Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2018)

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#1,451      
Agreed, but when you add this to all of his MVP's, awards, and championships, it further validates what we got in Alan.

Productivity, a winner, someone who has been around the game at the highest level his whole life and understands basketball as a craft.

Won't matter if his talent and skill development can't raise him to Big Ten level, but definitely a guy who will positively impact the team in intangible ways.
 
#1,455      
So the two pieces that looked like news to me from that press conference:

We're still looking for a big guy who can score, and Underwood doesn't want to just add a 5th year.

Relatedly, he said he doesn't really believe in class balance anymore because of how common transfers (read: Creanings) are now.

Not sure that's the wisest way to build something sustainable, but that's what he said.
 
#1,456      
So the two pieces that looked like news to me from that press conference:

We're still looking for a big guy who can score, and Underwood doesn't want to just add a 5th year.

Relatedly, he said he doesn't really believe in class balance anymore because of how common transfers (read: Creanings) are now.

Not sure that's the wisest way to build something sustainable, but that's what he said.

Completely agree with this though. Obviously we're not going to become Kentucky, and I wouldn't want to just have a yearly rotating roster - that's not fun as a fan. But, the amount of player movement in college bball does mean you can build a successful program without worrying as much about class balance. A class of 6 freshmen will never result in a senior graduating class of 6 people. Just doesn't happen anymore.
 
#1,457      

Illini_1979

Oregon
Welcome to the #Illini Family, Giorgi Bezhanishvili
https://twitter.com/IlliniMBB/status/984086959135055873

Illinois Basketball video on Giorgi

https://twitter.com/IlliniMBB/status/984089178676711424

I like that video, brief as it was. He looks to be left-handed which might give him a slight advantage to bigs used to defending a right-handed player. But also used his right-hand when driving to the hoop. Nice looking outside shot (based on a small sample size). Color me intrigued by the possibilities.
 
#1,458      
Relatedly, he said he doesn't really believe in class balance anymore because of how common transfers (read: Creanings) are now.

Not sure that's the wisest way to build something sustainable, but that's what he said.

He's not wrong though, transfers go up every year. It's almost impossible to consistently sign a 3/4 man class year in and year out. I think the way he phrased it was more along the lines of he isn't going to worry about signing 6 or 7 man classes if it means ruining class balance, he doesn't believe class balance exists anymore.
 
#1,459      
He's not wrong though, transfers go up every year. It's almost impossible to consistently sign a 3/4 man class year in and year out. I think the way he phrased it was more along the lines of he isn't going to worry about signing 6 or 7 man classes if it means ruining class balance, he doesn't believe class balance exists anymore.

I get it, but for one thing I still find Creaning gross even as it has become increasingly destigmatized, and secondly I don't remember who said it, but there was a recent quote about West Virginia that they "get old and stay old". I think that's the way you win, especially as a system team.

Signing 6 freshman in your first full class doesn't prevent that from happening, but my fear is that roster chaos begets roster chaos.
 
#1,460      

kuhl84

Orlando, FL
Adam Miller included

Malik Hall now as well. They gave him "Associate Head Coach" title. My son is huge Gator fan, he keeps texting me about the offers. Really getting annoying.
 
#1,461      
Class balance is immaterial if there are players transferring out on a regular basis as it appears this may be the normal pattern for this coach.
 
#1,462      

haasi

New York
I get it, but for one thing I still find Creaning gross even as it has become increasingly destigmatized, and secondly I don't remember who said it, but there was a recent quote about West Virginia that they "get old and stay old". I think that's the way you win, especially as a system team.



Signing 6 freshman in your first full class doesn't prevent that from happening, but my fear is that roster chaos begets roster chaos.



I mean I guess the hope is the roster chaos stabilizes at some point, but when you have six guys out or whatever we had, there’s going to be roster chaos regardless who you bring in, doesn’t matter if they’re all freshmen or if some of them are fifth years who will be gone the next year. Groce tried to fill in fifth years to achieve some roster balance year in and year out, we saw how that turned out. I think bringing in freshmen at least you have the opportunity to mold them to your system and hopefully enough will work out where we’ll be able to bring in more normally sized classes of 3-4 or so a year going forward.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#1,463      
Class balance is immaterial if there are players transferring out on a regular basis as it appears this may be the normal pattern for this coach.

I don't think this coach would survive long enough for it to achieve normal pattern status if that's what's going to keep happening, to be very frank.

A young project who's not hacking it every now and again? Sure. There will be at least one next year, guaranteed. But the Smith and Black type situations cannot be a regular occurrence for a stable, successful program.
 
#1,464      

Deleted member 4960

D
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Can't blame the black situation on him the kid got his degree and wants to go make money and play pro ball that's totally different from the Mark Smith situation. I'm pretty sure his plan is Not to Crean players left and right and have huge roster change over a year to year. This year is an aberration due to being a new coach with a whole new system with players that didn't fit his mold or a coach that fits their mold. In fact I think the black situation is a success he can point to . I had this kid one year and he went from seven point avg to A 15 point average.
 
#1,465      
Basically like this class and really only worry about the Black hole. Believe Ebo will be an improvement in defense but not an offense improvement. Matic seemed to be ala Finke I.e. (Can shoot but not strong rebounder) and he is a complete unknown to us. Liked the latest clip on GBez but don't trust freshmen unless they play for another Illinois team. The 1-3 positions have enough depth to produce winners even if we can't predict who they will be. Just don't like an undersized Kipper at the 4 position again. Watching the tournament, size did seem to matter.
 
#1,467      
I don't think this coach would survive long enough for it to achieve normal pattern status if that's what's going to keep happening, to be very frank.

A young project who's not hacking it every now and again? Sure. There will be at least one next year, guaranteed. But the Smith and Black type situations cannot be a regular occurrence for a stable, successful program.

Hopefully, the majority of those that signed today carryon for the 2019-2020 season, but that's yet to be seen depending on how they fit/gel and if we make it to the NCAA tournament this coming year. We'll talk much more about this same topic around 11 months from now what kind of pattern emerged.
 
#1,468      
Basically like this class and really only worry about the Black hole. Believe Ebo will be an improvement in defense but not an offense improvement. Matic seemed to be ala Finke I.e. (Can shoot but not strong rebounder) and he is a complete unknown to us. Liked the latest clip on GBez but don't trust freshmen unless they play for another Illinois team. The 1-3 positions have enough depth to produce winners even if we can't predict who they will be. Just don't like an undersized Kipper at the 4 position again. Watching the tournament, size did seem to matter.
Not so sure about that. In the title game, Villanova's 4 was 6'6", and Michigan's 6'7". Both had a big - 6'9" and 6'11" - and then three guards at 6'3", 6'3" and 6'5" and 6'0", 6'4" and 6'6". With Kipper, that is exactly what we will probably be. Ebo 6'9" or so, Kipper 6'6" at 4, Jones/Jordan/Griffin at SF 6'5" or 6'6" and then Ayo 6'5" and Trent 6'1".
 
#1,469      

Illwinsagain

Cary, IL
Class balance is immaterial if there are players transferring out on a regular basis as it appears this may be the normal pattern for this coach.

Not to pick on just this post, what I heard is that there is 40% attrition in college basketball now every two years (not just UI). Some kids going pro, some, not liking a treadmill or their future P/T. I do believe things will settle down, apparently, he inherited a roster that did not fit his system. He is not willing to wait for kids to graduate to fix that. I don't blame him. He is not used to failing.
 
#1,470      
Trent-Ayo-Jones-Kipper-Okoro would be a Top 5 starting lineup in the B1G next year and tournament caliber. Our bench is another story and could range honestly anywhere. My point is that right now Okoro could change the whole outlook for our team next year and the heights we can reach.
 
#1,471      
Malik Hall now as well. They gave him "Associate Head Coach" title. My son is huge Gator fan, he keeps texting me about the offers. Really getting annoying.

The Gators for 2019 have only offered 33 recruits for 3 spots. Seems about right.:D
 
#1,473      
What am I doing wrong? If class balanced 25% turnover every year and 50% every two years.
 
#1,474      
Not to pick on just this post, what I heard is that there is 40% attrition in college basketball now every two years (not just UI). Some kids going pro, some, not liking a treadmill or their future P/T. I do believe things will settle down, apparently, he inherited a roster that did not fit his system. He is not willing to wait for kids to graduate to fix that. I don't blame him. He is not used to failing.

Yes to your points, yet in previous posts, it was pretty evident BU was mentored under Frank Martin programs that had numerous transfers. Back to recruiting - here's hoping things do settle down, positive recruiting continues with players that fit, and all that signed today will stay around for a long time to bring us back to prominence.
 
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