Kofi will need to be remade for the Big Ten level. Illini's most immediate needs are a power forward that can start and shooting wing. I think Georgy B will remain as our low post scorer while Kofi develops.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2019)
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Shooting .403 from three for the season. Lofty goal for anyone but would love to see Alan come close.
sacraig
- The desert
Rich McBride was a 4-star recruit ranked #31 in his class.
SampsonRelpenk
- Edwardsville, IL
0.1 seconds away from being 84.
I
If Giorgi remains the starter with Kofi the backup, then we need both a starter and a backup at PF. If we get Holyfield still need Antwan or Samba to step up.
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This site really needs a dislike/thumbs down button. Such a defining moment that I’d rather not recall so vividly. Ugh!0.1 seconds away from being 84.
Reminds me of another great 3 point shooter, Cory Bradford who had 85 and 96 made three pointers in his Feshman and Sophomore years and made a 3 pointer in every game both seasons. His record 88 consecutive games with a made 3 ended his junior year. Would love to find another guy like him. As you say, pretty lofty goal to hit 40%. I’m not sure if Griffin can get there but I do think he can be very good and his shooting form is quite sound.
I know it's too easy to attach significance to these moments in hindsight, but doesn't it seem as though everything has gone downhill from that point? If that shot counts we are Big 10 champs again, for the 5th time in 6 years, with a somewhat similar situation in 2003 keeping it from being 6 in 6. Kind of crazy how far this program has fallen0.1 seconds away from being 84.
I wouldn't count on any player being remade --if that were an option, I'm not sure we'd be so interested in recruiting. Kofi's a traditional post scorer, and defensive presence in the paint. His physicality is rare. He's built for power, and has potential to be a mismatch on the interior. In his own words, he's a old school center. Folks projecting him as playing a modern (stretch) 4/5 are IMO, out of their minds. If he's ready, I can see him allowing Giorgi to be a cutter, but Kofi playing anything but center? I'll believe it when I see it. Btw, ideally our center can take that 10 foot jump shot near the FT line if he's open. Kofi is said to be able to hit that shot, so I think he's capable of being an excellent center in Underwood's system.
One of my favorite highlight tape plays of his, he's just inside the FT line, about to shoot the mid-range, but instead passes it inside to a guy left wide open. Honestly, I don't see many BIG teams making that mistake, but if he's able to make that pass at some point in his development, I will be ecstatic! When you have BIGs that recognize when to make the extra pass (think how many times we were burned by Bo Ryan's bigs), you get noticeably more efficient.
kofi is HUGE low post scorer
0.1 seconds away from being 84.
Sadly replays showed our clock guy screwed up on the ball that was knocked away from I believe Jamar Smith. They ran off an extra 1-1.5 seconds. That shot should've counted and we should've been co-champs, which also might have given us a 3 seed instead of the 4 we got. Sad...
At least I learned last night that his name is not pronounced coffee!
I remember McBride being pretty one dimensional. I don't remember him trying to get to the rim much. He had the physique right from the start, kind of like Mitch Richmond. I believe he had plantar fasciitis, which really affected his career?
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Yes, injuries really hobbled McBride. Namely, his feet. Don't remember if it was plantar fasciitis. But whatever it was, it reduced his athleticism dramatically. Damn shame.
sacraig
- The desert
It really amazes me how quickly this board starts to downplay the ability of 5-star recruits we have actually managed to land. Okay, okay, fine, he has moved back into 4-star range, but he is still a top-50 recruit, and somehow he isn't very good in some of our minds.
Amazing.
Need I remind everyone that Giorgi is an exception, not the rule. Kofi is a much surer thing than Giorgi ever was, even if he will need a little adjustment to the college game. Shoot, other than one-and-done types, who doesn't need some adjustment as a freshman?
Amazing.
Need I remind everyone that Giorgi is an exception, not the rule. Kofi is a much surer thing than Giorgi ever was, even if he will need a little adjustment to the college game. Shoot, other than one-and-done types, who doesn't need some adjustment as a freshman?
I think there are a few posters who may be a little overly critical of Kofi. But IMO a lot of us are realistically cautious that Kofi isn't going to come in and dominate. I think it's more than fair to temper our expectations for ANY big outside of the top 10. Historically post players take time to develop (usually strength, defense, and more than 1 go to post move). Within a few minutes of watching Kofi you can tell strength isn't a concern but that can be replaced with conditioning and the reality that defense will also likely be an issue. It is fact that Kofi doesn't currently have great conditioning and is a bit slow footed. Those are things that will take him time and without them will limit his ability to "dominate" in the Big Ten. However, with of all of that said, I supremely confident he will help our team next year and will be a major player in our rotation (and hopefully help us get over the hump to be a tourney team again).
I'd probably say my realistic expectation for Kofi next year would be 8 and 6 with the obvious influence defensively in the paint (mostly because he is HUGE). IMO, if we get that or anything more, that would be amazing.
If the one and done types didn't need adjustment Kentucky or Duke would be National champs every year. Rating are predictions and I bet there are a great amount of 4 stars that don't work out also. They are an indicator but nothing is absolute either way. Kofi will be valuable but to what extent is yet unknown.
sacraig
- The desert
Certainly, but we've had a lot of people coming on here pretty much resigned to the idea that Kofi is going to be nearly a non-factor next year because he's lazy or out of shape or slow or whatever other reasons they've concocted recently that I've forgotten, and that seems pretty ludicrous to me. Will he go out and put up a double double every night? Unlikely. Will he get into foul trouble? Probably, as do most freshman bigs.
That said, he still has a lot of potential to change the way we are able to play just in terms of depth and size down low. It may not be there for game 1 or game 10, but the idea that we are resigned that this top-50 kid is going to take several years to be productive is just silly. He doesn't have to be all Big Ten as a freshman to make a major impact on our team.
Sure, but usually with those one-and-dones, the adjustment is much more mental than physical. Most have never had to deal with adversity on the court because they are so much better than their competition. They have NBA-ready bodies and skillsets. Those who aren't one-and-dones more often needs the mental and physical adjustment.
It has now been 10 years since we had above .500 record in Big 10 play. and we are talking about our ONLY one solid recruit for next year. SMH
I am definitely expecting Kofi to have a decent impact next year. Kind of Daniel Oturu did at Minnesota this year. He was a top 50 big and averaged 10 and 7 this year.
Watching Oak hill now and you would think that with the highest rated point guard in the class and a top ten sophomore in Cam, they would know how to feed the post! They don't even look to utilize the big man. But the big man needs to fight for position and demand the ball too! A preseason with Fletch and Antigua and Kofi will be a monster!
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