Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (June 2020)

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#176      

sacraig

sacraig
The desert
sacraig
DB11Headband said:
Yep-it’s happening tomorrow. One down, let’s hope number two decides to return! Much longer shot, but still a slight possibility
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If Ayo gets told he likely goes in the first, I hope he does not decide to return. I think that's better for all parties, to be honest. I am confident enough in our upcoming roster that I think we can be successful without Ayo. Don't get me wrong, losing him will hurt and we are better with him than without, but the long term benefits are better if he goes in the first round this year.
 
#177      

Calvin

C
Calvin
sacraig said:
If Ayo gets told he likely goes in the first, I hope he does not decide to return. I think that's better for all parties, to be honest. I am confident enough in our upcoming roster that I think we can be successful without Ayo. Don't get me wrong, losing him will hurt and we are better with him than without, but the long term benefits are better if he goes in the first round this year.
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Agree, but having a guy that everyone KNOWs you want to give him the ball, yet he still kills it....that's a really special thing to have.
Gonna miss how he attacked and drew fouls too --him and Feliz really put us in attack mode.
 
#178      

IllinistuckinGopherland

IllinistuckinGopherland
IllinistuckinGopherland
sacraig said:
If Ayo gets told he likely goes in the first, I hope he does not decide to return. I think that's better for all parties, to be honest. I am confident enough in our upcoming roster that I think we can be successful without Ayo. Don't get me wrong, losing him will hurt and we are better with him than without, but the long term benefits are better if he goes in the first round this year.
Click to expand...

Respectfully disagree. Without Ayo, I think we have the potential to be a Top 25/top-6-seed team. With Ayo, we have the potential to win the Big Ten, be a Top 10 team, and a realistic shot at a final four.

To me, that’s the whole goal. I’ll trade a better chance at future five-stars for a season like that all day, every day.

Also, if we go to the Final Four as a Top Ten team, followed by junior Ayo, sophomore Kofi, and freshman Miller all going to the nba... I don’t think it’s going to work against us in recruiting that it took Ayo three years.

I’ll be happy for him, but Ayo staying is absolutely “what’s best for us”.
 
#179      

Soulberries

Soulberries
University of Illinois
Soulberries
Calvin said:
Agree, but having a guy that everyone KNOWs you want to give him the ball, yet he still kills it....that's a really special thing to have.
Gonna miss how he attacked and drew fouls too --him and Feliz really put us in attack mode.
Click to expand...

Hoping that’s Miller now.
 
#181      

sacraig

sacraig
The desert
sacraig
IllinistuckinGopherland said:
Respectfully disagree. Without Ayo, I think we have the potential to be a Top 25/top-6-seed team. With Ayo, we have the potential to win the Big Ten, be a Top 10 team, and a realistic shot at a final four.

To me, that’s the whole goal. I’ll trade a better chance at future five-stars for a season like that all day, every day.

Also, if we go to the Final Four as a Top Ten team, followed by junior Ayo, sophomore Kofi, and freshman Miller all going to the nba... I don’t think it’s going to work against us in recruiting that it took Ayo three years.

I’ll be happy for him, but Ayo staying is absolutely “what’s best for us”.
Click to expand...

Ayo staying is "what's best for us next season." It's impossible to prove it's "what's best for us" in general (i.e long term). I'd argue him leaving is slightly better long term.

Keep in mind, Ayo was not a consensus 5 star. Most had him at a high 4 star player. That's a compelling narrative for future recruits in the 30 to 60 range. If we can get 2 or 3 of those per recruiting class we will have a lot of success, no 5 star players required.

If Ayo leaving helps improve our chances of the above happening, then I'm willing to trade one Big Ten championship run for a top 25/top 6 seed season plus sustained follow on success.

In short, I think Ayo leaving successfully is slightly advantageous when it helps make top 25/top 6 seed our floor again, even if it hurts us next year.
 
#183      

IlliniwekKDR

IlliniwekKDR
Colorado Springs, CO
IlliniwekKDR
sacraig said:
Ayo staying is "what's best for us next season." It's impossible to prove it's "what's best for us" in general (i.e long term). I'd argue him leaving is slightly better long term.

Keep in mind, Ayo was not a consensus 5 star. Most had him at a high 4 star player. That's a compelling narrative for future recruits in the 30 to 60 range. If we can get 2 or 3 of those per recruiting class we will have a lot of success, no 5 star players required.

If Ayo leaving helps improve our chances of the above happening, then I'm willing to trade one Big Ten championship run for a top 25/top 6 seed season plus sustained follow on success.

In short, I think Ayo leaving successfully is slightly advantageous when it helps make top 25/top 6 seed our floor again, even if it hurts us next year.
Click to expand...

I'm hearing all this and if he were to carve out a role in the NBA, then for sure leaving is a great move for him and us. But with him likely being a 2nd rounder at best, if drafted at all, then it ends up being a lose-lose. We don't get him for next year and he never makes it on the big stage.

Meanwhile, playing for a Big Ten champ/final 4 caliber team would have to be incredible for his draft stock with all the exposure he would gain in big games. Sending someone after 3 years and a deep NCAA run is still going to look good on the program....better actually. Unsurprisingly, I am not an NBA scout, however, so I don't know what they are looking for. With his skill, personality, leadership, and determination, I have been surprised that he hasn't been ranked higher on draft boards.
 
#184      

IllinistuckinGopherland

IllinistuckinGopherland
IllinistuckinGopherland
sacraig said:
Ayo staying is "what's best for us next season." It's impossible to prove it's "what's best for us" in general (i.e long term). I'd argue him leaving is slightly better long term.

Keep in mind, Ayo was not a consensus 5 star. Most had him at a high 4 star player. That's a compelling narrative for future recruits in the 30 to 60 range. If we can get 2 or 3 of those per recruiting class we will have a lot of success, no 5 star players required.

If Ayo leaving helps improve our chances of the above happening, then I'm willing to trade one Big Ten championship run for a top 25/top 6 seed season plus sustained follow on success.

In short, I think Ayo leaving successfully is slightly advantageous when it helps make top 25/top 6 seed our floor again, even if it hurts us next year.
Click to expand...

I understand the perspective. I just think junior Ayo leaving along with one or two other guys after a great season is as good or better than sophomore Ayo leaving after a good year that was cut short. I think the publicity of being a top ten team outweighs the soph vs junior benefit of how early he left.
 
#187      

Illiniboss33

I
Illiniboss33
sacraig said:
If Ayo gets told he likely goes in the first, I hope he does not decide to return. I think that's better for all parties, to be honest. I am confident enough in our upcoming roster that I think we can be successful without Ayo. Don't get me wrong, losing him will hurt and we are better with him than without, but the long term benefits are better if he goes in the first round this year.
Click to expand...
From what I've been told the latest info he is receiving is pick number range between 19 and 27.
 
#189      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
Deleted member 29907
drsmitty74 said:
I guess I don't know how to post a .gif

sorry
giphy.gif
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Insert the link as an image (next to the smiley face icon using the 'link' part of the image box when it opens - cut and paste the link)
 
#192      

Ga65

G
Ga65
Illiniboss33 said:
From what I've been told the latest info he is receiving is pick number range between 19 and 27.
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Believe that would better than his ranking coming out of HS. Would rather see this than him coming back because he is a late 2nd round pick. Want him to have success after helping us to success.
 
#194      

Homecoming 2019

Homecoming 2019
Chicago
Homecoming 2019
IllinistuckinGopherland said:
I understand the perspective. I just think junior Ayo leaving along with one or two other guys after a great season is as good or better than sophomore Ayo leaving after a good year that was cut short. I think the publicity of being a top ten team outweighs the soph vs junior benefit of how early he left.
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I just want Ayo to go pro because I think he deserves it, I'm rooting for our kids to grow at this university and make it to the next level. I'd be bummed for him if he's been told he won't be drafted and has to return.
 
#195      

sacraig

sacraig
The desert
sacraig
IlliniwekKDR said:
I'm hearing all this and if he were to carve out a role in the NBA, then for sure leaving is a great move for him and us. But with him likely being a 2nd rounder at best, if drafted at all, then it ends up being a lose-lose. We don't get him for next year and he never makes it on the big stage.
Click to expand...

The thing is, that doesn't appear to be the case currently. A number of projections lately have had him back in the first round. Of course, this is why I prefaced my original post on the topic with "if he is told he will go in the first round."
 
#198      

jamarvelous31

J
jamarvelous31
IllinistuckinGopherland said:
Respectfully disagree. Without Ayo, I think we have the potential to be a Top 25/top-6-seed team. With Ayo, we have the potential to win the Big Ten, be a Top 10 team, and a realistic shot at a final four.

To me, that’s the whole goal. I’ll trade a better chance at future five-stars for a season like that all day, every day.

Also, if we go to the Final Four as a Top Ten team, followed by junior Ayo, sophomore Kofi, and freshman Miller all going to the nba... I don’t think it’s going to work against us in recruiting that it took Ayo three years.

I’ll be happy for him, but Ayo staying is absolutely “what’s best for us”.
Click to expand...
This. Villanova is proof that developing guys and winning leads to better guys coming to your program...
 
#199      

jamarvelous31

J
jamarvelous31
sacraig said:
The thing is, that doesn't appear to be the case currently. A number of projections lately have had him back in the first round. Of course, this is why I prefaced my original post on the topic with "if he is told he will go in the first round."
Click to expand...
Do you have any examples? I'm curious since I googled and the first 3 mocks I saw didn't have him in the 1st + I'm too lazy to keep digging.
 
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