Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (May-June 2018)

[IlliniinIowa]

When will this attitude cease? We have the most chicken little fan base in America, and there is at LEAST as much "poor Illinois, this will probably go wrong, too!" attitude as there is homerism here. DEFINITELY more than other boards, including programs that haven't been any better than us.

Guessing you don't understand sarcasm in my final line do you?

 

[3 point girl]

Not true. He won’t have official clarification on reclass from NCAA for quite some time. That won’t stop him from committing.


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Coach Altman from Oregon was all over him at the AAU Nike meet in Dallas.

 

[EJ33]

FYI, Rantoul native Mike Mennenga is Okoro's lead recruiter. We've lost a lot of recruits over the years to guys with ties to Illinois (the state or the school). Makes me wonder if they're better at negative recruiting.

 

[TheGMan]

FYI, Rantoul native Mike Mennenga is Okoro's lead recruiter. We've lost a lot of recruits over the years to guys with ties to Illinois (the state or the school). Makes me wonder if they're better at negative recruiting.

Kind of easy to be good at negative recruiting when Illinois has been pretty bad for several year.

 

[EJ33]

I guess players wanting to leave or stay has to do with how much they value cold winters, and sweeping vistas of corn.

If you care about the weather there are plenty of places with good basketball that are much, much better than Oregon.

 

[drewillini89]

Okoro hasn’t committed anywhere yet.

If he goes elsewhere, Calloo is next.

 

[t7nich]

Not true. He won’t have official clarification on reclass from NCAA for quite some time. That won’t stop him from committing.


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It is true that they weren't going to commit before getting things in order first to make sure they had best chance to reclassify, which right now it looks like they will be in good shape. I didn't say official word from NCAA. We agree on that.

 

[coryfor3]

FYI, Rantoul native Mike Mennenga is Okoro's lead recruiter. We've lost a lot of recruits over the years to guys with ties to Illinois (the state or the school). Makes me wonder if they're better at negative recruiting.

They are better at a lot of things. It doesn't have to be negative recruiting. Geez- everyone on here acts like Oregon has nothing to sell.

 

[tpbradley]

Well, whatever happens, at least there won't be a hat trick nut punch. So there's that.

 

[CoalCity]

Okoro hasn’t committed anywhere yet.

If he goes elsewhere, Calloo is next.

Doubtful. He has motor issues and that's the last thing BU wants or needs is somebody he has to kick in the a$$ to bring it every day.

Why do you think he's visiting schools on his own dime, he cant even get officials.

 

[skyIdub]

You can negative recruit Illinois all you want, in the end, his highly educated guardians know the UI education reputation, plus Ayo in his ear, playing time > Nike, beautiful Oregon, 6,345 uniform combinations, similar system.
But that's just my afternoon .02.

 

[sacraig]

From all reports, Okoro sounds like a bright kid. Anyone know his academic interests?

I believe it was mentioned earlier that he was interested in computer science or some other IT field.

 

[IlliniBrave75]

Jaime Jaquez Jr‏ @jaquez_jr 15m15 minutes ago
I’d like to announce that I am verbally committed to UCLA!

 

[skyIdub]

Haha! Raise your hand if you believe if Okoro wanted to commit to IL and enroll in CS that they would say "sorry, your 32 doesn't cut it". LMAO

 

[wettsten]

I'm just going to bring some honesty here there's no way a scholarship basketball player could succeed in Computer Science at UIUC (spoken as a current engineering student). If he attempted to do IT in the college of business though that would be feasible. By all accounts Okoro is a very smart kid but a 32 doesn't even get you accepted to CS. Just don't want people pulling the department rankings as a recruiting "edge" of other schools

Jack Ingram

Ingram put his electrical engineering degree to work after accepting a job at Delphi in Kokomo, Ind., working on hybrid automobiles.

(emphasis mine)

 

[t7nich]

Jaime Jaquez Jr‏ @jaquez_jr 15m15 minutes ago
I’d like to announce that I am verbally committed to UCLA!

That escalated quickly

 

[IlliniBrave75]

2019 - PF from Lakeville, MN - 6'8" and 205lbs


Brad Sturdy Retweeted
Zeke Nnaji‏ @ZekeNnaji_Hoopz 19h19 hours ago
I thank The Most High for receiving an offer University of Illinois

 

[SublimeBeast]

Then don’t read my posts or don’t believe them. Nothing to prove to you. I can’t give the full rundown on a message board, but I share what I can. Don’t like it move on.

Exactly :thumb:

 

[NeaforThree]

I'm just going to bring some honesty here there's no way a scholarship basketball player could succeed in Computer Science at UIUC (spoken as a current engineering student). If he attempted to do IT in the college of business though that would be feasible. By all accounts Okoro is a very smart kid but a 32 doesn't even get you accepted to CS. Just don't want people pulling the department rankings as a recruiting "edge" of other schools

Jack Ingram begs to differ.

 

[ChazzReinhold]

Brian Johnson
also received an engineering degree.

 

[stuemke5]

Sorry for being vague. there is no visit set up,and I will tell you when there is one and I think he is going to Oregon. There! Got me riled up!!

 

[FC Illiniman]

Then don’t read my posts or don’t believe them. Nothing to prove to you. I can’t give the full rundown on a message board, but I share what I can. Don’t like it move on.

Enjoy your insight all time, when you have any info you enlighten us and thanks. When you have nothing it is also great for your honesty, thanks again.


Okoro made many visits last fall to our campus, 3 that recall . He enjoyed the time and posted. Recently he made visits to OU and PU , said he enjoyed those visits and said they were enjoyable. All 3 staffs made an effort at the AAU tourneys which was nice and the show that needed to be done on all parts.

The one difference at the AAU tourney was an individual from UI squad to be, Trevian Jones. He was in Francis's ear more than any of the coaches. There has been a constant by another individual, Ayo , contact in form of tweets we have saw. My guess , many personal text about things other that basketball between the two, it's what we all do, text people for fun.

I have said before , UI has the least favorable situation to join due to past performance lately. If that is what Okoro is interested in , winning or a school that has been winning lately, either school would have edge , we are sunk. IMO, I don't think he wants that , I may be totally wrong , and this is based on me guessing how he feels. I believe he has always liked UI, took a look at the other 2, was impressed , but enjoys the fact he has guys he sees as his peers, maybe with similar interests, and are damn good young players that want him to join there group. To be one of them. Has this ever been a major factor in where guys decide to commit? Maybe more than one time I will bet.

Crystals balls are guesses by guys that want you to read there VIP blogs, nice when your liked, not so much when your not. And lately those crystal balls have been so clear, they all got it wrong. Not so sure we need Okoro to visit us, he's been here done that. He could pick up phone, talk to anyone he needs to find out anything. For that matter his aunt or uncle probably know the number of that dude at ISU , right down street from there house that could answer any question.

This comes down to does he want to go to a high profile school that has a great chance of being very successful on a great campus or go to a place with a bunch of guys that he is familiar with , closer to some family , with chance of not being very good or groundbreaking team that is making changes that could lead to something special?

Hope that narrows it down , way I see it, what would you do.?

 

[PJD86]

Hey maybe he just had a better feel at Oregon. Is what it is.

On to the next guy, I'd prefer a 5th year and wait until next year than gamble on Calloo. Next year just becomes larger and more of a must is all.

 

[illini80]

Hey maybe he just had a better feel at Oregon. Is what it is.

On to the next guy, I'd prefer a 5th year and wait until next year than gamble on Calloo. Next year just becomes larger and more of a must is all.

I'm not giving up yet, but it sure make the Golden miss sting more if we don't get Okoro. Not sure who could pop up on the radar this late, but rolling 2 schollies doesn't seem like a good plan. I'd almost rather take a flier on someone that could surprise than leave both sitting empty when we have such a huge need. With as many new guys as we have coming in, it almost seems a given that someone will be leaving in a year.

 

[illinibballfan]

Schmidt and Evan both sticking to their predictions. I know people have issues with them, but they often have info that ends up being accurate.