NNanna was NBA caliber on the defensive side --very intelligent, good footwork, anticipated weak side defense, and used his length without fouling too much. He covered up many defensive lapses and was fun to watch him defend the paint smartly. That said, I don't think you get to the level we want with guys who can't put the ball in the basket. His senior year he was a 6 & 6 guy. Didn't have the hands to score efficiently. We need to move up the food chain in recruiting --college basketball is not a plug-n-play sport.
Illini Basketball 2019-2020
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NNanna was NBA caliber on the defensive side --very intelligent, good footwork, anticipated weak side defense, and used his length without fouling too much. He covered up many defensive lapses and was fun to watch him defend the paint smartly. That said, I don't think you get to the level we want with guys who can't put the ball in the basket. His senior year he was a 6 & 6 guy. Didn't have the hands to score efficiently. We need to move up the food chain in recruiting --college basketball is not a plug-n-play sport.
Maybe one of these guys can pay for Kouma's scholly.
I was thinking about this after I posted and you may be right. What I'm not understanding is how he meets the academic requirements for the University but falls short of the NCAA's requirements. Are the NCAA requirements more stringent or is this really all about checking the validity of every single class to prevent peopple from gaming the system? Clearly he is "qualified" to attend as far as academics go.
Let him go....he's on a roll...
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
Welcome to the Illini Mr. Hamlin!
Not convinced we have the depth at big to redshirt him...unless you consider a common cold a catastrophic injury. If we didn't Redshirt Matic, what's the difference here?
The NCAA requires, among other things, 16 core courses for initial eligibility: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Quick_Reference_Sheet.pdf
Each of those 16 course must pass NCAA muster. International courses are scrutinized closely to see that they meet the designated requirements. This kid has coursework from New York, Mass. and Chad. I'm guessing that he came up short in one of those areas.
Our roster next year will be very solid with upperclassman of Frazier, Williams, Griffin, Jones, Giorgi, Hutcherson, Grandison (Ayo) expected to be gone obviously.
Scorer, Defensive Glue Guy, Scorer Do it All, Scorer-Rebounder-Scorer Assist Rebounding Big, Scorer, Scorer, Rebounds, Assists, etc.....I like where the roster is headed with all of our players being basically 6'5" or taller (sorry TF), and multi dimensional.
Scorer, Defensive Glue Guy, Scorer Do it All, Scorer-Rebounder-Scorer Assist Rebounding Big, Scorer, Scorer, Rebounds, Assists, etc.....I like where the roster is headed with all of our players being basically 6'5" or taller (sorry TF), and multi dimensional.
Unless this is supposed to be a down year for BIG, I think we're going to need two of Tev, Griff, Kipp and Verdonk to step up to be top 4.
I'm not sure why so many people think players should be redshirted other for reasons other than a medical redshirt. IMO there should be very limited circumstances favoring tying up a scholarship. Here are the ones that come to mind:
1) Medical (as mentioned)
2) Stacked at position and PT extremely limited
3) Player is significant lacking in strength and size to compete in the B10.
The first two reasons are the most compelling. I hope we don't have any medical redshirts especially at the 4-5 where we are thin. If we get to the point where we are deep at position(s) then it makes sense to redshirt and it likely means the program is in a good place like we are all hoping.
Hard for me to see the logic here..... North Carolina can offer bogus classes with fake grades and the NCAA says that's an institutional problem which they really have no jurisdiction....but if UI says a recruit meets the schools academic requirements and can be admitted....yet the NCAA says no......can someone explain that to me?????
Think that is in the NCAA's special ethics course which is taught by UNC.
Based on the understanding that Ayo, Trent, Feliz, and Giorgi are known commodities and that Kofi, Griffin, Jones, Kipper, and Da'Monte all have huge potential but a question mark this season I have created the 65 best floor lineups I expect to see in our 2019-20 season. (Ordered from C to PG). If Verdonk comes out ready to play this would need to be adjusted accordingly.
Starting Lineup: 4 potential lineups
A - Kofi, Giorgi, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Ayo
Tier 1: 10 potential lineups
B - Kofi, Giorgi, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Feliz, Ayo
C - Giorgi, Kipper/Jones, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Ayo
Tier 2: 17 potential lineups
D - Kofi, Giorgi, Jones, Griffin, Ayo
E - Kofi, Giorgi, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Feliz
F - Kofi, Kipper/Jones, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Ayo
G - Giorgi, Kipper/Jones, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Feliz, Ayo
Tier 3: 18 potential lineups
H - Kofi, Giorgi, Kipper/Da'Monte, Griffin, Ayo
I - Kofi, Kipper/Jones, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Feliz, Ayo/Trent
J - Giorgi, Verdonk, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Ayo
Tier 4: 16 potential lineups
K - Kofi, Giorgi, Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Griffin, Trent
L - Kofi, Kipper/Jones, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Feliz
M - Giorgi, Kipper, Da'Monte, Griffin, Ayo
N - Giorgi, Jones, Kipper/Da'Monte, Griffin, Ayo
O - Giorgi, Verdonk, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Feliz, Ayo
Players ordered by # of these 65 potential lineups they appear in (most important players to our season would be expected to be in more lineups):
1. Ayo: 46
2. Kofi: 42
3. Giorgi: 41
4. Trent: 39
5. Feliz: 36
6. Jones: 33
7. Kipper: 33
8. Griffin: 26
9. Da'Monte: 21
10. Verdonk: 8
Starting Lineup: 4 potential lineups
A - Kofi, Giorgi, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Ayo
Tier 1: 10 potential lineups
B - Kofi, Giorgi, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Feliz, Ayo
C - Giorgi, Kipper/Jones, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Ayo
Tier 2: 17 potential lineups
D - Kofi, Giorgi, Jones, Griffin, Ayo
E - Kofi, Giorgi, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Feliz
F - Kofi, Kipper/Jones, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Ayo
G - Giorgi, Kipper/Jones, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Feliz, Ayo
Tier 3: 18 potential lineups
H - Kofi, Giorgi, Kipper/Da'Monte, Griffin, Ayo
I - Kofi, Kipper/Jones, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Feliz, Ayo/Trent
J - Giorgi, Verdonk, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Ayo
Tier 4: 16 potential lineups
K - Kofi, Giorgi, Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Griffin, Trent
L - Kofi, Kipper/Jones, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Trent, Feliz
M - Giorgi, Kipper, Da'Monte, Griffin, Ayo
N - Giorgi, Jones, Kipper/Da'Monte, Griffin, Ayo
O - Giorgi, Verdonk, Griffin/Kipper/Jones/Da'Monte, Feliz, Ayo
Players ordered by # of these 65 potential lineups they appear in (most important players to our season would be expected to be in more lineups):
1. Ayo: 46
2. Kofi: 42
3. Giorgi: 41
4. Trent: 39
5. Feliz: 36
6. Jones: 33
7. Kipper: 33
8. Griffin: 26
9. Da'Monte: 21
10. Verdonk: 8
Exactly what I was thinking. Given where the Illini's latest Big fliers are now, wouldn't surprise me at all if he doesn't finish his career in O&B.
Guaranteed A, no need to attend class.
I'm just upset I used the name Tisdale instead of his proper name The Noodler.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Darn shame I can't like this a million times.
Dren1
- Glenview, IL
Update on Kouma (as well as Verdonk):
https://247sports.com/college/illin...re-planning-on-him-being-an-Illini-134583648/
“Bernard’s in a situation that is really beyond our control,” Underwood said at his media availability on Monday. “All we can do is what we can do in terms of providing paperwork, providing situations — we’re at the mercy of the eligibility center there and their ongoing guidelines that they use to evaluate his status. Until we know anything more there, we’re planning on him being an Illini and we’ll see from there.”
https://247sports.com/college/illin...re-planning-on-him-being-an-Illini-134583648/
“Bernard’s in a situation that is really beyond our control,” Underwood said at his media availability on Monday. “All we can do is what we can do in terms of providing paperwork, providing situations — we’re at the mercy of the eligibility center there and their ongoing guidelines that they use to evaluate his status. Until we know anything more there, we’re planning on him being an Illini and we’ll see from there.”
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I wonder if there is a chance Hamlin still goes to Prep School while being committed to Illinois for 2020. Kind of like Javon Pickett with Miznoz. This is assuming the Kouma situation gets resolved quickly.
Hamlin is not listed on the roster because he has not yet signed a financial aid tender and the program has not officially announced the addition.
This is one the of big downsides of our constant revolving door of freshman bigs. I think there's lots of room for success in getting guys that are lower rated and need some time, redshirting them, and having them be productive a couple years down the road. But that requires those players to trust you will keep them on 2-3 years in the future, and we've done little to nothing to convince any freshman big that that is the case at Illinois.
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