Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[Saturdaze]

I think the gloom and doomers are assuming no one gets better this summer, and their performance won’t improve with better coaching, better teammates, and more opportunity.

Merely my opinion, but I find it much more logical to assume players will improve during their most prime developmental years, rather than to assume we are just getting last years version of every player.

Boswell is mocked as a 1st round pick in many places and it seems like most of the gloom doomers are pretending he doesn't exist.

I don’t disagree, but it comes back to the coaching staff having to prove themselves again to the fan base.

The benefit to keeping guys in the program is you don’t need to work on everything all at once. These coaches by rule have limited time with players, and players have practically limited time and energy to work on their own. I think it’s a lot to expect a whole new team will successfully learn a new offense and defense, develop chemistry with all new teamates, get fletched, and improve their fundamentals from last years baseline.

 

[BalloonsTheElephant]

And Humdinger is the only player on the roster in his final year of eligibility.

"Be the NIL Gods and just pack together a new group of proven stars every year, if anyone isn't an immediate star we'll just dump them and go buy another one" was a theory that has been hyped to us relentlessly around here, and that has suffered a fairly jarring collision with reality.

But there are reasons to feel optimism about what's being constructed here, though that optimism depends upon both one more score in the portal and some modicum of player retention, both of which there are also plenty of reasons to feel nervous about.

The team as it stands MIGHT be very bad, and people are only rejecting that notion for their own emotional/ideological reasons about what being The Good Fan entails.

But people also shouldn't freak out and pout that all our Denzel dreams didn't come true the day the portal opened. We've made some pretty crafty moves befitting a staff that's been around the block and knows what it's doing.

I think you've made a similar point before about building two-year windows with transfers, not four-year windows with high school recruits. It looks like we are building for a good team this year, but really focusing on what 25/26 looks like.

In that context, overspending on Demin, who is likely to be gone next year, doesn't make sense unless you know he can be that guy this year that elevates your ceiling that much. You assume some attrition, but hopefully the core stays intact and you build from that to be special.

 

[Saturdaze]

There’s also people used to Illinois being at the bottom of the B1G for years and are still grateful for BU & Co making us relevant again.

Everyone complaining about a whole new roster needs to realize there’s going to be massive roster changes with “unknown commodities” and unknown chemistry every year on every power conference team, as long as these portal rules remain. To think otherwise is delusional.

Sure there’s more work to do in the portal, but the process is ongoing and they know the pieces we need. In Brad We Trust (He has earned it).

Currently, only 2 teams have more turnover than us - Missouri and Rutgers. (Ivisic not counted on 247 list).

If we use all our scholarships we’ll have the most turnover this year, and be tied for the most turnover ever during the portal era with Kentucky and Arkansas at 11 new players.

Look at the list on 247 which includes transfers AND freshman. What we’re experiencing this year is not a new normal.

2024 Overall Basketball Team Rankings

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sportsstage.com

 

[Govoner Vaugn Fan]

I can't wait to see what we get with Ivisic. Will he be a freshman Nick Smith?, or the upperclassman Meyers L. we regrettably never got to see? Probably somewhere in between but where on that development line?

 

[OrangeKrush1981]

... That's gone, probably forever. I'll live with it and cheer the guys wearing the O&B. I can accept the disappointment of this new world because I'm much more pleased that these young men are finally monetizing their talent while they can, and the NCAA, BT, universities aren't the ones skimming the rents at the expense of the labor producing it.

...

Onward. The clock doesn't run backward.

Great post!

Regarding the NCAA, Big10 and Universities skimming off money: the NCAA for sure does that and I don't think they at all earn the fraction of wealth they collect. It's shameful, in my view.

I hadn't thought about the Big10 in this regard, and honestly don't know what their take, versus the schools', ends up being. Most of the money the Universities get goes to the athletic department and not really to the University. And that money is used for a few giant salaries for coaches, new facilities, scholarships athletes in all sports and other athletic department expenses (which are huge, in total). I am sure you know this: the large majority of schools lose money on their athletic programs, though it may be that Big10 schools are not in the money-losing group.

 

[PepeSilvia]

Currently, only 2 teams have more turnover than us - Missouri and Rutgers. (Ivisic not counted on 247 list).

If we use all our scholarships we’ll have the most turnover this year, and be tied for the most turnover ever during the portal era with Kentucky and Arkansas at 11 new players.

Look at the list on 247 which includes transfers AND freshman. What we’re experiencing this year is not a new normal.

2024 Overall Basketball Team Rankings

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sportsstage.com

This off-season isn't done yet. Illinois currently has 8 new incoming players and I'd assume will end up at 9 or 10.

Arkansas and Kentucky are going to have entirely new teams they just need to fill out their bench.

USC has 9 incoming transfers and 2 freshman for 11 at the moment and are still looking to add.

Believe Michigan has 9 new players incoming, UCLA has 8, Duke has 9, Miami is at 7, UConn is currently only at 5 but will add more, Bama is at 8, and zona is at 7.

I don't follow those teams as closely but a lot of them still need to fill open scholarships so they will still be adding. Illinois is right in line with a lot of the best programs in the country and that turnover is going to happen when you lose your 3 best players and 5 to graduation.

 

[john1952]

Decision-making under conditions of uncertainly. The level of work and stress on the head coach and staff has significantly increased. The portal has caused role expansion and created new types of work for coaches and staff.

 

[WyattEarp]

Currently, only 2 teams have more turnover than us - Missouri and Rutgers. (Ivisic not counted on 247 list).

If we use all our scholarships we’ll have the most turnover this year, and be tied for the most turnover ever during the portal era with Kentucky and Arkansas at 11 new players.

Look at the list on 247 which includes transfers AND freshman. What we’re experiencing this year is not a new normal.

2024 Overall Basketball Team Rankings

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sportsstage.com

Saturdaze in the park, think it was the Fourth of July…

(Your on-screen name usually makes me think of that…)

I don’t agree with you all the time. But your positions tend to be rooted in something…and you generally try to back up your assertions with something factual. Also, I’ve never known you to be a turd about it.

What you said is accurate. But IMO what is distracting in what you said is that there are 10-15…^^ other winning programs that are right there with us…give or take a transfer or two…

So in the uncharted waters of college basketball right now…

1.) Don’t we wanna be emulating the Kansas’s of the world? Those teams are playing slots too. I mean right?

2.) In the midst of all the seismic shifts in the sport…that seems to be changing almost daily…How can anyone with any degree of certainty, say what the new normal is? You’d practically have to be a soothsayer in order to do that.

 

[john1952]

Happy Mothers Day

Don’t be tired. Don’t be tired. My mother, god bless her, I never saw my mom sick. In other words, when I grew up, I woke up every day and my mom was there. I took it for granted. She’s never tired – or she never showed it. Be as tough as your mothers. They show up all the time, alright, and we need to show up all the time. Be as tough as your mothers.”
Mike Krzyzewski
Former Head basketball coach
Duke University

 

[ColSLU69]

I watched a video from 4 days ago explaining that Campbell sophomore Anthony Dell'Orso, a 6'6" 190 lbs SG/SF, had transferred to Arizona. Apparently, Arizona had contacted Dell'Orso only 24 hours before the commitment. And Arizona told him that he'd probably have to come off the bench this season. Dell'Orso said no problem, and he committed to Arizona. As a reminder, Dell'Orso averaged 19.5/6.5/1.9 last season as a sophomore at D-1 Campbell University. His shooting splits were 49.2/38.0/80.9 for the season. I wonder if Illinois ever contacted Dell'Orso? I'm sure we could've offered him more playing time than Arizona in 24-25. Maybe he's just not good enough for Illinois?

 

[BryceHopkins]

I feel like we’ve been worrying about this for 46 days. Time to just trust BU to figure it all out. Everything’s right, so just hold tight.

 

[Govoner Vaugn Fan]

I feel like we’ve been worrying about this for 46 days. Time to just trust BU to figure it all out. Everything’s right, so just hold tight.

Only two posts in over an hour. It seems everyone's concerns about portal recruiting have been resolved.

 

[LadyLoyalty]

Currently, only 2 teams have more turnover than us - Missouri and Rutgers. (Ivisic not counted on 247 list).

If we use all our scholarships we’ll have the most turnover this year, and be tied for the most turnover ever during the portal era with Kentucky and Arkansas at 11 new players.

Look at the list on 247 which includes transfers AND freshman. What we’re experiencing this year is not a new normal.

2024 Overall Basketball Team Rankings

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sportsstage.com

Starters or bench players?

Regardless, it’s not ideal but it ultimately doesn’t really matter anymore in this new era, when most of the high talent kids are motivated by money alone in the portal. Loyalty be damned.

As long as BU reloads with the pieces needed for a deep run each March, I believe he’s earned our trust & support. People should AT LEAST wait for BU & Co to finish the job before passing judgment and piling on next year’s team.

 

[ColSLU69]

No worries. Just curious. Just wondering (not worrying!) about who, if anyone, Illinois will add as a starting shooting guard to the roster. This is a Recruiting Thread...right? So, I just assumed that it's still okay to discuss Illinois Basketball recruiting...even while we "trust BU to figure it all out."

3. SG Chaz Lanier. TN and KY his final two.
5. SG Cam Christie. Not interested in IL.
6. SG Wooga Poplar. IL not in his final four.
14. SG Miles Kelly. Shot 37% from the field, 32% on 3s, and 73% from the line. But Illinois "might" have a chance to add him?

 

[ColSLU69]

By the way, I am not now "passing judgment on" and/or "piling on" next year's Illinois basketball team. In fact, I am very happy with the transfers that have been recruited by BU and staff thus far. Yet, I will say it again: I'm very curious about what other transfers might be coming to Illinois.

 

[OB positive]

Well if we don't get any more alphas in the portal and just add depth, this would be my projected starting lineup.

Boswell 6'2
White 6'7
Humrichous 6'9
Booth 6'10
Ivisic. 7'1

This would probably be one of the tallest lineups that ever started for Illinois. I am ok with that though maybe not enough ball handling.

 

[Kenny67]

Ranking teams at this point was always pretty weak but with the advent of the portal transfers it is totally useless in my opinion. Torvik’s ranking uses amount of scoring, rebounds etc. returning. When you had graduates replaced by frosh this made a lot of sense. Now the ranking of transfers doesn’t have much predictive value as the fit of the pieces becomes much more important. Talking positional fit here as much as chemistry. I believe the offense will be very good with the pieces we already have but have no idea about the defense. TJ and Hawk were terrific team defensive players tough to tell anything about that by individual play as that is the combination rather than the individual. However, will be very surprised if we are not in the championship hunt.

Except 2023/2024 were not good defending in the paint and/or vs a mobile/athletic big. Even NUs Nichelson made the Illini look silly on defense at times.

 

[New Creation]

Not sure where to put this, but Dee won coach of the year in NAIA

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1789391470618677449

 

[Brosky]

Yes.

How about 15 feet in? His mid-range shot may be more important. Domask kept showing us that's still part of the game.

 

[GForce]

Merely my opinion, but I find it much more logical to assume players will improve during their most prime developmental years, rather than to assume we are just getting last years version of every player.

Boswell is mocked as a 1st round pick in many places and it seems like most of the gloom doomers are pretending he doesn't exist.

I agree. But it's also how I felt about the players that left, who were also in their prime development years, and yet were talked about like they would remain mostly limited and one-dimensional forever. It's kinda the backup quarterback syndrome, but I feel like we're swapping one set of familiar role players with unrealized potential for another brand-new set with unrealized (and hoping for more) potential. Even Boswell, who I think has a very high ceiling.

I'm really hoping we snag a TSJ 2.0, and I have faith that Underwood can develop and inspire with the best of them. But things are really murky now. I can see a repeat of '22-23, or even another '23-24 if things fall in place (though that's probably for the following year if players decide to stay).

 

[ever]

Merely my opinion, but I find it much more logical to assume players will improve during their most prime developmental years, rather than to assume we are just getting last years version of every player.

Boswell is mocked as a 1st round pick in many places and it seems like most of the gloom doomers are pretending he doesn't exist.

It doesn't have to be either extreme though. I personally think the most reasonable thing to "expect" for the next year is that each player has a small chance of regressing (depending on past sample size and how much their role will change), some chance of staying about the same, a decent chance of a modest improvement, and a small chance of taking a great leap.

So for a batch of transfers, we might get one who takes a big leap, probably a couple with modest improvements, probably a couple who do fine but never live up to the hype, and maybe one who doesn't play well at all (and/or don't see the floor much). It could of course be much better or worse. It's all anyone's guess, and I pretty much disagree with all hot takes in either direction.

Regarding Boswell, he's far from proven to this point. He's demonstrated a good 3pt%, but really regressed his sophomore year in 2pt% and has never shown an ability to get to the line (and missed 2pt shots are the most likely misses to go the other way for a fast break). Nor was he the clear assist leader on his team (they were essentially split among him, Larsson, and Love), and he lost some playing time near the end of the season. But I'm not discounting the scouting either- there's clearly some potential there; we just don't know yet if we're going to get it (much less this year). And I personally do not care much about NBA projections. Plenty of future NBA stars did very little to help their college teams win for a variety of reasons.

 

[FAR Penthouse]

Here's an interesting idea if Coleman decides to return for his last year of college eligibilty, drop a bigger bag on him and state that this is what we do when our productive players stay the course for all of their playing careers. Sends a clear message to our younger players about staying the course and not jumping in the portal so quickly.

 

[HailtotheChief]

Is Morez a starter right out of the gate?? at maybe the 3,4,or 5 position??…if so what kind of offensive numbers would you expect him to put up?

Well with Ben and Big T at the 4 and 5 I highly doubt he starts this year. He should play 15min or more. It will be interesting to see how the transfers in Booth, White, Ben and Davis effect sub patterns of BU as it pertains to Ty and Morez playing together or not given they aren't the shooters others are.

 

[HailtotheChief]

who even shoots from 15 feet out anymore ? its either less than 5 feet or 21ft

Domask and Ayo did often.

 

[illini0440]

Is Morez a starter right out of the gate?? at maybe the 3,4,or 5 position??…if so what kind of offensive numbers would you expect him to put up?

The 3!?!