he could play for us anytime he wants to transfer! lol I hope Colbert is wirey strong and aggressive to the ball like Williams is.

6' 7" and 206-210 is not that thin for a small forward, which is what Rodney Williams primarily is except for in special situations where fouls or match-up problems dictate a shift in personnel.

Colbert is as thin at JuJuan Johnson was at this same point in his career.
Basically 6'10" and 190-195 lbs. Could he turn out like Johnson?
Absolutely...but Johnson thrived because of his midrange and even extended perimeter jumper coupled with a rare ability for big men in being able to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket.

Still, Johnson really struggled against other true bigs who were relatively close to the same skillset as he.

Hopefully it will be a moot point and Colbert packs on some muscle to add to his solid skillset.

[Hugh Jorgen]

Originally Posted by zpfled

Rayvonte, Abrams, and Nunn sound like just the backcourt we need. Bulldogs all around!

Yep, we won't have an issue with toughness and inner motivation from here on out. Nunn has an attitude like Dee Brown, and once he is placed in a system where his attributes will be channeled to an attack mode full time, I think you will see him explode onto the scene. All of the intangibles are already in place.

[UofIChE06]

Originally Posted by BrooksTaylorFan

Everything I have heard is that he is around 200-210. Scout has him listed as 6'8" and 205.

The sites list Parker at 220. He is much larger than Colbert. Like I said Colbert is slightly bigger than Morrow. He is smaller than Russell Woods who is listed at 200. You guys can believe what you want but it is what it is. The moral of the story is he needs to add a substantial amount of muscle.

[PaytonHighstep]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jorgen

Yep, we won't have an issue with toughness and inner motivation from here on out. Nunn has an attitude like Dee Brown, and once he is placed in a system where his attributes will be channeled to an attack mode full time, I think you will see him explode onto the scene. All of the intangibles are already in place.

The games I have seen Simeon play on espn, I would hope Nunn tightens up his handle before he gets to Champaign. I like him and his athletic ability, but it won't mean anything if he can't handle the ball and limit his TO's.

[Hugh Jorgen]

Originally Posted by illiniobserver22

Also 5 years apart.

Williams was listed at 6'5" 180 coming out of high school, ranked the #100 player in the nation on rivals.

There is no way of knowing what Colbert will look like in 5 years.

True, but again, Williams was a small forward and Colbert is a PF/C.
Huge difference necessary 90% of the time in those roles.

Williams came in as a prototypical small forward sporting something that sets him apart from most...a legit, stand still 40"+ vertical leap. He was physically ready to contribute as a small forward, it were his skills that lacked at the collegiate level initially.

Colbert seems to be fairly skilled, but he is very thin for a PF/C right now.
I think that will change as he ages and gets into a solid weight program, but he is quite a bit smaller physically compared to most PF/C who are ready to contribute when compared to what Williams was as a SF.

I hope Colbert comes in and tries to assert himself right away like JuJuan Johnson did for Purdue...I won't expect such output, but I hope it happens.

[Hugh Jorgen]

Originally Posted by Kramer116

You are saying Colbert is only 170 something lbs? Or did I read that wrong?

Or just emphasizing he is skinny?

ESPN, Rivals, Scout, have him weighing anywhere from 200 to 210.

Camp measurements from last year had him at 189lbs. Take it for what its worth.

[jcgoldie]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jorgen

Yep, we won't have an issue with toughness and inner motivation from here on out. Nunn has an attitude like Dee Brown, and once he is placed in a system where his attributes will be channeled to an attack mode full time, I think you will see him explode onto the scene. All of the intangibles are already in place.

I'm not doubting his toughness or motivation and I hope and expect he'll develop into a very solid player for us, but based on the 2 or 3 times I've seen Nunn, I would temper any expectations for him "exploding onto the scene" as a freshman in the big ten next year.

[illini73]

Originally Posted by UofIChE06

The sites list Parker at 220. He is much larger than Colbert. Like I said Colbert is slightly bigger than Morrow. He is smaller than Russell Woods who is listed at 200. You guys can believe what you want but it is what it is. The moral of the story is he needs to add a substantial amount of muscle.

That may be true, but a lot of players have been successful in college without adding a lot of weight (Anthony Davis, Joe Smith, Luol Deng, etc...). Colbert is 6'8-6'9 and is extremely athletic (quick jumper) and can stretch the defense with his outside shooting. I am looking forward to watching him develop at the UofI!

[Hugh Jorgen]

Originally Posted by PaytonHighstep

The games I have seen Simeon play on espn, I would hope Nunn tightens up his handle before he gets to Champaign. I like him and his athletic ability, but it won't mean anything if he can't handle the ball and limit his TO's.

I've noticed the same watching the ESPN games, but in the dozen or so AAU games I've watched he had zero issues with his ballhandling and passing. I've heard from some pretty solid sources in Chicago that Simeon is a very difficult place to play for some guys due to their depth, rotation philosophy, and deference to the star player as option 1 on all offensive sets. Same at WY. For some, it really limits their productivity and their flow while on the floor. Nunn, and the rest of the team at times, seem to defer WAY too much to Parker when playing a top ranked team on TV.

I'm sure some of this is expectations from coaching staff, which makes players tentative...and once that sets in, it is hard to get into a flow.

We'll see by next season, but in AAU he has looked stellar.

[Hugh Jorgen]

Originally Posted by jcgoldie

I'm not doubting his toughness or motivation and I hope and expect he'll develop into a very solid player for us, but based on the 2 or 3 times I've seen Nunn, I would temper any expectations for him "exploding onto the scene" as a freshman in the big ten next year.

Well, by exploding onto the scene as a freshman, I'm merely talking about approaching DJ's contributions when he was B1G Freshman of the Year...in essence, only around 8-9 ppg. That is exploding for most freshman.

In reality, I don't care about his ppg as much as his bringing toughness, speed and quickness to a position where it is SORELY lacking, and defensive intensity as well. In those areas, he'll provide immediate impact.

[PaytonHighstep]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jorgen

I've noticed the same watching the ESPN games, but in the dozen or so AAU games I've watched he had zero issues with his ballhandling and passing. I've heard from some pretty solid sources in Chicago that Simeon is a very difficult place to play for some guys due to their depth, rotation philosophy, and deference to the star player as option 1 on all offensive sets. Same at WY. For some, it really limits their productivity and their flow while on the floor. Nunn, and the rest of the team at times, seem to defer WAY too much to Parker when playing a top ranked team on TV.

I'm sure some of this is expectations from coaching staff, which makes players tentative...and once that sets in, it is hard to get into a flow.

We'll see by next season, but in AAU he has looked stellar.

I can see that, but taking care of the basketball is something that any coach should emphasize on a regular basis. IMO, it isn't acceptable to be pushing the ball and just lose the ball with little or no pressure from the defense. I have seen that a couple of times and it just raised a red flag for me. I think 99% of high school kids can work on tightening up their handle before they get to the next level of competition.

[DaytonIllini]

Originally Posted by jcgoldie

I'm not doubting his toughness or motivation and I hope and expect he'll develop into a very solid player for us, but based on the 2 or 3 times I've seen Nunn, I would temper any expectations for him "exploding onto the scene" as a freshman in the big ten next year.

I would not disagree with you but I urge caution. I have seen Jabari play 3 times and at no time could anyone come away from those games and think he was even a D-I player much less a superstar. I don't doubt that he has superstar talent but if you based it on those three games you'd tell the kid to study hard because he's going to need his degree.

The point is that a couple game sample is not enough to accurately frame a picture of a kid.

[Kramer116]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jorgen

Camp measurements from last year had him at 189lbs. Take it for what its worth.

http://www.maxpreps.com/blogs/blog.a...d-a85ab14533b1

The Deron Williams Skills Academy and Amar'e Stoudemire Skills Academy got underway Thursday in Chicago and run through Saturday. The Kevin Durant Skills Academy begins Sunday. The top 80 players from those three events will be selected to compete in the LeBron James Skills Academy July 6-9 in Las Vegas.

Here is a look at the roster and measurements for high school participants in the Williams/Stoudemire events:

Amar'e Stoudemire Skills Academy (big men) from 6/22/12

Austin Colbert (6-8, 201) – Hotchkiss (Lakeville, Conn.)

Others for reference:

Cliff Alexander (6-8, 240) – Curie (Chicago)
Thomas Hamilton (6-10, 283) – Whitney Young (Chicago)
Devin Williams (6-8, 235) – Montverde Academy (Fla.)

[ChiTownIllini22]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jorgen

I've noticed the same watching the ESPN games, but in the dozen or so AAU games I've watched he had zero issues with his ballhandling and passing. I've heard from some pretty solid sources in Chicago that Simeon is a very difficult place to play for some guys due to their depth, rotation philosophy, and deference to the star player as option 1 on all offensive sets. Same at WY. For some, it really limits their productivity and their flow while on the floor. Nunn, and the rest of the team at times, seem to defer WAY too much to Parker when playing a top ranked team on TV.

I'm sure some of this is expectations from coaching staff, which makes players tentative...and once that sets in, it is hard to get into a flow.

We'll see by next season, but in AAU he has looked stellar.

The few Simeon games I've seen have looked like free-for-alls with no structured offense whatsoever and no semblance of a rotation pattern. I know others will disagree, but it really does look like Robert Smith just rolls the balls out and says "Get the ball to Jabari." I'm not going to worry about Nunn unless he struggles after a year of coaching from the staff.

[saltygrapes]

Nunn will be fine

People will surely !!!!! at some point next year that he's not doing much offensively, but then fail to realize that the starting 2G this year hasn't done much offensively for the past three seasons.