Just to give you perspective. Matthews was a McAA entering 4th year of post hs career. Extremely good NCAA run but many feel he needs to get his jumper right.
Think Ayo will be really good, but needs several years of college to improve game.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2018)
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Just to give you perspective. Matthews was a McAA entering 4th year of post hs career. Extremely good NCAA run but many feel he needs to get his jumper right.
Think Ayo will be really good, but needs several years of college to improve game.
That’s not what pro scouts thought when they saw him at the Jordan Brand practices. The kid will be here 2 years max. He is that good. Once he gain strength and redefine his shot lookout.
I see that video and I think okoro is in the pinch post year one as much as fouls/conditioning allows. Hopefully he is able to eat up enough time so other minutes can be split by ebo, Samba and giorgi. Worst case scenario all 4 of those guys give us 10mpg each due to fouls and typical big man learning curve.
But going into the second year, I’m sure okoro would do a lot more work like what’s seen on the video, so he can play in the 4 out or the pinch post. Dream scenario is kane develops a bit in that offseason and You have the height and athleticism between those two that makes scoring around the rim very uncomfortable for the other team, but the skill level is there to not miss a beat on offense.
A man can dream.
I see a 4 year player. Jumper needs work, speed of the college game will get to him right away. He is a great finisher, but that is a tough transition to the college game with more athleticism and size. The lane fills up quickly in the college game.
I just don't see it. This old guys been wrong before though.
Hope I'm wrong, but I don't see Ayo in the NBA in two years if he's hoping to be a first round draft pick.
I've only seen highlights, but I see the concern here. He's not physically developed yet, and I wonder about his durability given his attacking style (which I love!). I am not concerned about our back-court with him coming in. He and Trent are passionate players, and that should be fun to watch if the new players can make progress understanding the offense.
Apparently Blake Hinson is no longer going to visit Illinois according to this Evans article. At the very bottom of the article is the information pertaining to Hinson.
https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/twitter-tuesday-ramey-hinton-bruins-more
https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/twitter-tuesday-ramey-hinton-bruins-more
Dan
Admin
2019 big man Kofi Cockburn: On Wednesday, Brad Underwood will be in for a visit.
https://twitter.com/Andrew__Slater/status/986095498682621952
https://twitter.com/Andrew__Slater/status/986095498682621952
TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
Based on Hinson's offer/visit list, I don't think the college coaching community is as high on him as this board has been.
ivwilsoniv
- Aurora, IL
Like I said earlier, "GO FOR THE GOLDEN!"
TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
I've already thrown in my Golden take—that I want him more than Okoro—so I'm with you
ivwilsoniv
- Aurora, IL
I've already thrown in my Golden take—that I want him more than Okoro—so I'm with you
Golden would fill an immediate need/depth issue, and shouldn't affect the Okoro recruitment (unless he reclassifies). I don't want one more than the other, but I think Okoro has a much higher ceiling than Golden. I mean, have you seen this video...
https://twitter.com/chibestfrank88/status/965787008437276674
Two reasons I want this guy: 1) He is a grown man. 2) Would be my all time favorite Illini name
Illini fans need to show this guy more love.
If Hinson thinks he's a more perimeter-oriented three, this makes sense and I think he's correct to see himself that way.
It's a shame that couldn't work out.
This is a good thing not a bad thing!
Griffin is ideally a 2 for me.
If we're going to have a lineup well suited for Underwoodball I'm pretty much shifting everyone down a position. Length, length, length.
I agree that Ayo is most likely a 4 year player. I wouldn’t call it a bad thing but if he’s going to be here for four years that means not tremendous production the first couple of years most likely. This team could really use some instant impact players. If you could trade a four year player for someone who is going to have a more immediate impact I think you would do it. Having said that I am thrilled to have Ayo on board!
TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
My rationale is this: I think finding a big that can operate in the pinch post, hit a three in the pick-n-pop, and finish around the rim would be an absolute gamechanger for this offense. Golden ticks all those boxes. We saw what Underwood was able to do with Tyler Walkup, who was also adept at all those things, but was 6'4". Golden is a legit 6'9".
Don't get me wrong, Okoro is a beast, and I certainly want him to be an Illini, but at this point his offensive game is significantly more limited. Yes, he would be our best rebounder and shot-blocker as soon as he arrived on campus, but IMO those skills aren't as rare as what Golden can bring.
Ayo will have an instant impact. He's not going to have a Kobe-like usage rate, nor should we want him to in this offense with Trent Frazier next to him, but he's got tools to work with that we haven't seen in awhile here. I'm not sure we've had a first step and crossover like that since Frank Williams. With his length and finishing ability that's going to impact games even if not in a volume scoring sense.
As a focal point there is some development left to go. But he's a guy you'd better not be closing out off-balance on from day 1. Like Mark Alstork, except the exact opposite.
foby
- Bonnaroo Land
And not ALL on this board are high on him.
foby
- Bonnaroo Land
Even when his name is mispronounced as "coffee"?
That was gold.
Ayo's actually bigger and longer than Frank was, but he's not the same kind of electric athlete or showstopping dime-dropper.
Frank is probably my favorite Illini ever, I wouldn't pass out that comp lightly. The closest I've seen among players we've been involved with in recent years is JaQuan Lyle (complete with the hot-and-cold motor and general flakiness, it would appear).
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