Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (May-June 2018)

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#803      
If we add a fifth year and Braun.

C. 5th year, Ebo, Kane, Giorgi
F. Nichols, Jones, Braun
G. Ayo, Jordan
G. Frazier, Griffin
G. Feliz, Williams

We may not know about a fifth year until June after names have been pulled out of the draft. Strong guard corps. Need consistency from Nichols. Need a surprise out of the fives.

I don't think the 5 will be a problem between Ebo and Kane. The problem is a backup to Kipper. Like to play Jones with Kipper which leaves Giorgi and possibly Braun. If one of these guys comes thru I believe we be considerably better than last year. If we are forced to go small there it will result in foul problems for the 5.
 
#804      
This season, sniffing the NIT and beating Chaminade in Maui should get him votes for National Coach of The Year.

If that's the reasonable expectation for the roster-to-results conversion (which I disagree with, FWIW) then the scholarships-to-roster conversion should be hot seat worthy.

Being garbage is not okay.

(Sidebar: Chaminade isn't actually playing in Maui this year. It's 8 mainland teams. Not sure if that's permanent, but that's the situation for this one.)
 
#806      

It seems almost taboo to ever point this out, but we really don't have as many blind optimists as most fan bases. Our fans are tired, defeated and generally bitter. Sure, we get excited when there is the potential for good news (takes a true sad sack to not, no?), but there is certainly a cautiousness that is somewhat unique to our fan base. The stunning overconfidence Wake Forest had in getting Ayo vs. our tepid desire to believe positive "insiders" is a good example. Every fan base has its homers, and many fans' natural inclinations are to be optimistic, but to act like this site doesn't have a very healthy population of pessimists is unrealistic, IMO.
 
#809      
It seems almost taboo to ever point this out, but we really don't have as many blind optimists as most fan bases. Our fans are tired, defeated and generally bitter. Sure, we get excited when there is the potential for good news (takes a true sad sack to not, no?), but there is certainly a cautiousness that is somewhat unique to our fan base. The stunning overconfidence Wake Forest had in getting Ayo vs. our tepid desire to believe positive "insiders" is a good example. Every fan base has its homers, and many fans' natural inclinations are to be optimistic, but to act like this site doesn't have a very healthy population of pessimists is unrealistic, IMO.

I have been following message boards and fan bases for a long time and there is nothing unique about our fanbase compared to other passionate fan bases in other schools. Wake's behavior/reaction to Ayo is absolutely no different than reaction to DJax, CLiff and others looking from the other side. Probably milder.

More importantly, there is no way our fan base would be characterized by "unique cautiousness." :)
 
#810      

t7nich

Central IL
Wouldn’t be surprised at all if we had a commitment by the end of the day.

I heard he wants to take another visit, to Arizona maybe? You hearing otherwise, or just wishful thinking?
 
#811      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
*pokes head in door*

Anyone for trading Ayo for Castleton or Conditt yet?

*runs away*

lulz! With nuggets like that, best not to remind folks that it was your idea.

I like Kane better than Conditt, for sure, and probably Castleton too, FWLIW.
 
#812      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
Foul!!! Sorry, force of habit.

Ha! :thumb:

There is no way....absolutely no way....that our defense at the rim is worse than last year.

So, already our defense has improved with a one year better Spicy G, an underrated 7 foot C, and a motivated Kipper. Now replacing Blacks O will be the challenge, but maybe it's offset with better D in the paint? :noidea:
 
#813      

Deleted member 649710

D
Guest
We didn't want a consensus 4-star big from a H.S. sixty miles from Champaign anyway. :tsk:

A 5th year big who can play decent interior defense, board and give us 30 minutes a night without fouling out would be HUGE. Any offense he could provide would be gravy. Does this unicorn exist?
 
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#814      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
We didn't want a consensus 4-star big from a H.S. sixty miles from Champaign anyway. :tsk:

I get that Illicago is a hotbed and we need home state talent to stay, but the hand wringing over kids going elsewhere is nonsense. I love that BU is taking recruiting on the road.:illinois:

Duke roster: zero NC kids

http://www.goduke.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&SPID=1845&SPSID=22727

Kentucky: 1 KY kid

https://ukathletics.com/roster.aspx?roster=103&path=mbball


KU: 2 KS kids

https://kuathletics.com/roster.aspx?roster=299&path=mbball
 
#816      
I get that Illicago is a hotbed and we need home state talent to stay, but the hand wringing over kids going elsewhere is nonsense. I love that BU is taking recruiting on the road.:illinois:

The "lockdown the border" argument is overplayed and overstated. Obviously it's "easier" to convince kids who grew up watching Illinois to come here, but recruiting has changed immensely since this was important. Its easier to reach and convince kids from Cali/Texas/NY to travel thousands of miles to play basketball. Obviously winning helps a lot, but losing out on top talent in the state isn't a big deal, especially when they choose schools with more recent success and clearer futures.
 
#818      

mhuml32

Cincinnati, OH
I get that Illicago is a hotbed and we need home state talent to stay, but the hand wringing over kids going elsewhere is nonsense. I love that BU is taking recruiting on the road.:illinois:

Duke roster: zero NC kids

http://www.goduke.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&SPID=1845&SPSID=22727

Kentucky: 1 KY kid

https://ukathletics.com/roster.aspx?roster=103&path=mbball


KU: 2 KS kids

https://kuathletics.com/roster.aspx?roster=299&path=mbball


Even though these schools are so successful that they can easily recruit nationally, let's compare their their home states' ability to produce talent that could be on each team's roster (247 recruits ranked from 2014-2017).


From the combined states of North Carolina, Kentucky, and Kansas:
4 - 5* Recruits
14 - 4* Recruits

From Illinois:
4 - 5* Recruits
17 - 4* Recruits


The State of Illinois is a more valuable property to protect/enforce compared to any of those states (even combined).
 
#819      
I get that Illicago is a hotbed and we need home state talent to stay, but the hand wringing over kids going elsewhere is nonsense. I love that BU is taking recruiting on the road.:illinois:

Duke roster: zero NC kids

http://www.goduke.com/SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&SPID=1845&SPSID=22727

Kentucky: 1 KY kid

https://ukathletics.com/roster.aspx?roster=103&path=mbball


KU: 2 KS kids

https://kuathletics.com/roster.aspx?roster=299&path=mbball

These are all national programs, the true blue bloods, so they always be able to recruit nationally, including all the 5* kids from Illinois. State loyalty means little today, but even that little is more than the ability to recruit the top 5* recruits from other states, evident from the fact that the vast majority of our McD AAs, for example, have always been from Illinois.
 
#820      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
These are all national programs, the true blue bloods, so they always be able to recruit nationally, including all the 5* kids from Illinois. State loyalty means little today, but even that little is more than the ability to recruit the top 5* recruits from other states, evident from the fact that the vast majority of our McD AAs, for example, have always been from Illinois.

What's a "national program" by your definition? P5? Or just blue bloods?
I would wager the majority of large P5 schools have rosters that span the nation. I was simply making the point that there is zero chance that we keep the best of our home grown talent in state. Even in our very best stretches we couldn't. Which makes Ayo's commitment so huge. UNC is as attractive a state flagship school as you can find and they have five or six home state kids.

The hand wringing over keeping in state talent here is just over done IMHO. That's all I meant.:illinois:
 
#821      
What's a "national program" by your definition? P5? Or just blue bloods?
I would wager the majority of large P5 schools have rosters that span the nation. I was simply making the point that there is zero chance that we keep the best of our home grown talent in state. Even in our very best stretches we couldn't. Which makes Ayo's commitment so huge. UNC is as attractive a state flagship school as you can find and they have five or six home state kids.

The hand wringing over keeping in state talent here is just over done IMHO. That's all I meant.:illinois:

The programs you mentioned are all true blue bloods, programs that recruit top 5* recruits regularly and nationally with much success. Not all P5 programs are in that category, Illinois is certainly not.

As my post states, State loyalty means little today, but even that little is more than the ability to recruit the top 5* recruits from other states.

The reason that UNC, Duke, UK, KU, etc. have do not have many in state recruits is not that they are not attractive to them, rather that they do not necessarily recruit them and opt for higher rated recruits from other states. Illinois will not be able to do that consistently, definitely not in our current state, but even if we win, you need to do that for many many years and do it consistently.

The vast majority of our top recruits (e.g., McD AAs) have always come from Illinois and that is unlikely to chance. In the current recruitment of bigs (even high 4*'s), it definitely counts in the recruitment of Okoro, Liddell etc. that UI is the state school. It does matter. If you miss on those, it is highly unlikely that we end up with someone higher ranked in that position from out of state. Statistically, the odds are not in our favor with highly ranked prospects.
 
#824      
Soooooo. How's the visit going? Anyone see Braun out and about campus, or has everyone gone home?

Braun still on campus for his visit. Could see a commitment soon - Samba, Giorgi, and Andres all committed at the end of their visits.
 
#825      
Braun still on campus for his visit. Could see a commitment soon - Samba, Giorgi, and Andres all committed at the end of their visits.
When was the last time that a recruit committed on an unofficial visit?
 
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