Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2017)

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#1,851      

IlliniBrave75

IlliniBrave75
IlliniBrave75
Predicting top remaining players in 2017

In the mix: Kansas State, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan State and Ohio State.


Status: Smith took an official visit to Michigan State over the weekend and the Spartans have been picking up steam. Ohio State or Kentucky may get a last visit out of the tough and talented combo guard.

Predictions: Michigan State (Bossi, McDonald, Peek), Illinois (Evans)


https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/predicting-top-remaining-players-in-2017


Also includes few other names that have been brought up here.
 
#1,853      

greger

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greger
Excited to have Frazier! Kid seems like a class act! I see issues with Tilmon with 3 different high schools and now a decommit...Seems like a kid trapped in a situation where he is getting pulled multiple ways by multiple people who don't seem to have his interest in mind....sad. Hope he figures it out for himself before he makes a poor choice..
 
#1,854      

Deleted member 8213

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Guest
Deleted member 8213
skyIdub said:
Is it Wednesday yet?
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It's tuesday, we're closed.

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#1,857      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
MrOizo said:
Henricksen received so many Illini-related questions he just devoted an entire "mailbag" to us:
http://www.suntimeshighschoolsports.com/2017/04/10/henricksen-illinois-basketball-mailbag/

Gotta love being Illini.
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I have noticed over the years that no matter how much we get ignored by Chicago papers or that there persists a stereotype that Chicago/the state don't provide a typical "hometown" support for the Illini, when you actually get to measurable things like number of alumni, merchandise sold (I remember a story told on here about how a sporting goods store in Chicago said they're always low on Illini stuff because they order the same amount as other schools and it always flies off the shelves) or level of interest in things like this, Illinois is still the king of this state fanwise, including Chicago. Get a good team like 2005, and that support is magnified.

Good to see this story!
 
#1,858      

Deleted member 8213

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Deleted member 8213
IlliniBrave75 said:
Javon Pickett just got his release, And he just spoke with Western Kentucky and got his first offer!
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Seems like BU must have told him some pretty uninspiring news about how he sees him fitting in here for him to decommit from UI and the first call he takes is from WKU :noidea:
 
#1,860      

greger

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greger
jcgoldie said:
Seems like BU must have told him some pretty uninspiring news about how he sees him fitting in here for him to decommit from UI and the first call he takes is from WKU :noidea:
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Most likely true. Sometimes that conversation is necessary. Not personal just business...
 
#1,863      

MrOizo

MrOizo
Chicago
MrOizo
IlliniBrave75 said:
Jeff Borzello‏Verified account @jeffborzello 23m23 minutes ago
Former Oklahoma State commit Amauri Hardy will take an official visit to Arkansas this weekend. Four-star guard.
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I have no doubt that BU is effectively managing this one. Just need him to hang on for one domino to drop.
 
#1,865      

jbutts718

J
jbutts718
Since we already have 2 small PG's......

IlliniBrave75 said:
Jeff Borzello‏Verified account @jeffborzello 23m23 minutes ago
Former Oklahoma State commit Amauri Hardy will take an official visit to Arkansas this weekend. Four-star guard.
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that will be on the roster (1 Frosh and 1 Soph), not sure I see the fit. With Williams as a Combo and potentially Smith (bigger PG), only way I see Hardy coming is if Frazier doesn't come (which seems very unlikely). I would expect us to be looking at some SG's and some SF's to go along with some big kids.

If Tremont Waters wants to come, you would tke him.
 
#1,867      

illiniguy24

illiniguy24
illiniguy24
IlliniBrave75 said:
Jeff Borzello‏Verified account @jeffborzello 23m23 minutes ago
Former Oklahoma State commit Amauri Hardy will take an official visit to Arkansas this weekend. Four-star guard.
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It's sad that I read this and see Arkansas and my brain reads it as Kansas just because of the nature of the sentence


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#1,868      

BMo79

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BMo79
Illiini said:
OK, see my Koolaid avatar, but this Illinois-to-Western Kentucky switch (well, intrest) suggests that's there's something more going on here than meets the eye. What did BU tell him that made him reconsider his LOI? And what does BU have in mind...or in hand?

And that said...is there someone that BU would have rather than Tilmon? Was BU cool on Tilmon somehow, despite his numbers and talent, perhaps his lack of Frazier-like enthusiasm for Illinois? BU seems to have a pretty good eye for kids...or else he wouldn't have had the success he's had.

Taking that another step further, what does that say about Smith?

Am I over-analyzing this? Of course, that's what this forum is for. :cool:
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Pickett was talked to about RS and he wants to play
 
#1,869      

mattcoldagelli

mattcoldagelli
The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
mattcoldagelli
Illiini said:
OK, see my Koolaid avatar, but this Illinois-to-Western Kentucky switch (well, intrest) suggests that's there's something more going on here than meets the eye.
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I'm not sure there's any real tea leaves to be read. Pickett was probably always going to have to redshirt. That's a lot easier to take when you're going to be on the team with your friends. Once Goodwin and then Tilmon were out of the picture, it became a fit that didn't make a ton of sense on either side.
 
#1,870      

PlayAZ

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PlayAZ
Illiini said:
OK, see my Koolaid avatar, but this Illinois-to-Western Kentucky switch (well, intrest) suggests that's there's something more going on here than meets the eye. What did BU tell him that made him reconsider his LOI? And what does BU have in mind...or in hand?

And that said...is there someone that BU would have rather than Tilmon? Was BU cool on Tilmon somehow, despite his numbers and talent, perhaps his lack of Frazier-like enthusiasm for Illinois? BU seems to have a pretty good eye for kids...or else he wouldn't have had the success he's had.

Taking that another step further, what does that say about Smith?

Am I over-analyzing this? Of course, that's what this forum is for. :cool:
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My guess is that he told Pickett, the lowest rated offer kid, that he wanted to fill the roster out and would look at all options, Pickett should do the same. This is in light of Tilmon leaving, and Pickett feeling pressure that he would still be there and looked at differently now that his buddy decommitted?

I also think BU has his own style of player in mind and wants to land them as soon as possible with schollies open...

Frazier, Williams take up 2 4 remaining after that. I believe he thinks he can get Smith and Hardy...4 guards on roster all can play. 2 schollies left, kid from Kansas Boducchi? and another athletic big that OA pulls out of his you know what.

Would not be surprised to see 2018 almost ignored as it is reported to be the most underwhelming class in Illinois in some time. Ayo, (position of no need if above happens), Finke overrated wing, and THT undersized power/wing player? Hence the attention already on EJ Lidell the following year...he is a must get player.

Class balance would suffer for a couple of years, but the talent pool is simply no there next year. I hope OA and Walker and 3rd asst. look nationally and internationally for players as well. Expand the base to get the BEST players, not just the best in state/home players.
 
#1,871      

Combo

C
Combo
Illiini said:
OK, see my Koolaid avatar, but this Illinois-to-Western Kentucky switch (well, intrest) suggests that's there's something more going on here than meets the eye. What did BU tell him that made him reconsider his LOI? And what does BU have in mind...or in hand?

And that said...is there someone that BU would have rather than Tilmon? Was BU cool on Tilmon somehow, despite his numbers and talent, perhaps his lack of Frazier-like enthusiasm for Illinois? BU seems to have a pretty good eye for kids...or else he wouldn't have had the success he's had.

Taking that another step further, what does that say about Smith?

Am I over-analyzing this? Of course, that's what this forum is for. :cool:
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Yes you're over-analyzing. Tilmon would be a take no matter what given our scarcity of PF/Cs. Pickett, although he has potential, is not in the same category.
 
#1,872      

skyIdub

skyIdub
Winged Warrior
skyIdub
combes said:
Although Wednesday is the first day of the signing period, I don't expect to hear much that day.
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This is potentially the biggest news we will read on this thread today! :thumb:
 
#1,874      

Obelix

Obelix
Obelix
mattcoldagelli said:
I'm not sure there's any real tea leaves to be read. Pickett was probably always going to have to redshirt. That's a lot easier to take when you're going to be on the team with your friends. Once Goodwin and then Tilmon were out of the picture, it became a fit that didn't make a ton of sense on either side.
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I am not sure about the RS, these decisions are reserved for much later on. Furthermore, reality is that Illinois is very thin at SF right now with Hill leaving, so it is not that we have many options at SF so we can discount Pickett as an automatic RS.

But I agree on the basic premise, Pickett sees a situation where his friends are not at UI and looking elsewhere, and he wants to explore his options. I would say SLU probably is a strong option for him, Mizzou depends on who else joins (PT may be an issue), and other options like WKU, Akron, and smaller schools as fall back options.
 
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