Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

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#78      
Yep and it was special when we had the 04-05 team or even the 01 team because you spent 3-4 years watching the same players every year and when they succeeded it felt really special. This year was nice, I'm happy we got to the elite 8 but it just felt lacking in a way. Didn't have that same personal connection
May have felt lacking to some but not to me. We finally made it again.
 
#81      
The MVC would basically just become the B1G’s development league.
I definitely wonder whether that sort of relationship could become formalized in some way, rather than just being sort of random and ad-hoc.

Could the Illini have Triple-A DeKalb or something?

The first step for that or any future that isn't just burning the sport to the ground is to have players connection to a school be a multiyear arrangement in some fashion though. NIL, collective bargaining with a union, whatever. The center cannot hold on the developing status quo.
 
#82      
When I saw the Sencire news, I thought he should reach out to Iowa State.
 
#85      
Does school (academics) even mean anything to these kids anymore? Or, when you are playing at this level, are the academics so watered down or “assisted” that school doesn’t matter? I know how hard it was, 30 years ago, to transfer and get credits accepted at a new school, things must have changed dramatically.
I really struggled with this at the beginning of the NIL/transfer portal era but am growing to accept the new reality. Outside of the name on the jersey, college has little to do with high level college sports anymore. I mean, technically they still have to show up to class and pass tests (some with a lot of “help”) but most of these kids don’t value a scholarship and university degree like they used to. To me, that was fair pay as a student-athlete (*sigh*). It’s specially sad considering so few of them will actually go pro.
 
#88      
Not too upset about Harris leaving to be completely honest. He was at best going to be our 7th guy next year. Too much of an offensive liability.
 
#90      
The thread from when the redshirt was announced should be a fun revisit. :ROFLMAO:
 
#93      
Does school (academics) even mean anything to these kids anymore? Or, when you are playing at this level, are the academics so watered down or “assisted” that school doesn’t matter? I know how hard it was, 30 years ago, to transfer and get credits accepted at a new school, things must have changed dramatically.
Most of these kids take the vast majority of their coursework on-line. It's much easier to keep up with their sports schedules utilizing this format. NCAA has put additional onus on schools accepting athletic transfers to ensure they still have the opportunity to graduate. Basically, if you are willing to accept an athlete, you'd also better be willing to accommodate their transfer and ensure the scholarship is provided through however many of years the 5-year window they have left.
 
#94      
Sad day in my opinion. Seemed like Sencire really wanted to stay and I think he would have killed it for us next year. People can talk about his offensive limitations as a freshman, but I thought there's no question he would have had a large role on the team this year as a lock down defensive specialist at worst. And anything on top of that like his practice highlights showing much better body control and ability to finish would cement significant minutes. Just seemed like there really would be a place for him on our roster this year, especially with the transitional roster. And while there are more offensively talented options in the portal, I just don't see Sencire's skillset as being replaceable. I think this'll be a bigger loss than we realize next year.

In any case, I wish Sencire the best of luck and I know he's going to tear it up for whatever team he plays on next year. Hope he helps his team go on a long run next year so I can see him play again on the national stage. Just sad I won't ever get to see him doing it in orange and blue again. Sigh...
 
#98      
Sad Rabbit GIF by Muffin & Nuts


So long Sincere
 
#99      
Hate to see him go, love to see he didn't use "with that being said" 😏
It was a really classy post. Every time you saw him on screen you can tell he loved it here. And the fans loved him back. Had he stayed 4 years here, he honestly might have become a folk hero like Lucas Johnson, Chester Frazier, or Giorgi were. Personable guys who gave everything they had to the team and always had a little extra. I'll miss him for sure and wish him the best.
 
#100      
I saw someone ask about Jonas Aidoo from Tennessee. I would be on the lookout for UNC.
Not terribly upset about that.

Saw enough of Aidoo last year... He drove me crazy as a mostly uninterested observer. Half our fan base would need to be checked into an institution if they watched him for the whole season.
 
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