2020-2021 Team Makeup

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#301      
What this team needs most of all is another reliable/dependable shooter from beyond the arc. I have no idea if Miller can be that guy against elite competition, but by all reports he has that kind of POTENTIAL. College hoops has a way of finding and exposing if you are ready for the big time NBA. IF he has that kind of skill, he should welcome the opportunity and will get that opportunity to prove it with a very talented team that will challenge for the B1G title and may be a top ten team all season. He knows that and would fit perfectly in a great team atmosphere. Can't imagine there is a better place for him. But as shady as college hoops has become, one never knows for certain to what drum kids will listen.
 
#303      
Thankfully he is not sitting on an empty hype-o-meter. While he could possibly use more, he had a good stretch as the game closer in the team's winning streak:
@ Wisconsin (facilitated Alan and Trent 3's and then the crossover & 3 of his own)
vs. Northwestern (iso play pull up for long 2)
@ Michigan (iso vs. Simpson for game winner).
Not to mention @ Purdue (18 pts 11 ast)
He may have already built enough hype and just needs to finish the season solid and healthy.
No doubt he's had a good season, but it's not translating in the mock drafts right now which are at least somewhat accurate usually. Don't forget Deron was probably a mid round pick before the tourney, Meyers wasn't getting picked after his freshman year, and many other cases. Definitely think the NBA potential is there, but I'm not going unless I'm guaranteed to go in the first. No guarantees when you get picked in the second round. Ask Cliff Alexander, Jereme Richmond, etc. Heck, ask Brandon Paul and Kendrick Nunn how hard it was to make it into the league after not being drafted. Have a lot of respect for those two as it's nearly impossible to pull off what they did after not being drafted.
 
#304      
Will be interesting to see who has a larger effect Miller or Curbelo. Scoring vs making others better. They should be extremely complimentary. Kofi, Mr. inside, Miller, Mr. outside, and Curbelo Mr. distributor.
 
#305      

illini80

Forgottonia
Will be interesting to see who has a larger effect Miller or Curbelo. Scoring vs making others better. They should be extremely complimentary. Kofi, Mr. inside, Miller, Mr. outside, and Curbelo Mr. distributor.
My guess is Curbelo because he will make everyone better and theoretically at least, we will have more shooters next year.
 
#306      
My guess is Curbelo because he will make everyone better and theoretically at least, we will have more shooters next year.
I'm thinking they both can have an impact. Curbelo can get the ball to Kofi in spots where he can get easy baskets and Miller can spread the floor for Kofi. Both will hopefully have as big of an impact opening the game up for others as they will themselves.
 
#307      
I'm thinking they both can have an impact. Curbelo can get the ball to Kofi in spots where he can get easy baskets and Miller can spread the floor for Kofi. Both will hopefully have as big of an impact opening the game up for others as they will themselves.
I agree with this IF Kofi loses the need to dribble once to gather himself, and loses the habit of bringing the ball down low. His mentality next year needs to be DUNK DUNK DUNK DUNK DUNK and DUNK again.....
 
#308      
I'm thinking they both can have an impact. Curbelo can get the ball to Kofi in spots where he can get easy baskets and Miller can spread the floor for Kofi. Both will hopefully have as big of an impact opening the game up for others as they will themselves.
Of course Hawkins could be pretty effective in the middle against a Zone defense.
 
#309      
I agree with this IF Kofi loses the need to dribble once to gather himself, and loses the habit of bringing the ball down low. His mentality next year needs to be DUNK DUNK DUNK DUNK DUNK and DUNK again.....
It is almost impossible to dunk a basketball if one is posting up outside the 3 second lane without a dribble.
 
#310      
February 16th, 2016, Illinois hires former Washington U A.D., Josh Whitman.
So 4 years later what type of grade does Whitman get??
 
#311      
February 16th, 2016, Illinois hires former Washington U A.D., Josh Whitman.
So 4 years later what type of grade does Whitman get??

Oof. Can we wait til the 5 year anniversary? 😄

Given what he was inheriting: B+
With orange-tinted glasses projecting forward: A-
 
#312      
Will be interesting to see who has a larger effect Miller or Curbelo. Scoring vs making others better. They should be extremely complimentary. Kofi, Mr. inside, Miller, Mr. outside, and Curbelo Mr. distributor.
They are going to be freshman and while they could come in hot. I think there will be growing pains and a learning curve as they adjust to the step up in competition. Rocket Watts of MSU was ranked similarly and hurt us last game but had others where he was so so. They will certainly help but we need to have realistic expectations. Guys on the team now will be our primary scorers.I think the transfers that have had a year in the system along with these awesome recruits we will be fine. They all should work as a unit while players adjust to playing in college.
 
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#313      
One thing that could be fun to watch at times is how long we could be. Rutgers length was an issue for our guards to get off shots inside and out. We could put a long tall athletic group if we wanted to against a team like that if we wanted too. Curbelos quickness should be fine against anyone but it is nice to be able to sub in length that can shoot at the 1,2,3, or 4 with what we are adding to in recruits and Verdonk who has been hurt all year to go with our current roster. I am excited to see what Miller, AC, Hawkins the transfers and a healthy Verdonk can do in 2020-21. The length and shooting some of them can provide should be a huge help on both ends.
 
#314      
One thing that i like most others assume is that Ayo is gone no matter what before the injury. I think he likely is. What are the chances that he stays and plays next year given where he is projected, his potential, and what could change with this team. That has not really been considered. I would love if he went if the time was right but i wonder if it is. This team could be a elite next season with him at point, AC off the bench, our bigs and miller and the other shooters we are adding. I know it is not likely but who knows what type of feedback Ayo may get at years end after all is said and done. Either way i wish him and next years team the best.
 
#315      
One thing that i like most others assume is that Ayo is gone no matter what before the injury. I think he likely is. What are the chances that he stays and plays next year given where he is projected, his potential, and what could change with this team. That has not really been considered. I would love if he went if the time was right but i wonder if it is. This team could be a elite next season with him at point, AC off the bench, our bigs and miller and the other shooters we are adding. I know it is not likely but who knows what type of feedback Ayo may get at years end after all is said and done. Either way i wish him and next years team the best.
Generally overestimate immediate contribution from recruits. We have had excellent contributions from Trent, Giorgi, Ayo, and Kofi as frosh but they were stepping into a situation where there was a lot less talent existing on the team. It took both Nunn and Hill well into the season before making a significant difference and would expect similar situation from next yrs recruits. Do expect Hutch and Grandison to make an early contribution and hopefully BBV. Would expect AG to be leading scorer.
 
#316      
I’m guessing we’ll see the freshmen learning curve during the early season with more wins coming as the season progresses. Very strong team by tournament time.
 
#317      
Generally overestimate immediate contribution from recruits. We have had excellent contributions from Trent, Giorgi, Ayo, and Kofi as frosh but they were stepping into a situation where there was a lot less talent existing on the team. It took both Nunn and Hill well into the season before making a significant difference and would expect similar situation from next yrs recruits. Do expect Hutch and Grandison to make an early contribution and hopefully BBV. Would expect AG to be leading scorer.

You expect AG to be our leading scorer? I don't even expect him to start.

Don't get me wrong, I like him, and I feel like he needs more minutes, maybe even should start now, but I don't see him as the leading scorer-type.

Obviously we are just guessing and giving opinions, so my guess is that Kofi or Trent lead the team in scoring. I hope that with better shooting all around, and a sophomore Kofi doing more, that it frees up Trent to be the electric scorer he was before.
 
#318      
You expect AG to be our leading scorer? I don't even expect him to start.

Don't get me wrong, I like him, and I feel like he needs more minutes, maybe even should start now, but I don't see him as the leading scorer-type.

Obviously we are just guessing and giving opinions, so my guess is that Kofi or Trent lead the team in scoring. I hope that with better shooting all around, and a sophomore Kofi doing more, that it frees up Trent to be the electric scorer he was before.
Offensive rebounds lead to pts and expect to see improvement at going to the hoop and finishing. Trent playing the point and scores primarily from the three. Could be wrong about Kofi if he learns to score from 10/12 ft. Going to be consistently double teamed in the block. Certainly could be wrong about AG but that would be my guess at this point. Just think he will get a lot of mins due to his defense which will be tough to duplicate by frosh.
 
#319      

haasi

New York
Is BBV eligible to redshirt this year?
 
#322      
The battle between BBV and Hawkins should make both better.
Tough to tell when we haven’t seen enough of either but my impression is that although both can shoot BBV is more of a banger while Hawkins is more mobile. Don’t think either is a game changer but both could play different roles next year at the same position.
 
#323      
Tough to tell when we haven’t seen enough of either but my impression is that although both can shoot BBV is more of a banger while Hawkins is more mobile. Don’t think either is a game changer but both could play different roles next year at the same position.
I agree they are diferfent but i am not even sure at 6'10 and no having seen enough of either to say that Hawkins is the more mobile of the two or not. BBV doesnt look any different than a lot of 6'8'' 235 mobile guys that move well. I havent seen enough of him either to say that. . I am not sure if Hawkins is more mobile or not. He is taller though!
 
#324      
Just looking ahead. Wow we are loaded in depth next year. Assuming ayo goes and miller stays we are looking at something like this? Minutes are in ().
G- Frazier (30), Curbelo (10)
G- Miller (28), Curbelo (12)
G- Williams (18), Griffin (10), Grandinson/Hutcherson (12)
F- Griffin (14), Giorgi (10), Hawkins/Verdonk/Jones (16)
C- Cockburn (27), Gorgi (12), Hamlin (4)

I mean wow that is just such a more deep roster than we have had in awhile. If next season you can roll curbelo, giorgi, hutcherson and grandinson off the bench my goodness that a lot of length and shooting as well. Also not to mention we would have 6 guys who would project as plus shooters- miller, trent, griffin, hawkings, grandinson and hutcherson.
 
#325      
Just looking ahead. Wow we are loaded in depth next year. Assuming ayo goes and miller stays we are looking at something like this? Minutes are in ().
G- Frazier (30), Curbelo (10)
G- Miller (28), Curbelo (12)
G- Williams (18), Griffin (10), Grandinson/Hutcherson (12)
F- Griffin (14), Giorgi (10), Hawkins/Verdonk/Jones (16)
C- Cockburn (27), Gorgi (12), Hamlin (4)

I mean wow that is just such a more deep roster than we have had in awhile. If next season you can roll curbelo, giorgi, hutcherson and grandinson off the bench my goodness that a lot of length and shooting as well. Also not to mention we would have 6 guys who would project as plus shooters- miller, trent, griffin, hawkings, grandinson and hutcherson.
I think you did a great job of dividing the time. Not an easy task to do.

I could see Frazier averaging a few minutes less if he can't get his shooting right, maybe Williams and Giorgi too.
 
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