Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (March 2018)

[bobbob]

Jumping in late, but I think the original question was more can you put players on other scholarships and still play sport X. That answer is no.,you can't move a guy to the track team, or give him an academic scholarship and still play football or basketball.

Maybe I misunderstood, but my thoughts on the question.

I read it to only ask about non-athletic scholarships.

You can absolutely transfer a guy from one sport to another, you just have to follow the hierarchy of sports set out by the NCAA (again, bylaw 15). Happens all the time. If a guy on the track team makes the football team, his scholarship needs to become a full football scholarship instead of a partial track scholarship.

You can easily move a guy from an athletic scholarship to an non-athletic one if he stops playing. That is what the whole "4 year deal" is about - guarantees players a non-athletic scholarship if they get hurt and have to quit the team.

It is a lot trickier to move someone from an athletic scholarship to a non-athletic one and retain eligibility. But it can be technically done. It is rarely a good option for the player.

 

[Indy Illini Fan]

Very fortunate that the coaching staff does the recruiting, and not the posters......

Ayo, Ramey, Jones, Griffin and Samba Kane and I'm a very happy guy.

Won't get both Jones and Ramey.

Xavier is one to watch with Jones.

 

[illinifan3923]

Won't get both Jones and Ramey.

Xavier is one to watch with Jones.

Are you saying the staff would back off the other if one of them committed first? With the lack of talent on the roster, I'd have to think you'd take both and let the roster sort itself out.

 

[Peoria Pipeline]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Brad @ ISU tonight to see Liddell. He's a travelin' man.

He's in the house!! Coach is making the rounds today.

 

[TCTORNADO]

MPHS advances to State and Simeon gets upset by WY. Good for Ayo and Mr. BB if MPHS makes a big run.

 

[IlliniNation1010]

Are you saying the staff would back off the other if one of them committed first? With the lack of talent on the roster, I'd have to think you'd take both and let the roster sort itself out.

Yes, 100% they would take both! And they will pursue each all the way.

 

[PEORIAFLA]

In my life I don't think I've ever seen hops like that. Maybe Ronnie Fields.

He can jump but no Ronnie Fields. I followed Oak Ridge all year.

 

[Renegade19]

MPHS advances to State and Simeon gets upset by WY. Good for Ayo and Mr. BB if MPHS makes a big run.

Wait a minute....the legendary THT lost tonight?

 

[Joel Goodson]

Wait a minute....the legendary THT lost tonight?

Ugh! Absolutely no reason to throw shade on THT.

 

[PlayAZ]

How in the you know what is it that Alan Griffin rated a Top 7 player in his area, is not even rated on 24/7 or elsewhere.

I mean I know we want a diamond in the rough, but just how uncut do they have to be?

I like his game, glad he is in the orange and blue, just wondering?

 

[drewillini89]

While I love the idea of Ayo getting Mr. Basketball, I think E.J. Liddell has a better chance to win it (as a junior) than either Ayo or THT. Kinda crazy to think about.

 

[IndyIllini2]

While I love the idea of Ayo getting Mr. Basketball, I think E.J. Liddell has a better chance to win it (as a junior) than either Ayo or THT. Kinda crazy to think about.

Not really, Ayo was hurt for part of the season and THT is on a team loaded with talent from top to bottom. It is hard to spread the ball around with a team like that. I have seen EJ several times over the last 2 years and it would not surprise me at all if won Mr. Basketball. He has grown immensely as a player.

 

[EJ33]

Part of it is that he wasn’t a star on the AAU circuit. He played on a good team and was a solid role player, but nothing more. What’s interesting is he played against multiple 5 star players especially in their playoff run and consistently found ways to score in multiple ways and despite not being really tall or being able to jump out of the gym, got boards. One NY writer called his game “unorthodox” which I think is a way of saying, “He somehow finds a way to produce, but we don’t know why.” He is a 3 star on Rivals and ESPN.

Griffin seems like one of those unheralded Beilein recruits that torches us every year.

 

[Spoon House]

Griffin seems like one of those unheralded Beilein recruits that torches us every year.

I would have never thought in a million years to articulate it this way, but that is just dead on the nose.

 

[PlayAZ]

So based on a concept of us having 4 rides for the 2019 recruiting class and with the guards we have or will have or might have...do we get all swing/bigs with this class? Is it even realistic?

Liddell, Okoro, Whitney, ????

 

[OrangeNTude]

https://twitter.com/CasperMBB/status/965446538561339392?s=20

Maybe not the big we need, but wonder why the staff hasn't shown more interest with all the offers they've put out. Ranked 16 and offers from Tim Miles and others.

 

[SescIllini]

EJ Liddell is a competitor, will do a lot to create a culture of winning. Said it multiple times, he reminds me of Antoine Walker during his high school years at Mount Carmel. EJ probably more consistent while Walker more explosive at same age.

 

[Joel Goodson]

#Illini have locked in an official visit with 2018 big man Giorgi Bezhanishvili. 6-foot-9 per Derek Piper

Either putting pressure on Trice or moving on from him.

 

[americanoutlaw11]

Enough with the project bigs! *facepalm*

This year should have taught us it might be better to have one more iron in the fire than one too few. Can't afford a repeat of it in 2,3,4 years time.

And I'll preface the following with the mandatory "don't everyone freak out about what I'm about to say, I'm not saying Giorgi is as good as, nor that he will have the same type of All B1G career" even though I'm sure some will... But the way he moves and handles the ball reminds me a bit of Ethan Happ.

 

[PlayAZ]

https://twitter.com/CasperMBB/status/965446538561339392?s=20

Maybe not the big we need, but wonder why the staff hasn't shown more interest with all the offers they've put out. Ranked 16 and offers from Tim Miles and others.

I had the same question 1 or 2 weeks ago....seems pretty good and at 6'8", well not like we couldn't use that?

 

[Orangetool]

I want Giorgi B.
Looks to have better handles than any big man that we have had in many years.
Way more athletic as well.

 

[TCTORNADO]

Enough with the project bigs! *facepalm*

You do realize what's left, right??

 

[Megamind]

Where's the game footage at? He's unranked. He's the definition of a project big--to go along with Ebo, Vesel, and Kane. Like I said, enough with the project bigs!

What a silly statement, anyone who watches his video can clearly see that this guy is pretty much unlike any big Illinois has had. Doesn’t mean he’s a superstar, but his skill set for a 6’9” guy is pretty amazing. I personally would be very excited if we landed him.

 

[Orangetool]

What a silly statement, anyone who watches his video can clearly see that this guy is pretty much unlike any big Illinois has had. Doesn’t mean he’s a superstar, but his skill set for a 6’9” guy is pretty amazing. I personally would be very excited if we landed him.

Absolutely, hope we get him.

 

[TCTORNADO]

Trice isn't ideal, but he's a better option simply for his rebounding, defense, and only tying up a scholarship for two years. Pretty concerning that this all-star staff can't recruit all that well. Flame away.

Well we have our PG!! The problem with Trice is he needs to visit a few more times.