Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[bombayIllini]

Kane, if he sticks around, then as a JR he should be an impact player.

By then the rest of teh current crew may be gone anyways.

 

[Halloweenie]

I'd love to have them both, but Adam Miller is the one I want if I were forced to pick between the 2.

I would be happy with the first one that commits

 

[PtownIllini8]

He is going to have an impact from his size alone. He needs to work on his quickness and anticipation on the defensive end and rebounding. Keep in mind, if you have only watched a couple of the ESPN games, he wasn’t playing against a typical high school team. Most of those guys on the floor are D1 players.

Kofi lead the EYBL circuit in rebounding at just under 11 boards/game and was voted 3rd team All EYBL

 

[VAIllini35]

Kofi is a top 40 player in the country and you think Samba will get more minutes than he will? No way, no how. Kofi is a major presence down low...Kane, still has a long, long way to go before he can say anything like that.

Using the rating logic puts Giorgi on the pine. So lets not dismiss people's opinions based on pure ratings. Samba picked up the offense pretty quickly, is mobile and a shot blocker. The problem is he can not bang with larger bodies yet (hopefully he can next year as I think we'll need all the bigs we can get - ala GB, SK and ADLR this year). Clearly everyone wants Kofi to come in and dominate but its reasonable to see the need for growth.

 

[sacraig]

Using the rating logic puts Giorgi on the pine. So lets not dismiss people's opinions based on pure ratings. Samba picked up the offense pretty quickly, is mobile and a shot blocker. The problem is he can not bang with larger bodies yet (hopefully he can next year as I think we'll need all the bigs we can get - ala GB, SK and ADLR this year). Clearly everyone wants Kofi to come in and dominate but its reasonable to see the need for growth.

There is a pretty big difference between your examples of Giorgi and Samba here. Giorgi has proven his worth on the court and sustained that throughout the season. Samba has not. Therefore, you can't treat their situations the same.

 

[Ga65]

Footwork looks like he has already had some work with the cones. HS game looked similar to Giorgi's in that he was the the 4th option. Pretty easy to get bored when you are ignored for a guard that is going to shoot it from the half court line with a man on him. Will take some adaptation to play him with Giorgi but will open up another level of success when they do. Samba will still get plenty of minutes unless Antwan exceeds expectations. Higgs is the unknown to me because he has probably watched enough practices to be familiar with the system but has likely regressed skill wise as he can't play. BU has his pieces (assuming all are admitted and eligible), now it will be time to play the music.

 

[VAIllini35]

There is a pretty big difference between your examples of Giorgi and Samba here. Giorgi has proven his worth on the court and sustained that throughout the season. Samba has not. Therefore, you can't treat their situations the same.

That's not my point. My point is that ratings don't tell the story - so the comparison isn't Giorgi vs Kane, its Giorgi vs Kofi (re ratings). If we had Kofi and Giorgi coming in the same year - we'd all be salivating over Kofi but you'd have a hard time telling me he'd be more productive than GB.

This is an easy game if all we are going by is high school ratings but as we all know, there is much more too it than that.

 

[tpbradley]

I think that if we get Kofi and January both on campus next season and keep our current team (minus seniors), we will have many options which is a great problem to have. Not sure what the argument is over, as I believe we are in good hands.

 

[tpbradley]

After watching that Kofi video I'm guessing if OA reads Loyalty he is just laughing and laughing at some of the discussion about Kofi.

I'd immediately lose a lot of faith in the staff if they read this forum. I think their time is best spent doing other things, no?

 

[Elgin7680]

Some of you guys are absolutely nuts to me. Do you honestly think a top 40 recruit is going to come in and play behind Samba Kane? Are you kidding me? Or that he won't be ready? I mean, for christ's sake, LOOK AT THIS KID:

I know some of you are going to be like "well he didn't look that good when I watched two of his high school games on ESPNU". The dude has been physically ready for college for like 3 years and plays with a ball dominant PG. There's probably a good chance he'll be here this summer before school starts like most recruits do these days. You cannot teach that kind of athleticism and talent. Please stop over analyzing the situation.

He does not look strong enough to play college basketball

 

[TxChief]

Maybe be out looking for new ideas, lots of ideas here, no?

 

[imjustsooffended]

That's not my point. My point is that ratings don't tell the story - so the comparison isn't Giorgi vs Kane, its Giorgi vs Kofi (re ratings). If we had Kofi and Giorgi coming in the same year - we'd all be salivating over Kofi but you'd have a hard time telling me he'd be more productive than GB.

This is an easy game if all we are going by is high school ratings but as we all know, there is much more too it than that.

You're right, ratings don't tell the whole story. That's why I linked a video. And the comparison you're making is one you made up, not me. If you want the whole story, you should probably also include the politics and optics of landing a recruit with that stature and that we probably sold him on being a starter day one....next to GB, a kid who might not even be here had we landed any of our higher rated big men targets in 2018

 

[EyeoftheIllini]

I'd immediately lose a lot of faith in the staff if they read this forum. I think their time is best spent doing other things, no?

What are you kidding? Why do you think Tevian has been getting more time lately? It is all because BU was reading the #FreeTevian thread.

 

[Gorilla Gorilla]

He does not look strong enough to play college basketball

I hope someone on our staff teaches him the dunk shot...

 

[Epsilon]

Some of you guys are absolutely nuts to me. Do you honestly think a top 40 recruit is going to come in and play behind Samba Kane? Are you kidding me? Or that he won't be ready? I mean, for christ's sake, LOOK AT THIS KID:

I know some of you are going to be like "well he didn't look that good when I watched two of his high school games on ESPNU". The dude has been physically ready for college for like 3 years and plays with a ball dominant PG. There's probably a good chance he'll be here this summer before school starts like most recruits do these days. You cannot teach that kind of athleticism and talent. Please stop over analyzing the situation.

How many recent Illini can create space,... By taking space?

I also like his turnaround jumper. Good skill for a center to have.

Also seems to be a bit of an intimidator - saw him yell a couple of times after a dunk (in the 'general' direction of the other team).

 

[MC06]

I think one of the biggest benefits of having 4 to 5 bigs on the roster next year, each with differing physical attributes and playing styles, is that all of our players will get the benefit of practicing against them. Our bigs will have to learn how to defend different types of bigs. Our guards and wings will have to learn how to drive and finish (or drive and dish/kick) against legit bigs. Feels like it’s been a long time since we’ve had a roster that provides that practice dynamic.

 

[PlayAZ]

Using the rating logic puts Giorgi on the pine. So lets not dismiss people's opinions based on pure ratings. Samba picked up the offense pretty quickly, is mobile and a shot blocker. The problem is he can not bang with larger bodies yet (hopefully he can next year as I think we'll need all the bigs we can get - ala GB, SK and ADLR this year). Clearly everyone wants Kofi to come in and dominate but its reasonable to see the need for growth.

This was approx 7 months ago...highlight from summer play, before senior year and commitment to ILLINI, there is no way he plays behind anyone other than Giorgi for inside minutes....NO WAY....

Actually love how he uses both hands right now (albeit) not as nimble as Giorgi and the passing is on point as well.

 

[BWilson25]

Another solid passing big man it appears!

 

[Ga65]

Seems like a stronger more skilled Nick Ward.

 

[skyIdub]

I can hardly contain my excitement thinking about the Giorgi/Kofi dance videos to come.

Can you even imagine Kofi with even 75% of Giorgi's gorgeous footwork?

 

[foby]

I more or less agree. But many of us long in the tooth temper our expectations.

You don't have to be too long in the tooth to have seen how many top 40 recruits fizzle from year to year. SK will have a year experience in the system, and I would not be surprised to see him receiving more tick than KC at least for awhile.

 

[rbachhuber]

What are you kidding? Why do you think Tevian has been getting more time lately? It is all because BU was reading the #FreeTevian thread.

link?

 

[Spoon House]

What are these people doing, pumping the brakes on Kofi? Am I living in the Twlight Zone?

Get hype! It's okay!

 

[Govoner Vaugn Fan]

You don't have to be too long in the tooth to have seen how many top 40 recruits fizzle from year to year. SK will have a year experience in the system, and I would not be surprised to see him receiving more tick than KC at least for awhile.

I remember Myer's videos from high school. He looked so polished and athletic I expected him to start from day one, and dominate the big10 from day one. Then he ran into other D1 bigs, after playing 2A HS ball, and the refs noticed he liked to make a little too much contact..... He was coming around his soph year but I still lament we never got to see what he could do in year 3 or 4. Some of the most talented players take a year or two to adjust to the speed and size of the college game. Then, once in while, a Giorgi shows up. I expect freshman Kofi to be somewhere between Ibby and Shaq and there is a lot of space there.

 

[VAIllini35]

You're right, ratings don't tell the whole story. That's why I linked a video. And the comparison you're making is one you made up, not me. If you want the whole story, you should probably also include the politics and optics of landing a recruit with that stature and that we probably sold him on being a starter day one....next to GB, a kid who might not even be here had we landed any of our higher rated big men targets in 2018

A highlight video that shows a player dunking and hitting 100% of his shots - gee who would have thought? Look, I am in no way implying this is anything but great for the program. As I stated we all want him to be a star day one - I just think - even in the highlights - he has some work to do re: mobility - especially since we run an up tempo offense and suffocating defense that relies on the big man to come out tight where ever his defender is.

However we sold him, he has to perform - i.e. know the offense, know the defense and be able to get up and down the court quickly. That is all up to him and it won't be handed to him - he'll have to work to get it. Every one of our guys has struggled with this O and D at the start and we have some pretty high BBall IQ guys on this team - so its not just size that counts.