Pretty much standard procedure anymore
Illinois Basketball 2016-2017
- Status
Is there a rule stating you can only do this once? I thought I remembered that you could declare and withdraw once but if you declared a second time you had to stay in. Is that right?
Captain Bubbles
- Fairfield, IL
Malcolm's work ethic is like the great Larry Bird. Kinda plays like him too.
Captain Bubbles
- Fairfield, IL
I would disagree but thats just IMO.
East is not a good conference; they should be a 2-5 seed, not battling for a spot.
For borderline NBA prospects, I'd agree but I do not think Malcolm is anywhere near getting drafted this year.
Theres a good chance theyll be one of those seeds.
BillyBob1
- Champaign
That sounds right.
East is actually fairly strong this year, Chicago would be a 6 seed in the West versus a 8 seed in the East.
I agree he's unlikely to be drafted, but getting feedback on his game from NBA scouts is valuable information regardless. He should take advantage of it.
Agree. This it literally a no-lose situation for MH. No reason at all that he should not get feedback from the NBA.
It is not like Illinois is going to really think he is leaving, so they will not pressure him or try to fill his scholarship. He will get info on what the scouts think he needs to improve upon to be drafted.
KrushCow31
Former Krush Cow
- Chicago, IL
If I remember, lots of our players did this in the past. I know BP did. I thought maybe DJ did too. A couple players from 2009-2010 did as well.
Look at who the west had to play against the east. Anyone who says the easy is strong or stronger than the west doesn't watch the game.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
Pretty sure that Dee did it as well. IIRC, he broke his foot in the camp attempt and decided to return, since he couldn't get a good eval on crutches
Foggy Notion
- San Francisco
Yeah, the east has definitely improved, but it's still like a mid-major conference.
I was slow on the uptake about the rule change.
Bearing that rule in mind that allows them to explore without killing their NCAA career, I do agree that it does make sense for him to put out some feelers and, at the very least, get some constructive criticism on his game from the people at the next level.
I think the exposure part of it and getting one's name out there is good, but he probably doesn't need an NBA scout to tell him what he needs to work on. He needs to be a better 3pt shooter and can make that happen if Ray Rice can raise his percentage in one offseason and he needs to be in tip top shape. I think it would probably help tremendously if he was finally able to return to his natural position, the 3, instead of sometimes being a power forward. It seems like Coach Fletcher is the right man to help athletes get stronger while decreasing their body fat which translates to more bounce.
HowellBrandon
- Mt. Zion, IL
Assistant Coaches
I know that Groce is getting a longer leash due various circumstances (injuries, potential recruiting classes, etc..), but with the poor performance would it be crazy for JW to ask Groce to change up the assistant coaches? I'm not sure which assistants are in with each recruit, but it appears that Groce is the guy they are committing too, not Dustin Ford for example.
The team looks poorly coached when I watch them and I know that is ultimately on Groce, but some sort of change needs to be made IMO.
I know that Groce is getting a longer leash due various circumstances (injuries, potential recruiting classes, etc..), but with the poor performance would it be crazy for JW to ask Groce to change up the assistant coaches? I'm not sure which assistants are in with each recruit, but it appears that Groce is the guy they are committing too, not Dustin Ford for example.
The team looks poorly coached when I watch them and I know that is ultimately on Groce, but some sort of change needs to be made IMO.
Um, that is not true. The reason there is "more apathy" now than there was 5 years ago is because the team has flat out sucked for three years, under Groce. People CARE about it and want it to improve but between the program sucking and the whole AD fiasco, it hasnt really seemd like there has been much traction for change. Groce was easily fireable a year ago in many peoples minds. he got outcoached in several winnable games that could have gotten us into the tournament (Oregon, Michigan, Purdue), had discipline problems, chemistry problems, leadership problems, rotation management problems, and his team absolutely undeniably quit on him down teh stretch in spectacular fashion. The last two games of last season were two of the worst Illinois games I can remember in 30 years. until this year when we were routinely getting blown out by 30, losing to Nebraska, Penn State, and Northwestern, and barely beating some of the worst division 1 teams out there. I dont care about the injuries, we were bad last year, and, excpet for maverick morgan, wotrse this year. OUr fundamentals were jsut awful. Even factoring for the injuries, there is almost nothing that showed me Groce grew as a coach, leader or recruiter this year. Morgan's development was IT.
However, it takes a lot of negative energy to continually generate anger and call for Groce's head month after month. People hold out hope for next year, and just stop paying attention because frankly it just hurts to watch such crappy basketball. But they still CARE.
Last edited by a moderator:
Oldtoysrock
- Sarasota, Florida
Well stated! I login every couple days just praying to read that Groce has been fired. Quite honestly, at this point I would take just about anyone. I believe he is the worst coach that I recall in 40 years of following Illini basketball. The fact that he hasn't been fired yet makes me think that maybe Whitman is primarily concerned about football, and basketball is just an afterthought. Watching these 30+ points blowouts and barely escaping with winnable games make me agree with Marcus liberty, the program is going in the wrong direction. Wake me up when it changes.
Time to bury this dead horse ..... :deadhorse:
IllinoisFan733
- Chicago
:tsk::tsk::tsk:
No mention of that blow-out victory against Minnesota in the B10 tournament? Or beating Iowa (NCAA Tourney 2nd Rounder) in the B10 tournament?
How about the improvement of the freshman (JCL, Finke, DJW) as the year went along. Or the significant strides shown by Maverick Morgan in the 2nd half of the season.
This Illini team was missing 3 starters (Thorne, Abrams, Black) as well as somebody who was counted on to be in the rotation (Paul.) I see you left that part out too.
Sal Iacuzzo
- Yonkers, NY
I'm not getting too excited about a win over a Minnesota team that was just blown out by 0-17 Rutgers in their previous game. The Iowa win would have seemed a bit more significant if we didn't find ourselves down by over 40 against a Purdue team we had already beat the following day.
- Status