Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (November-December 2018)

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#153      

Deleted member 236589

D
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The fall recruiting issues for Underwood just blows my mind. On one hand, you're not going to get every kid you want to commit. If you're not missing on some, you're recruiting the wrong guys. That said, outside of Ayo, to literally miss on all of your fall targets for two straight years is a problem. It is noted that this particular fall is not over. There's still time, but it seems aren't really trending in Illinois' direction. The question is, why? Is BU a terrible program promoter? Can he not sell his vision of success to these kids/parents?

He has a lot to work with. Immediate playing time, playing in an elite conference, playing a top notch schedule, TV exposure.... The only thing missing is the team success, but every coach taking over for a fired coach due to a lack of team results deals with this. This isn't brand new to the industry. It's part of the job description.

Given what we've seen, I have to believe it's a personality/coaching style issue with this generation of kids. If you look at what's happened, he's had a mass Exodus of not only the prior coaches players(expected), buy more concerning....he's lost his own after a year.
 
#154      
Given what we've seen, I have to believe it's a personality/coaching style issue with this generation of kids. If you look at what's happened, he's had a mass Exodus of not only the prior coaches players(expected), buy more concerning....he's lost his own after a year.

I would prefer to think that is not true, but certainly an argument that has to be considered.
 
#156      

sacraig

The desert
Given what we've seen, I have to believe it's a personality/coaching style issue with this generation of kids.

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#157      
Elite 14: Five-star Drew Timme goes in depth about his recruitment

EB: "Moving on to Illinois, Brad Underwood was the first major college coach to offer you while he was at Oklahoma State. How important is that in the grand scheme of things and how was your visit there?"

DT: "It's not necessarily important, but the relationship we have is important if that makes sense. Just because we've been in contact three or four years now, it's crazy to think how fast this has all gone by. It was a great visit. I love his offense and I'm a huge fan of it, especially at Oklahoma State. Illinois is a better basketball school they have more access to be better. They are doing big things over there and I really like the guard play they have. It's huge."

https://basketballrecruiting.rivals...rew-timme-goes-in-depth-about-his-recruitment
 
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#158      
What's working against him? Program is currently in the bottom half of the conference (to put it nicely), below average practice facilities, the TV exposure is below average, subpar track record of getting players to the league compared to other teams we're recruiting against, higher than average admission requirements.

TV exposure and coverage is a direct consequence of very low expectations, especially after a very bad year last year. It is not that networks have anything against Illinois in particular, but when expectations are that you will finish towards the bottom of the conference, you will not get the exposure even if you end up doing much better.

We just finished the biggest renovation in our basketball history, a huge multi-million dollar project to renovate Assembly Hall (SFC), a project which everyone thought it would have a very positive influence on recruiting. It has had zero influence so far.

Location of the school has not changed from where it has always been, we definitely did not move locations from the time we were doing great (1999-2006), even with a very aging Assembly Hall.

Illinois basketball still has tremendous potential. If a coach does not believe it, he should not be applying for the job. If some fans do not believe it, it certainly will not help in their satisfaction of following Illini basketball long term.
 
#159      

Illwinsagain

Cary, IL
Elite 14: Five-star Drew Timme goes in depth about his recruitment

EB: "Moving on to Illinois, Brad Underwood was the first major college coach to offer you while he was at Oklahoma State. How important is that in the grand scheme of things and how was your visit there?"

DT: "It's not necessarily important, but the relationship we have is important if that makes sense. Just because we've been in contact three or four years now, it's crazy to think how fast this has all gone by. It was a great visit. I love his offense and I'm a huge fan of it, especially at Oklahoma State. Illinois is a better basketball school they have more access to be better. They are doing big things over there and I really like the guard play they have. It's huge."

https://basketballrecruiting.rivals...rew-timme-goes-in-depth-about-his-recruitment
He seems like a really good, respectful kid. Of course, if he doesn't commit to the Illini, you can forget this comment. ;)
 
#160      

jmilt7

Waukegan
Just a quick (or not) recap of Illinois 2019 scholarship offers. Out of 56 offers, there are 18 remaining. Out of the 18 the following are whom Illinois is still in on, though most are unlikely, which, of course is my opinion although based on the very subjective opinions of this board and the various CBs etc.:

Drew Timme C

Chris Payton SF

Marquis Walker PG One CB to Illinois. Offer list isn’t too impressive, DePaul and Illinois Chicago, and Southern U are the other three.

Antwan January??? C Most recent addition. He already cut his list down to nine teams before the Illinois offer (Illinois, obviously not being one of them) Florida State, Nevada, Boise State, New Mexico, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Washington State

Kofi Cockburn C - taking an OV in the near future. Probably going to UConn but Syracuse is still a possibility

Terrance Shannon???

Jason Jitoboh???

Tre Mitchell???

As many of you already know, Mitchell and Jitoboh had OVs scheduled which were subsequently cancelled. I assume that means they are not coming to Illinois but I don’t know if I can “officially” exclude them yet.

Out of the 18 the following are whom we have little to no hope of landing generally because we have been crossed off their lists or had little hope of getting anyway:

James Wiseman 7’ PF Ranked number one player and number one center. So probably no way he is coming to Illinois. Seems to be between Memphis and Kentucky with most CBs giving the edge to Memphis

Zeke Nnaji PF Cuts list to Arizona, Baylor, UCLA, Kansas, Purdue. The only good news for Illinois is that he eliminated Minnesota (he’s from Hopkins, MN)

Isaiah Stewart Ranked 5 (247Sports) Trimmed his list to six schools in August — Duke, Villanova, Syracuse, Michigan St., Indiana, and Washington.

Jahmius Ramsey Final 10 Miami, LSU, Virginia Tech, Oregon, Indiana, Florida, Louisville, Memphis, NC State and Texas Tech. Has said he will not make a decision until spring.

Trendon Watford PF top 8 schools Memphis, Alabama, Florida State, Indiana, Kansas, LSU, TCU and Vanderbilt

Damion Baugh PG Trimmed his list to 10 which include Texas, LSU, Houston, Auburn, TCU, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Miami, Western Kentucky, and Florida.

Keion Brooks SF Cuts list to 10, Illinois is not on the list. CBs seem to be trending to Indiana

Lester Quinones SG Evan Daniels and Jerry Meyer (and some other CBs) have him going to LSU.

Nobal Days PF Ranked 320 (247Sports) CBs to Cornell and Marquette. At least 9 offers. Some interest to Wisconsin

Niven Glover Ranked 251 (247Sports). Not much info. No visits, no CBs, no coach visits that I could find.
 
#162      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
Just a quick (or not) recap of Illinois 2019 scholarship offers. Out of 56 offers, there are 18 remaining. Out of the 18 the following are whom Illinois is still in on, though most are unlikely, which, of course is my opinion although based on the very subjective opinions of this board and the various CBs etc.:

Drew Timme C

Chris Payton SF

Marquis Walker PG One CB to Illinois. Offer list isn’t too impressive, DePaul and Illinois Chicago, and Southern U are the other three.

Antwan January??? C Most recent addition. He already cut his list down to nine teams before the Illinois offer (Illinois, obviously not being one of them) Florida State, Nevada, Boise State, New Mexico, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Washington State

Kofi Cockburn C - taking an OV in the near future. Probably going to UConn but Syracuse is still a possibility

Terrance Shannon???

Jason Jitoboh???

Tre Mitchell???

As many of you already know, Mitchell and Jitoboh had OVs scheduled which were subsequently cancelled. I assume that means they are not coming to Illinois but I don’t know if I can “officially” exclude them yet.

Out of the 18 the following are whom we have little to no hope of landing generally because we have been crossed off their lists or had little hope of getting anyway:

James Wiseman 7’ PF Ranked number one player and number one center. So probably no way he is coming to Illinois. Seems to be between Memphis and Kentucky with most CBs giving the edge to Memphis

Zeke Nnaji PF Cuts list to Arizona, Baylor, UCLA, Kansas, Purdue. The only good news for Illinois is that he eliminated Minnesota (he’s from Hopkins, MN)

Isaiah Stewart Ranked 5 (247Sports) Trimmed his list to six schools in August — Duke, Villanova, Syracuse, Michigan St., Indiana, and Washington.

Jahmius Ramsey Final 10 Miami, LSU, Virginia Tech, Oregon, Indiana, Florida, Louisville, Memphis, NC State and Texas Tech. Has said he will not make a decision until spring.

Trendon Watford PF top 8 schools Memphis, Alabama, Florida State, Indiana, Kansas, LSU, TCU and Vanderbilt

Damion Baugh PG Trimmed his list to 10 which include Texas, LSU, Houston, Auburn, TCU, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Miami, Western Kentucky, and Florida.

Keion Brooks SF Cuts list to 10, Illinois is not on the list. CBs seem to be trending to Indiana

Lester Quinones SG Evan Daniels and Jerry Meyer (and some other CBs) have him going to LSU.

Nobal Days PF Ranked 320 (247Sports) CBs to Cornell and Marquette. At least 9 offers. Some interest to Wisconsin

Niven Glover Ranked 251 (247Sports). Not much info. No visits, no CBs, no coach visits that I could find.

ok, I'm gonna be that guy. Why are you including kids we're no longer recruiting or have zero interest in us? Please separate the wheat from the chaff.
 
#164      

jmilt7

Waukegan
ok, I'm gonna be that guy. Why are you including kids we're no longer recruiting or have zero interest in us? Please separate the wheat from the chaff.

All I did was take all the remaining offers that we have out there of recruits that have not committed elsewhere yet. I have listed 10 that are unlikely which would seem to meet your requirement of separating the wheat from the chaff. The other 8 I don't know if we are still active on them or not. And of those that have we have shown some interest, who have scheduled OVs I have indicated some that are not likely. I am not a member of the coaching/recruiting staff. Please tell us who should still be separated since you seem to know more than the rest of us. And I am sorry you think I am some kind of insider who knows and also sorry you couldn't figure out this is just a list, nothing more, nothing less. It was informational. Seems like an overreaction on your part
 
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#166      
Based on what I saw in the game, spring isn't all bad. AF, GB, AJ looked pretty good to me. Need more games but still don't understand why people want to convict for bad recruiting before they see the product. If he wins with these recruits, They will come.
 
#168      

Deleted member 643761

D
Guest
Based on what I saw in the game, spring isn't all bad. AF, GB, AJ looked pretty good to me. Need more games but still don't understand why people want to convict for bad recruiting before they see the product. If he wins with these recruits, They will come.
What's your definition of win
 
#170      
Observations:
1. We were in the mix for three 5 star bigs.
2. There is a significant difference in the athletic ability of this year's team vs 2017-18. (Transition offense)
3. You cannot play BU's defense with non- athletes even if highly skilled.
4. Skills unlike athletic ability can be taught.
5. If you are going to improve you must upgrade your talent. Recruiting people that cannot displace people that will be on your roster is not a path to success.
6. This year's 3 star athlete is next year's five star if able to acquire skills.
7. We are all tired of losing. The future is now.
 
#171      
What's working against him?

When one talks about being able to close, takes a pretty skilled salesperson to fashion a unique selling proposition given the above. It seems immediate playing time would be a stronger selling point that it appears to be?????
 
#174      

sacraig

The desert
It's not the recruits nor the coach that are wrong. There is no right or wrong when it comes to recruiting, which is basically sales.
Everyone has their own style. Given the lack of commitments and the amount of roster turnover.....there's obviously a disconnect with who he wants vs who he currently has or who he's currently targeting.

He either has to change the targets or adjust to the players he's targeting.

No, but it is you and a number of others on this board who seem enamored with the idea that our recent recruiting issues are related to some kind of issues with "this generation of players."
 
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