Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (November-December 2018)

[ILL in IA]

Agreed : Brian Carlwell, Richard Semrau and Shaun Pruitt?

If you told me right now that January would have the same career as Shaun Pruitt, I would take 100% His problems at the charity strips stand out looking back on his career, but I will take the rest of that production as the 5th or 6th best player on the roster. Because if we get back to where we want this program to be, January only needs to be option 5-8.

 

[Obelix]

Hard to speak in absolutes when he has yet to play a minute of college basketball. I’ve said it many times before, but ranking does not automatically mean you are getting a good player especially when it comes to bigs. If you’re looking for examples here are a few: Cheick Diallo, Skal Labissere, Daniel Orton, Marques Bolden, Wally Judge, etc.

Additionally, I think we’re still in a position as a program where we still need multiple good pieces rather than one good player.

The bolded holds true for any player, not only bigs. Yet, there is a correlation with rankings, so the chances are much better to get a good player higher in the rankings.

You last statement is absolutely true, we currently need multiple good pieces, especially in the frontcourt. Consistency is also key, because our major strength (backcourt) will not last forever, so we need to capitalize on our backcourt, complementing them on the frontcourt, soon.

 

[PlayAZ]

Hard to speak in absolutes when he has yet to play a minute of college basketball. I’ve said it many times before, but ranking does not automatically mean you are getting a good player especially when it comes to bigs. If you’re looking for examples here are a few: Cheick Diallo, Skal Labissere, Daniel Orton, Marques Bolden, Wally Judge, etc.

Additionally, I think we’re still in a position as a program where we still need multiple good pieces rather than one good player.

I think this would be an excellent choice for 1 good player. Kayne Henry from UK, at JUCO now (TX), think Jamal Crawford type of player to me. I know I know he is JUCO, but the kid just got over here, very under the radar according to clips/no offers as of yet, but he can play.

He has got some skill, loves to play defense and can score from anywhere.

 

[TownieMatt]

I think this would be an excellent choice for 1 good player. Kayne Henry from the UK, at JUCO now (TX), think Jamal Crawford type of player to me. I know I know he is JUCO, but the kid just got over here, very under the radar according to clips/no offers as of yet, but he can play.

Sorry, had to FTFY. I kept googling trying to figure out when he played at Kentucky.

Love the out-of-left-field scouting reports though.

 

[Emerson Bigguns]

Just curious. I know we all love watching the games. However, is there a part of us that likes the build up of what might be that is even more intriguing than what actually is? Comparing it to baseball, I love the regular season and postseason but the off season is also just as fun. Thoughts?

The off-season is only more fun if you don't expect much from the current team. It is a fan grasping for a reason that things will get better. I doubt Duke fans are obsessing about their 2019 recruitment efforts at the moment. They are having too much fun watching their current team.

 

[Deleted member 29907]

Sorry, had to FTFY. I kept googling trying to figure out when he played at Kentucky.

Love the out-of-left-field scouting reports though.

I get the confusion, his teeth look too good for him to be British

 

[Joel Goodson]

I think this would be an excellent choice for 1 good player. Kayne Henry from UK, at JUCO now (TX), think Jamal Crawford type of player to me. I know I know he is JUCO, but the kid just got over here, very under the radar according to clips/no offers as of yet, but he can play.

He has got some skill, loves to play defense and can score from anywhere.

Good call. Guys like that are how Team Scrounge can flourish, given our Plan A whiffs.

 

[Rap73]

Has January visited ILL before? This would be quite an efficient recruitment by our staff.

Good call. Guys like that are how Team Scrounge can flourish, given our Plan A whiffs.

With the last few years of total decline of the program how can anyone expect to get top players? I am one of the few people on this forum who believes in coach Underwood. Why don't you so called fans give him a chance? Most of the people on here would have asked for callipari to quit after Duke thrashed them. Give the coach and these kids a chance.

 

[alexander58]

The off-season is only more fun if you don't expect much from the current team. It is a fan grasping for a reason that things will get better. I doubt Duke fans are obsessing about their 2019 recruitment efforts at the moment. They are having too much fun watching their current team.

Those poor Duke fans are in for a year of high anxiety, wondering if the game will be over 10 minutes in.

 

[Johnny Lawrence]

Just curious. I know we all love watching the games. However, is there a part of us that likes the build up of what might be that is even more intriguing than what actually is? Comparing it to baseball, I love the regular season and postseason but the off season is also just as fun. Thoughts?

As other's have pointed out it's mostly because the of the product on the floor but this is definitely how I view the NBA. I love following the storylines almost daily year-round but have yet to watch one second (turned on Bulls/Warriors and saw it was a 45 point game before halftime and turned it off before play resumed) of a game this year.

 

[mattcoldagelli]

Just curious. I know we all love watching the games. However, is there a part of us that likes the build up of what might be that is even more intriguing than what actually is? Comparing it to baseball, I love the regular season and postseason but the off season is also just as fun. Thoughts?

Is this a joke? The only thing worse than grinding through our recent "maybe we'll be on the bubble" seasons is the steady procession of transfers and recruiting whiffs that constitute the offseason.

 

[Joel Goodson]

With the last few years of total decline of the program how can anyone expect to get top players? I am one of the few people on this forum who believes in coach Underwood. Why don't you so called fans give him a chance? Most of the people on here would have asked for callipari to quit after Duke thrashed them. Give the coach and these kids a chance.

Joke, right? FWIW, I'm staunchly in Underwood's corner. He's an excellent coach and I believe he's going to get it done here. That said, our Plan A recruiting has been a long series of whiffs.* It is what it is.

* save one

 

[Deleted member 746094]

With the last few years of total decline of the program how can anyone expect to get top players? I am one of the few people on this forum who believes in coach Underwood. Why don't you so called fans give him a chance? Most of the people on here would have asked for callipari to quit after Duke thrashed them. Give the coach and these kids a chance.

Not so sure about the “one of the few” statement. There are a lot of people on this board that believe BU will turn this program around and support him in his efforts. Me included.

 

[SublimeBeast]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1063110830621949953

 

[ILL in IA]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1063110830621949953

That is the first time I have seen a list put out by a kid, and the response not dominated by Illinois fans giving the kid love for it.

 

[Deleted member 649710]

Does anyone know whether January signed a LOI? If not, why not?

 

[illini0440]

Does anyone know whether January signed a LOI? If not, why not?

He has not signed. They are trying to get him signed this week but word is he may wait until after he visits.

 

[Rap73]

Not so sure about the “one of the few” statement. There are a lot of people on this board that believe BU will turn this program around and support him in his efforts. Me included.

Why don't we all be honest. H ow many on here would take Illinois over the schools we have lost recruits to, if you were not Illini fans.

 

[ChiefIllini]

Why don't we all be honest. H ow many on here would take Illinois over the schools we have lost recruits to, if you were not Illini fans.

Lucky for us, recruiting isn't cut and dry like this. Everyone has their own opinions and different ways for coaches to sway them. We have plenty to offer, but the surface appeal is severely lacking, if you ask me. Sadly, since we can't relocate Champaign to Southern California, or become the top public university (though we almost are always a top 50 college, sometimes even top 25), we have to win basketball games and send guys to the next level consistently to really pique some guys interests.

 

[Illiniwek33]

Not so sure about the “one of the few” statement. There are a lot of people on this board that believe BU will turn this program around and support him in his efforts. Me included.

I definitely think this year's team may be more fun to watch than any Illini team going back several years. They have some talent and athletic ability and I think I see some pretty good character that should make them fun to cheer for and follow. The only Plan A guy on the roster is Ayo I think, but I think the cast around him can become a pretty good team by the end of the season.

Thinking back to our last National Championship contender team (2005), how many of those guys were Plan A guys? Roger, Luther, Augie were not 1st choice recruits. Dee Brown was definitely a Plan A guy and Deron may have fit into that category, but remember that we were not even Deron's Plan A school. We kind of picked him up by default. Kenny Battle wasn't a Plan A guy for Illinois. Neither was Kendall Gill. Nick Anderson and Lowell Hamilton were. Marcus Liberty was a Plan A guy. Dion Thomas, Richard Keene and the Manual trio were Plan A guys. Corey Bradford, Lucas Johnson, Damir Krupalija, not Plan A guys.

Point is, it has been a long, long, long time since Illinois could go out and pick up more than 1 Plan A guy in a given recruiting class. Illinois has had the most success with a couple of Plan A guys in different classes and bunch of lunch pail guys around them. I am perfectly fine with that. I think Illinois needs a guy like Underwood that will reward hard working, unselfish, team first guys and promote a culture that embodies those characteristics and play with high basketball IQ. Every now and then we will get a Plan A guy and maybe a Plan B guy or two and some Plan C guys like Roger, Luther and Augie. That is our formula for winning at Illinois.

 

[Rap73]

I agree with chief Illini and illiniwek totally, I just want people to give coach Underwood and the present players a chance to regain the former glory of the Illini without being constantly downgraded on this forum.

 

[bert1991]

That is the first time I have seen a list put out by a kid, and the response not dominated by Illinois fans giving the kid love for it.

Agree - and I'm not quite sure why people are not more on board with Payton. He's got some serious skills and length. I was impressed with his game against Okoro. Yeah, he doesn't quite have the athleticim as Okoro, but he showed some nifty offensive moves in tight against one of the premier defenders coming out of that class.

 

[IllFanInMi]

I’ve sa

I agree with chief Illini and illiniwek totally, I just want people to give coach Underwood and the present players a chance to regain the former glory of the Illini without being constantly downgraded on this forum.

I have said this before, don’t confuse people’s frustration on BU having a strike out percentage even Reggie Jackson would be ashamed of, and believing he is a good coach who can get the Illini back.

 

[Emerson Bigguns]

"Dee Brown was definitely a Plan A guy and Deron may have fit into that category, but remember that we were not even Deron's Plan A school."

I don't think Self would have even seen Deron Williams if he hadn't been on the same team as Bracey Wright. Deron wasn't even Plan A on that recruiting trip!

 

[skyIdub]

If Giorgi and Feliz are any kind of indication of this staff's ability to see ability and talent within this system, I'm 100% on board and really excited for next year.
Imagine Kipper with Ayo, Trent, Giorgi or Feliz's motor.
Imagine Kane taking the same strides as Giorgi in 2-3 months.
Imagine January next November.
Imagine a rotation at the 5 that allows Giorgi to move to the 4 and go big or small.
Imagine Ayo, Feliz, and Monte after a year of games and practice.
Imagine.