Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (May-June 2018)

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#452      
Mark Tupper said that Staff believe Kane is much better than people think. He expects big things from Kane. He reminds Underwood of Thon Maker of the Bucks.

Keeping expectations in check, but he seems pretty skilled for a 7 footer. If he can shoot we might be in for a pleasant surprise.
 
#453      
Keeping expectations in check, but he seems pretty skilled for a 7 footer. If he can shoot we might be in for a pleasant surprise.

There’s a possible future in my brain where Samba and Ebo make for a pretty strong presence at the 5 for us. Both have high-end athleticism for their height. Both have more offensive game than they’ve shown to date. I’m reaching but it’s possible.
 
#454      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
If Kane ends up as athletic and talented as Thon Maker....we'll all be like...."Francis Who?"
 
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#455      
Kane, Ebo, and Griffin all have monster upsides. Ayo and Tevian are already monsters. We’re sitting really pretty right now. Okoro or not. We’ve also done awesome ground work already for 2019 and 2020 classes. Rome was not built in a day.
 
#456      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
Slow down there.

Cheers-

No.

tenor.gif
 
#458      
There’s a possible future in my brain where Samba and Ebo make for a pretty strong presence at the 5 for us. Both have high-end athleticism for their height. Both have more offensive game than they’ve shown to date. I’m reaching but it’s possible.

We can afford to have those guys be below average offensively if they can contribute on the defensive end. I'm certain that we can be average to above average with the other 4 positions as early as next year if we have some improved chemistry. Also need a couple of guys to be consistent go-to players. As much as I was pessimistic about Okoro, I think our future is bright.
 
#461      

Why is it so difficult for people to understand that just because someone compares a player to an NBA player, it doesn't mean they are saying that person is as good. It's just a comparison of playing style. :frustrated:
 
#463      

sacraig

The desert
Why is it so difficult for people to understand that just because someone compares a player to an NBA player, it doesn't mean they are saying that person is as good. It's just a comparison of playing style. :frustrated:

I don't know, but even if people didn't make that mistake, I still wish we spent last time making NBA comparisons.
 
#464      

Tevo

Wilmette, IL
Mark Tupper said that Staff believe Kane is much better than people think. He expects big things from Kane. He reminds Underwood of Thon Maker of the Bucks.

As long as he doesn't mention Jason Kidd. Just leave Kidd's name out your mouth, Underwood!
 
#467      
Why is it so difficult for people to understand that just because someone compares a player to an NBA player, it doesn't mean they are saying that person is as good. It's just a comparison of playing style. :frustrated:

Ridiculous. First Kane is a fairly athletic big man who runs the floor well an does pretty much all his damage within 8 feet of the rim, while Thon Maker is an uber athletic freak with a 3pt shot. Second it's pointless to throw out NBA comparisons without actually comparing the part of the game you think is similar. Its very hard to project how a player will handle the jump up in competition and its effect on playing style. Making ludicrous comparisons to top NBA players without qualifiers only serves to inflate expectations.

With that being said I hope he does end up playing like Thon:D
 
#469      
Remember when coach said Mark Smith reminded him of Jason Kidd. Yikes. Makes me pump the breaks a bit on talent evaluation.


Just bringing this up, but Illini have got to hit on some underrated kids to get this thing moving. You can't go from 0-100. There has got to be incremental steps. That's what this staff thinks they are getting. I will tell you one thing, it is better than finishing brides maid in EVERY. SINGLE. RECRUITMENT. ( I realize we did with golden and FO)


If there was an award for 2nd place in recruiting, Groce would be a goldenaire...or silvernaire...something like that. I don't know.
 
#470      
I agree we need to pump the breaks on player expectations, but to draw the conclusion that Underwoods comments should cause us pause in his evaluation of talent is a bit much. If I were to say someones painting reminds me of Picasso, you wouldn't be expecting him to be as good as Picasso, just that his style is similar. Or someone tells you to go check out a band because they sound like the Beatles. You wouldn't be expecting the same quality of talent in song writing. We are attributing more to Underwoods comments than is there.
 
#471      
There’s a possible future in my brain where Samba and Ebo make for a pretty strong presence at the 5 for us. Both have high-end athleticism for their height. Both have more offensive game than they’ve shown to date. I’m reaching but it’s possible.

Envision both of them on the floor at the same time. That's the kind of Kool-Aid I'm talkin' about!
 
#473      
There’s a possible future in my brain where Samba and Ebo make for a pretty strong presence at the 5 for us. Both have high-end athleticism for their height. Both have more offensive game than they’ve shown to date. I’m reaching but it’s possible.

Ebo did well rolling to the hoop and dunking or laying the ball in. He also had success on put backs. Outside of that I dont recall him attempting shots at all. So he must be putting in a lot of work to be a threat away from the basket. I hope your right in your thoughts but that Kool Aid is hard for me to swallow. If he were a good free throw shooter maybe I'd have more optimism.
 
#474      
I agree we need to pump the breaks on player expectations, but to draw the conclusion that Underwoods comments should cause us pause in his evaluation of talent is a bit much.

Fans will never put the breaks on talent evaluations.

Underwood is very good at coach-speak. When he talks about a player's potential or vision for that player, it's fine as long as you realize that's what he's doing. I don't think he's suggesting that player will get to his potential, or even that his potential is as high as the guy he's talking about. He's just saying saying a player will do well to aspire to play more like a particular player, or should model his game that way. People take these comparison's way too far.

Our team next year will be young, and especially thin in the paint. They may have decent ceiling, but it's not going to be realized next season. Keep in mind that this is what you've lost (scholarship players):

Smith
Black
Finke
Lucas
Matic
Alstork

This is what you're keeping:
Nichols
Frazier
AJ
DMW
Spicey

And if you go by 247 composite, you have ONE top-100 player coming in (Ayo). Tevian is next best at 114.

I really believe we'll be incrementally better, but Black was a big loss, and we're relying on some undeveloped bigs. Gonna be a rough season IMHO.
 
#475      

sacraig

The desert
Remember when coach said Mark Smith reminded him of Jason Kidd. Yikes. Makes me pump the breaks a bit on talent evaluation.

Just because BU said he sees some Jason Kidd in there doesn't mean he though he was currently as good as Jason Kidd. Also, just because Smith had a lackluster freshman year doesn't mean he won't grow into an outstanding player. You do need to pump the brakes, but about your own evaluation of Underwood's statements rather than of his recruiting.
 
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