Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (October 2017)

Status
Not open for further replies.
#5,351      
I agree, lets move on. I'm more concerned about what we do with the rides we still have, and the holes we still have.

Who is up next? Springtime late bloomer? Europe? Until then, lets get the season started and get trending upwards on the court.

Kind of have to guess unless there is a name we haven't heard of nothing will till after early signing, then hope we can find a big man
 
#5,352      

I Bomb

Stylin' and Profilin'
Everybody's long winded posts look silly if it comes out THT was told by someone in his camp he's not going to Illinois... :eek:
 
#5,353      

Deleted member 236589

D
Guest
Been a while since I've posted but here are my thoughts:

1. If forced to choose, the staff made the right call.
2. Ayo committed first. THT could have been told last Thursday/Friday that we were moving on - before the visit. And none of this becomes a problem.
3. Unfortunately the staff read the situation so poorly that we and our shiny new 5* both came away with egg on our face.
4. This was a big boy recruiting situation - again the staff made the right call - they just looked like amateurs doing it.
5. Us Illinois fans have been wanting to land a player like Ayo for over a decade. We've wanted the top dogs from the MIF for a long, long time. Now we played the game, got our player and suddenly don't like the look in the mirror? Our reaction to Ayo and MIF is stupefying. Blame the staff for letting this get out of control - not the kids. They made their intentions known. Again - the staff look like amateurs.
6. We've been deifying THT but his camp has made enough shots towards Ayo that I see why the rift is still there. Remember, the proverbial olive branch from THT and THT's mom wasn't extended until there was something for THT to gain. He handled the situation 100x better than our staff did, but he shouldn't be absolved of all blame in letting it get this far.
7. In terms of those hand wringing over Robert Smith and Simeon potentially black balling Illinois - name me the last 5 Illinois commits from Simeon. Better yet, I'll do it for you: DJ Williams, Kendrick Nunn, Jaylon Tate, Stan Simpson, Calvin Brock. Before that? Bryant Notree and Kevin Turner.
7b. In terms of the above - the last Simeon players to play for Illinois in an NCAA tournament were Calvin Brock and before him, Kevin Turner.
7c. You know who we didn't get from Simeon in that time? Derrick Rose, Jabari Parker, hell we didn't even get Ed Morrow. The Simeon pipeline is a mummers farse for Illinois fans to hold on to the 80's when it was real. Since that time it's been used a fall back for Illinois to take all of the B and C rated talent. We're not losing a pipeline, we opened a new one.
8. All that said, again THT didn't deserve to be publicly embarrassed. In any way, shape or form.
9. Make no mistake - we're in bed with the Irvin's now. It feels slimy and gross at the moment but if we start winning games and the Irvin's keep producing the "A" talent (see: Miller, Adam) for Illinois, isn't that what we've all wanted? Let's not be complete hypocrites - if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen.
10. ... on a more light hearted note - isn't this the most friggin Illinois thing that could happen?

Agree, disagree or anywhere in between - that's where I see things from after seeing many, many different viewpoints and sleeping on it for a night.



We have a winner! Perfectly said and 100% accurate.


Well done.
 
#5,355      

peace davids

Colorado
Thanks? I agree with you if we were talking about the #35 ranked student in Villa Grove's senior class and he was denied from UofI ... I'm talking about high level recruiting ... where *gasp* academics are the least of their concerns

I would move on too, ISU is a great school and THT will probably be better off there. The point is, Illinois had a chance to stiff the "Chicago recruiting" scene, while gaining a kid who wanted to wear orange and blue, and instead, the coaching staff caved

I was just using academics as comparison - I'm not claiming it to be relevant in THTs case. Things aren't always ideal when life decisions are made at 17 - and we take a path and move on, learning and growing along the way.

We did have a chance to stiff the recruiting scene, but none of us know the repercussions that would have on Illinois basketball. We can evaluate this 10 years from now to see if this was a significant event for the program and discuss it then.
 
#5,356      

Tevo

Wilmette, IL
Kedric Prince‏ @KedPrince4 9m9 minutes ago
#Illini bball rec update: 4-
2b50.png
2b50.png
2b50.png
2b50.png
E.J. Liddell: Ayo Dosunmu contacts me almost everyday telling me how Important I would be to play @ ILL

Yes. More of this please. Come on down, E.J.!
 
#5,357      
One family wanted to keep a very private beef private for personal reasons. They didn't want to get into specifics so they downplayed it consistently.. then UI was named the leader and things changed rapidly in what information was shared with the staff on the possibility.

The real failure was the staff not getting all the necessary information sooner but one party involved really wasn't sharing their true feelings.

It's unfortunate. But, at the end of the day, this isn't a power move. It's an issue where 2 kids weren't going to play together and the staff wasn't relayed information clearly enough to avoid the mess.

It's very sad.



It might not be a power struggle between to programs(hs/aau), it might just be two players or two families. Like I mentioned before kids change travel teams (bb, soccer, baseball) for this very reason. There have been players that didn't follow high school teammates to the same college for the same reason. Also notice how many transfer occur in college bball, it isn't always about playing time or the coach. It is sometimes about teammates.
 
#5,358      
Before Adam Miller, the Khalid Whitney recruitment will be interesting.:thumb:

Khalid Whitney will get a chance to see BU's offense. An athletic wing who likes to dunk will get a ton of back door screens in this offense.


He is an east coast kid who plays with MIF for now. Don't know if he wants to continue that arrangement due to distance. So some logistic issues involved with his recruitment besides the usual Chicago stuff.
 
#5,359      
I'm an ISU lurker and I don't fault the staff or anybody involved but the Irvins. That said, this isn't just big boy recruiting. I can't think of a single instance of this happening anywhere else ever. Correct me if I'm wrong. This is the only take I disagree with here.

Steve Prohm appears to be doing the 'big boy recruiting' not us.
 
#5,360      

Deleted member 236589

D
Guest
I personally can't wait to see Ayo on a 2 on 1, throwing an alley oop to Smith and watching him flush it over somebody.


I like THT, but if we play them in the NCAA tournament, I hope we beat him and Iowa State, by 40.


Just my final take on this.
 
#5,361      

Deleted member 236589

D
Guest
Steve Prohm appears to be doing the 'big boy recruiting' not us.



I'll take the Mr. Basketball in our state for the last two years over what Iowa State took on this year.


Give me Smith and Ayo and I'll gladly let them have THT, Conditt, etc...
 
#5,363      
Everybody's long winded posts look silly if it comes out THT was told by someone in his camp he's not going to Illinois... :eek:

Untrue and an attempt will certainly be made by all parties to attempt to link this decision with THT's choice. It looks better for everyone but it is a lie
 
#5,365      

UofIChE06

Pittsburgh
Yes. More of this please. Come on down, E.J.!

I honestly have no idea why Liddell is ranked 100-150. The guy played up a year in AAU and showed very well. That is usually something Top 50 guys do. On top of that he has a mature frame already. Honestly I think he is the bigger fish than Okoro.
 
#5,366      
Steve Prohm appears to be doing the 'big boy recruiting' not us.

Because he landed 3 players from Chicago, none of whom had a composite ranking below 100? I think they all are good gets for sure, and would have been happy to have them all in orange and blue, but there is no mistaking that Illinois landed the crown jewel of the class.
 
#5,367      

Deleted member 236589

D
Guest
Look at their 2017 class.



You realize that Underwood has been here 7 months right? In 7 months he landed two Mr. Basketballs, with one most likely being a McDonald's All American from the CPL. This is without seeing them play one game under his watch.


Again, I'll take our guy.
 
#5,368      

IllFanInMi

I
Guest
I'll take the Mr. Basketball in our state for the last two years over what Iowa State took on this year.


Give me Smith and Ayo and I'll gladly let them have THT, Conditt, etc...

So MAC already has the voters locked up for Mr. Bball? Here in Michigan they vote after the season. How ironic it would be if one of those Iowa State scrubs win that award.
 
#5,369      
Khalid Whitney will get a chance to see BU's offense. An athletic wing who likes to dunk will get a ton of back door screens in this offense.


He is an east coast kid who plays with MIF for now. Don't know if he wants to continue that arrangement due to distance. So some logistic issues involved with his recruitment besides the usual Chicago stuff.

I think Mom lives in Chicago. Dad used to play for Seton Hall and has had numerous run ins with the law. SH is Dad's East Coast connection.
 
#5,370      

Deleted member 236589

D
Guest
So MAC already has the voters locked up for Mr. Bball? Here in Michigan they vote after the season. How ironic it would be if one of those Iowa State scrubs win that award.



You're right, he has not locked it up. However I feel fairly confident, less injury, that he will be the player of the year in the state and a McDonald's All American.


Now, is it possible that a top 30 recruit could have a poor season with Morgan Park struggling throughout the year? Sure.


That said, would you put your money on Ayo or on the field?
 
#5,371      
Are we even recruiting Luka Samanic, because that guy looks prefect for the system.

A class of Ayo and Samanic sounds great to me. Call me crazy but I want the rides open and available for Liddell, Okoro, and Whitney next year.

Our guards are loaded, we need some big men. When this big men can go inside outside like Liddell and Whitney, all the better.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
#5,372      
I'll take the Mr. Basketball in our state for the last two years over what Iowa State took on this year.


Give me Smith and Ayo and I'll gladly let them have THT, Conditt, etc...
This time last year, Tilmon and Goodwin were favorites for Mr. Basketball weren't they? Certainly wasn't Mark Smith back then. Things change...
 
#5,373      
Are we even recruiting Luka Samanic, because that guy looks prefect for the system.

A class of Ayo and Samanic sounds great to me. Call me crazy but I want the rides open and available for Liddell, Okoro, and Whitney next year.

Our guards are loaded, we need some big men. When this big men can go inside outside like Liddell and Whitney, all the better.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk



Okoro, Whitney, and Liddell would fit our needs nicely with very talented players. Ayo has connections with all 3. Smith has a connection with Liddell as well.
 
#5,374      

Deleted member 236589

D
Guest
This time last year, Tilmon and Goodwin were favorites for Mr. Basketball weren't they? Certainly wasn't Mark Smith back then. Things change...



This is true, but your point goes back to my original point. Things did change and we landed the guy who won it. No matter which way you cut it, we ended up with the top recruit in the state for 2017 and the "projected" top recruit in the state for 2018.


All the while, Illinois hasn't played a single game yet with Underwood as coach. I'll still take our guy.
 
#5,375      

UofIChE06

Pittsburgh
So MAC already has the voters locked up for Mr. Bball? Here in Michigan they vote after the season. How ironic it would be if one of those Iowa State scrubs win that award.

Since you are in MI we can cut you a break. There is a fairly noticeable bias towards UI commits in the Mr BB race. On top of that it tends to go to the highest rated recruit more than not. It also favors players on notable teams that win in the state. Ayo has all of these going for him in the race. Barring a disaster of a season or a Damonte like injury, Ayo will be Mr. BB.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.