Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (September 2018)

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#351      
Why not Huff then? More intimate setting, no way we can't fill that up. Sure its been discussed here before. SFC isn't the only option. Of course, people kinda have to be interested in the event to go... And maybe Huff would be seen as some mid major esque event.
What I remember reading about this is that there isn't a floor for Huff.
 
#352      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
Black had a very nice game in front of Liddell against Missouri. But I wouldn't say he career was very successful, considering injury, discipline, and foul prone issues. His only year though with BU was much better than the previous ones. He still is not an NBA player and that is what these kids want to see.
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#353      
You better believe that Liddell will see what LB was able to do last year, and that's without the guard stable we have now.
I would bet thousands of beach houses that they are going to showcase LB's explosive development to EJ as a picture of what can happen.
 
#354      
I would bet thousands of beach houses that they are going to showcase LB's explosive development to EJ as a picture of what can happen.

EJ might not be all that impressed to see a top50 recruit be only at the all B1G HM level after 4 years. Plus never having made the dance in those 4 years.
 
#355      
We have tried many venues in the past, Ubben, Assembly Hall, Huff, outdoors, even Memorial Stadium and we have never been able to get the excitement. Part of it is poor planning and organization, but big part of it is lack of real interest. We simply do not have the tradition and interest for these kind of events like UK, KU, Indiana, MSU, etc. While most people participating in the recruiting thread think this will be a big deal and we can pack the cheering crowds, it will not happen. As far as officially advertising an event for recruits to participate, I am sure this is a violation.
 
#357      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
EJ might not be all that impressed to see a top50 recruit be only at the all B1G HM level after 4 years. Plus never having made the dance in those 4 years.

The sell is the delta in Black's game, post Underwood. There's a lot to sell, IMO.

side note: commanding the sticky wicket role admirably. (y)
 
#359      
The sell is the delta in Black's game, post Underwood. There's a lot to sell, IMO.

He was improved, but he did not make 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd team B1G. was just honorable mention, did not get drafted, and ended up very low in Europe. The improvement is commendable (for us Illini fans) but it hardly registers on highly ranked recruits' minds as a significant factor.
 
#361      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
There is zero doubt in my mind that LB would have been at least 2nd or 3rd team B1G had he stayed this year.
Liddell shows more skill than LB at this point and moves better. The sell is how well Liddell would do in this system.
LB's improvement over one year in the system is part of the pitch.
 
#363      

ILL in IA

Iowa City
The sell to EJ isnt that we think he can be Leron in this offense. The sell is how we utilized LB, and how he was a centerpiece to this offense.

If that roll got LB HM BIG TEN, imagine what we can do with EJ...
 
#364      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
He was improved, but he did not make 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd team B1G. was just honorable mention, did not get drafted, and ended up very low in Europe. The improvement is commendable (for us Illini fans) but it hardly registers on highly ranked recruits' minds as a significant factor.

Awards are predicated on some modicum of team success. It's not where he was, relative to other BIG players, it's all about post Underwood improvement. The delta was VG improvement, in one year. Plus, I'd imagine the staff will show Liddell the myriad opportunities our O offers him.
 
#366      

Deleted member 16340

D
Guest
I feel like someone should study some data to try and come up with a rigorous conclusion of whether it's better to schedule these visits with groups of highly ranked uncommitted guys, versus individually, or perhaps with already committed recruits (which just as a hypothesis seems like the best).

Each guy presumably having one of the assistants all to himself makes for an interesting wrinkle here.
I feel like someone should use Sheldon's making friends decision free to help with recruiting
 
#367      
The sell to EJ isnt that we think he can be Leron in this offense. The sell is how we utilized LB, and how he was a centerpiece to this offense.

If that roll got LB HM BIG TEN, imagine what we can do with EJ...

Listen, as I said, the improvement is commendable for us Illini fans, but the impact is highly exaggerated by posters. Black was a highly ranked recruit (like EJ), and we were able to make him the centerpiece of our team that finished 4-14 at the bottom end of the league (worse than previous years), earning him HM Big Ten, not getting drafted, and ending up very low in Europe. "If we did all that to Black, and we made HM, imagine what we can do for YOU EJ!" If people would have bought that improvement success story, Black would not have been buried very low in Europe not been able to even make 1st division to begin with. Reality talks, and reality is that people fairly knowledge in basketball (including pro-teams in Europe, agents, coaches, etc.) did not buy the Black success story.

The key sell to EJ is that we have some extremely talented guards (Frazier, Ayo) and we need some equally (or better) talented players in the frontcourt to compete not only in the B1G but nationally. And in the process, we will get you to the league. That would be the story for ALL 3 recruits. Black does not register as a success in highly recruits' mind, and is actually not a big positive.
 
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#369      
Awards are predicated on some modicum of team success. It's not where he was, relative to other BIG players, it's all about post Underwood improvement. The delta was VG improvement, in one year. Plus, I'd imagine the staff will show Liddell the myriad opportunities our O offers him.

As I mentioned in post above though, people knowledgeable in basketball did not buy the individual success story either, not just the lack of team success. Their actions clearly indicated that.
 
#370      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
The key sell to EJ is that we have some extremely talented guards (Frazier, Ayo) and we need some equally (or better) talented players in the frontcourt to compete not only in the B1G but nationally. And in the process, we will get you to the league. That would be the story for ALL 3 recruits.

Spot on.
 
#371      

CoalCity

St Paul, MN
You better believe that Liddell will see what LB was able to do last year, and that's without the guard stable we have now.
He will be a beast in BU's system and Ayo will be B1G FOY with Frazier and Damonte 2nd Team ABT!!

The ball will be MOOOOOOVing!

tenor.gif
One of my all time favorite gifs. It gets funnier the more times you watch it!
 
#372      
Listen, as I said, the improvement is commendable for us Illini fans, but the impact is highly exaggerated by posters. Black was a highly ranked recruit (like EJ), and we were able to make him the centerpiece of our team that finished 4-14 at the bottom end of the league (worse than previous years), earning him HM Big Ten, not getting drafted, and ending up very low in Europe. "If we did all that to Black, and we made HM, imagine what we can do for YOU EJ!" If people would have bought that improvement success story, Black would not have been buried very low in Europe not been able to even make 1st division to begin with. Reality talks, and reality is that people fairly knowledge in basketball (including pro-teams in Europe, agents, coaches, etc.) did not buy the Black success story.

The key sell to EJ is that we have some extremely talented guards (Frazier, Ayo) and we need some equally (or better) talented players in the frontcourt to compete not only in the B1G but nationally. And in the process, we will get you to the league. That would be the story for ALL 3 recruits. Black does not register as a success in highly recruits' mind, and is actually not a big positive.

I don't think we "sell" Liddell on what LB did here and how he could do the same or better. I think LB is used just as a reference point for "we want you to play inside-out, you'll get a lot of touches, shoot the ball, etc., and the proof we're not exaggerating is last year's PF nearly doubled his scoring, was way more efficiently used, etc.". Simple statistical examples and move on. We obviously aren't selling Europe. We're selling improvement and putting players in a position to succeed....and that's when you pivot the story to Frazier.
 
#374      
And if we don’t get any of the three, it will be the Mother of All Nut Punches.
Eh. Of course it'll hurt a ton, but breaking down each individual player, none of them seem like locks or leans. Oscar is out of our comfort zone and such a highly ranked guy, hard to have a nut punch losing someone like him. Shannon's already committed/decommitted. There are leanings starting to arise, though small. He's as fluid as they come. Lidell would be amazing, but we've been in what appears to be 3rd for a long long time.

I'll leave out the history to save this thread a little, but there have been plenty "surefire" and star players who many thought would play for the O&B, to spurn us. These three are crucial guys, but they dont have the same feeling as those in the past.
 
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