Illini Basketball 2019-2020

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#103      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
Did some digging on Hamlin. Didn't realize he's a 2019. Is planning on a year of prep school (Link Prep) and reclassifying to 2020. Thinking there may be a change of plans. A redshirt year, being in the program, practicing against our bigs, should do wonders for his development. Here's his twitter page: https://twitter.com/king_rome34?lang=en

Chicago roots. Moved to Lincoln in 8th grade. Dad played for Simeon. Has a very nice frame. Should be able to add ~20 pounds of muscle: 6' 10", 245#. Could be a force in a couple of yeara.
 
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#106      

illini80

Forgottonia
Cleared by the NCAA to be eligible or Illinois not taking him?
NCAA. I believe he has signed his financial papers with UI so I assume they have accepted his application.
 
#108      
I guess it could be Kouma's, maybe he was just assuming he would be cleared by NCAA. But goes back to my earlier observation that in an earlier interview with BU when he discussed improved frontcourt without Samba he did not mention Kouma.

But, I guess we'll know soon.
 
#109      
Did some digging on Hamlin. Didn't realize he's a 2019. Is planning on a year of prep school (Link Prep) and reclassifying to 2020. Thinking there may be a change of plans. A redshirt year, being in the program, practicing against our bigs, should do wonders for his development. Here's his twitter page: https://twitter.com/king_rome34?lang=en

Chicago roots. Moved to Lincoln in 8th grade. Dad played for Simeon. Has a very nice frame. Should be able to add ~20 pounds of muscle: 6' 10", 245#. Could be a force in a couple of yeara.

He finished at 8.4 block pct in EYBL, N'Faly Dante was 9.0 and Ryan Kalkbrenner was 11.7...this kid could help after a redshirt and Fletch helping.
 
#110      
I actually would not mind taking the Lincoln kid and the Bloom kid both, possibly even redshirt both with Verdonk and Kofi expected to do well and Giorgi there as well. We have multiple choices for wings with Williams, Griffin, Jones, Nichols. Nichols could help as a 4/5 backup with small fast lineup utilized.

One would take Kouma's scholarshp, the other would take the open Scholarship.

With Ayo due to leave, (he will), then we still have 3 open rides for guards to come in (Miller/Burnett/Alexander/Watson/Curbelo) 3 guards incoming, with Kofi still here and Giorgi still here and these 2 guys getting seasoned and bulked up with the wings with another year.

It seems to me to be a pretty good plan if it were to come to fruition.
 
#111      
Just a few thoughts, and while I firmly feel that Kouma will be on campus sooner than later, I will believe it when I see it; bureaucracy and the procedures that are its progeny may hold up indefinitely his arrival date. It is nice that he is retweeting and cheering on the team, but this is something that should have been sorted out by the AD's office by now. If Kouma is not cleared, which should further indict the NCAA's commitment to its "student athletes", it makes even more sense to add another player who is more than a project and will add more depth than a walk-on; you could make a case for leaving one scholarship open for next year, but if Ayo and Kofi both leave, one of which is as close to guaranteed as possible, why not try to hedge against the issue of roster churn to give stability to a rebuilding, non-Blue Blood team (not rhetorical)?
 
#112      
This may seem an incredibly dumb question, but here goes. In the UNC case the NCAA determined, if I understand correctly, that it didn’t have jurisdiction to question the academic validity of course hours / credits awarded by UNC. How, then, does the NCAA have jurisdiction to question the academic validity of course hours / credits awarded by a high school or prep school ?
 
#113      
This may seem an incredibly dumb question, but here goes. In the UNC case the NCAA determined, if I understand correctly, that it didn’t have jurisdiction to question the academic validity of course hours / credits awarded by UNC. How, then, does the NCAA have jurisdiction to question the academic validity of course hours / credits awarded by a high school or prep school ?

Seriously? You're asking the NCAA rules to be consistent? The NCAA definition of "consistency" is what makes the most business sense at the time. It can vary from minute to minute, person to person.
 
#114      

foby

Bonnaroo Land
Seriously? You're asking the NCAA rules to be consistent? The NCAA definition of "consistency" is what makes the most business sense at the time. It can vary from minute to minute, person to person, BLUE BLOOD to everybody else.
FIFY
 
#115      
I guess it could be Kouma's, maybe he was just assuming he would be cleared by NCAA. But goes back to my earlier observation that in an earlier interview with BU when he discussed improved frontcourt without Samba he did not mention Kouma.

But, I guess we'll know soon.

Classes start in two weeks.
 
#116      
Just a few thoughts, and while I firmly feel that Kouma will be on campus sooner than later, I will believe it when I see it; bureaucracy and the procedures that are its progeny may hold up indefinitely his arrival date. It is nice that he is retweeting and cheering on the team, but this is something that should have been sorted out by the AD's office by now. If Kouma is not cleared, which should further indict the NCAA's commitment to its "student athletes", it makes even more sense to add another player who is more than a project and will add more depth than a walk-on; you could make a case for leaving one scholarship open for next year, but if Ayo and Kofi both leave, one of which is as close to guaranteed as possible, why not try to hedge against the issue of roster churn to give stability to a rebuilding, non-Blue Blood team (not rhetorical)?

If the NCAA would let him practice and red shirt, might do like St John' s did with Marcus Lovett when the NCAA failed to academically qualify him.
 
#117      
If nothing else, certainly would help push the rotation players in practice. Add Kouma to Hutcherson, mix and match, and the different lineups will get a pretty good challenge. Will only make everyone better. Didn't someone suggest right before the team departed for Italy that we had a further visit coming from an uncommitted 5th year big that they had some interest in? That might be tied to knowledge that Kouma might have an issue.
 
#118      
If the NCAA would let him practice and red shirt, might do like St John' s did with Marcus Lovett when the NCAA failed to academically qualify him.
Tough to believe NCAA requirements are more difficult than those of UI. An ethics course maybe? :cool:
 
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#120      

Tacomallini

Washington State
Gotta admit. I’m lost
I could be lost with you...did a bit of googling though and I think the 'none too subtle' hints are about Jermaine Hamlin. There is a Hamlin Cookie company. If I'm wrong, I'll eat crow, but I'd rather eat a cookie.
 
#122      

Tacomallini

Washington State
Also lost, was thinking that was a reference to Brian Cook, and was looking for a recruit from Lincoln.
I think your version makes much more sense! I forgot that Cook went to Lincoln High. Good call. Unless we're all wrong and lost.
 
#124      
If the NCAA would let him practice and red shirt, might do like St John' s did with Marcus Lovett when the NCAA failed to academically qualify him.

In re: Kouma's ability to both R/S and practice with the team, you answer is found broadly in NCAA Bylaw 14.3: Freshman Redshirt Requirements, specifically subsections 14.3.1 (Eligibility..."Qualifiers" and "Academic Redshirts"), 14.3.1.1. ("Qualifier" - an immediately eligible player), 14.3.2. ("Academic Redshirt").

If Kouma signed financial aid paperwork, he no doubt produced his SAT / ACT score(s) and an academic transcript that satisfied both the Admissions and Athletics Departments requirements (or did nothing to yield a scintilla of suspicion); the fact that he was a Spring signing coupled with his completion high school coursework before emigrating from Chad is the likely culprit in the delayed processing of his transcripts.

That said, assuming nothing else is amiss and his transcripts are validated, he will meet the requirements of both a "Qualifier" and an "Academic Redshirt" as defined by the Bylaws. So, even if he take a R/S season, he will be allowed in his first semester to "...practice with the team on campus or at the institution's regular practice facility...". The most current Bylaws do not define in isolation the word "Scrimmage", but the NCAA website states that a R/S may not "scrimmage" with their team. While "scrimmage" is not clearly defined, in light of the Bylaws, its definition is intended to be construed relatively narrow and contemplates the definitions of "Contest" [Bylaw 17.02.2 (definition)] and "Practice Scrimmage" [Bylaw 17.3.5.3. (definition); inter-squad games during practice do not count. Yes, this is a 50,000ft answer to your question, but it is by no means a complete answer.

The case of Kouma is tricky in that, as noted, he will likely meet the requirements of both a "Qualifier" and an "Academic Redshirt". If true it begs the question: "what to do with him?". To answer this, BU will have to assess team depth and weigh that against the cost / benefit of bringing him in as a true freshman or allowing him to R/S a season. He showed glimpses of his offensive and defensive potential during the Chris Paul invitational, so while he may be inexperienced, we do not yet have the frontcourt depth to discount him from competing with the team this season.

In a now one-position offense (Kofi), we only have one proper 4 and one proper 5; Kipper, Tevian, and Benjamin - possibly now our best non-Kouma option if healthy - may slide down to play and/ or guard the post, but all are far from optimal solutions in that role. We also have at least one transfer in Hutcherson who will be a practice-only player this season; therefore, using two, and now potentially three '19 - '20 scholarships on players who are not eligible to see the court seems very dangerous. I like the idea of adding depth to next year's recruiting class with two transfers should Kouma be deemed eligible ... if not, then it may be prudent to save it.

Regardless, this team is going to need another big, particularly when B1G play starts, so if there are no restrictions or a necessary R/S, he is going to get minutes this season in a trial by fire fashion; he may respond or he may turn out to be a one-and-done like Kane and Ebo before him.
 
#125      

illini80

Forgottonia
Will the team get some time off now that they are home? Classes begin on Aug 26th. Assume it’s back to the 2 hours per week of
workouts until practice begins. Someone (Werner or Richie) said Underwood may start a little later this year because of the trip and the extra summer practices. Wants them fresh.

I haven’t seen any further comments on Kouma. Anyone?
 
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