Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (July-August 2016)

[Big Al]

well then in shoes I would guess pickett would be measured at 6-6 from any picture I have seen he is a tad taller then hill

https://twitter.com/BTHSEastLancers/status/710888479786475520

 

[FatGreg]

As oppose to while on the Xavier visit?

I know you're being silly, but my hunch is that Wilkes doesn't make it to UCONN and may not make it to XU. If he loves the UI and isn't floored by IU and UCLA, he could announce before he makes it to XU. Not speculating that things will actually go down that way; like I said at one point, my head says we're probably running 4th behind IU, UCLA, and XU. I think if we are in 4th, though, it's a close 4th and we could turn the tide if we blow him away on his visit.

 

[HoopsCoach]

I think Pickett is closer to 6-7 then 6-4

One of our AAU coaches is a little over 6'5. He stood next to Pickett, and Picket was not taller than him. That was this Summer, for what it is worth.

 

[SescIllini]

Just quick points

Pickett should be higher on the list than #8, the kid produces and was first team last year. Also agree he appears taller than the listed 6-4. I would put him ahead of the kid who transfers every year and may not play college ball.

Scruggs IMHO appears to be a duplicate of Damonte, but with more of a motor. Wasn't sure why we kept pursuing him after Frazier committed. Good wave off for both sides.

Getting Epperson would be a tremendous class and fulfill all are needs.

Wilkes, like that we are first and the later two visits are a long ways away. I believe Wilkes went to the same school as IDKWTI. Which I believe might be IU largest feeder school. Him being an Indiana player at that school may make it very difficult to your neighboring rival. I like his game more than some WF rated higher and would take him in a heart beat.

 

[Epsilon]

Frazier committed. We got one in 2016 ( Lucas). Damonte can also play point. We don't need another PG in the 2017 class. That's the whole story.

Are we also still holding out hope that JCL can work in some more combo type duty? I kind of feel like he was thrown a bit into trial by fire last year coming off his injury. With that experience and a year under his belt, I think he will make fewer freshman mistakes wrt ball handling. Not sure how much PG play he will get going forward, if that ship sailed or not.

 

[Johnny Lawrence]

I know you're being silly, but my hunch is that Wilkes doesn't make it to UCONN and may not make it to XU. If he loves the UI and isn't floored by IU and UCLA, he could announce before he makes it to XU. Not speculating that things will actually go down that way; like I said at one point, my head says we're probably running 4th behind IU, UCLA, and XU. I think if we are in 4th, though, it's a close 4th and we could turn the tide if we blow him away on his visit.

I was and you very well could be right.

And to add to what you are saying, how many prospects make it to all five official visits? It doesn't seem like too many.

 

[Joel Goodson]

I feel strangely hopeful about Wilkes. I still think we're likely running 4th behind IU, UCLA, and XU, but having the first visit gives us a chance to set the bar high. I feel like it's a legit possibility that he commits to us either before or after the Xavier visit. Either way, I don't think he makes it to UCONN.

+1

Kind of feels like JCL's recruitment. We don't need a SF, but Wilkes would be a huge add on several levels.

 

[aluma]

What is the recruiting pitch to Wilkes? Be the next Malcom for the team (in regard to playing time, freedom, shots per game). Very good pieces surrounding him with a top 10 signing class and a good team already assembled. New facilities, Fletcher's training results, U of I education. Anything else that I'm missing? What are the other universities selling Wilkes? I feel like his recruitment has been pretty low key and quiet

 

[Illini B-Ball Fan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatGreg View Post
I feel strangely hopeful about Wilkes. I still think we're likely running 4th behind IU, UCLA, and XU, but having the first visit gives us a chance to set the bar high. I feel like it's a legit possibility that he commits to us either before or after the Xavier visit. Either way, I don't think he makes it to UCONN.

Gaining Wilkes would make up for losing Lewis to IA St. Like that he has us as his first visit coming up Sep 9, that's good rather than last.

 

[aluma]

Losing Goodwin was a blow, but could you imagine how un-Illinois like it would be if Illinois gets Wilkes instead? I love Goodwin's game, but give me two 5 star players all day every day.

 

[BananaShampoo]

What is the recruiting pitch to Wilkes? Be the next Malcom for the team (in regard to playing time, freedom, shots per game). Very good pieces surrounding him with a top 10 signing class and a good team already assembled. New facilities, Fletcher's training results, U of I education. Anything else that I'm missing? What are the other universities selling Wilkes? I feel like his recruitment has been pretty low key and quiet

Yep. Not to mention an awesome family atmosphere, a rabid fan base, great program history, top-notch alumni network, getting to hang with Dee all the time... oh, and if he came it would be a Top 5 signing class for sure. :thumb:

 

[spillini]

On the topic of Groce's pitch, I'm really curious how it's evolved over the past couple months as the pieces have begun to fall into place. I can't imagine how much more fun the staff has with the pitch now compared to the during the aftermath of the player arrest frenzy.

 

[Alfonz24]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatGreg View Post
I feel strangely hopeful about Wilkes. I still think we're likely running 4th behind IU, UCLA, and XU, but having the first visit gives us a chance to set the bar high. I feel like it's a legit possibility that he commits to us either before or after the Xavier visit. Either way, I don't think he makes it to UCONN.

Gaining Wilkes would make up for losing Lewis to IA St. Like that he has us as his first visit coming up Sep 9, that's good rather than last.

I hope we have both the first and last visit.

 

[Illwinsagain]

If Wilkes visit sticks it may give us a bit of insight into how much of Scruggs cancelling was because we had no chance vs. we are getting pickier with the last 2 schollies. If the only reason we cancelled on Scruggs was because we had no chance, why would we keep Wilkes visit if we don't have a chance? Higher ranked, more of a position of need, we don't see Scruggs significantly better than Williams/Frazier, or maybe we have higher than zero chance of landing Wilkes...but if we keep Wilkes visit after passing on Scruggs I don't see how you can't take something positive out of this, it isn't just a face save.

I don't buy the "saving face" thing either. It is an industry where you get rejected 90%+ of the time. If you have a 1 in 4 shot, you take it. I think Groce feels that we are good with what we got and what he believes is coming.

 

[Illini B-Ball Fan]

I hope we have both the first and last visit.

I'll take that edit without a problem.

 

[Chipatsj23h]

I think if Wilkes doesn't commit during his visit, we have no shot. Its pretty tough to still remember that first school after taking 4 other visits. Extremely long shot to land him especially during his visit, but if we dont get a verbal next weekend the views will have to start going elsewhere and I am sure Groce and staff will know that.

 

[BananaShampoo]

Let's pause for a second and realize that we're talking about landing a "home run" and we have a 5-star already committed in this class. When's the last time Illinois landed two 5-stars in a single class?

Well, it was 2010 according to some ranking services (Meyers and Jereme Richmond). We also got two 5 star recruits in 2002 in Dee and DWill (even if DWill wasn't technically a 5 star on ranking services, we all know he was REALLY a 5 star-level recruit). IF by some miracle we got Wilkes, though, we'd potentially have two McD's AA players coming in. That hasn't happened in a single class since...probably the late 80's? The last time we even had two McD's AA's playing on the same team was the 02-03 season when Cookie was a senior and Dee was a frosh.

 

[Illwinsagain]

I think if Wilkes doesn't commit during his visit, we have no shot. Its pretty tough to still remember that first school after taking 4 other visits. Extremely long shot to land him especially during his visit, but if we dont get a verbal next weekend the views will have to start going elsewhere and I am sure Groce and staff will know that.

Any thought about the chance to give a little urgency to Wilkes, with Kigab coming the next week? After all, we just told one highly ranked player, we're good at your position. I know not likely, but, maybe? :noidea:

 

[coryfor3]

I think if Wilkes doesn't commit during his visit, we have no shot. Its pretty tough to still remember that first school after taking 4 other visits. Extremely long shot to land him especially during his visit, but if we dont get a verbal next weekend the views will have to start going elsewhere and I am sure Groce and staff will know that.

+1
But maybe he's one to gather all his info, take all the visits, and sit down and compare and contrast. That's what I would do instead of being a prisoner of the moment and committing while you are at a place. But that's just me.

 

[coryfor3]

Any thought about the chance to give a little urgency to Wilkes, with Kigab coming the next week? After all, we just told one highly ranked player, we're good at your position. I know not likely, but, maybe? :noidea:

More likely that it places more urgency on Kigab. Not that Kigab is at a loss for options at all but like Scruggs, I think Wilkes is ok with his options even if one of his schools fills a spot.

 

[IlliniFoLife]

I feel strangely hopeful about Wilkes. I still think we're likely running 4th behind IU, UCLA, and XU, but having the first visit gives us a chance to set the bar high. I feel like it's a legit possibility that he commits to us either before or after the Xavier visit. Either way, I don't think he makes it to UCONN.

Usually, being the 1st one in line for a visit isn't good because it doesn't allow the program to leave the last impression and gives the recruit more time to forget about all the positives that took place within the visit. Now, if you're someone like Trent Frazier and you were so happy w/the visit that you decided to cancel your other ones, that's another story. I don't think that'll happen here. I would prefer to be the last school he visited rather than the first school.

 

[IlliniFoLife]

Are we also still holding out hope that JCL can work in some more combo type duty? I kind of feel like he was thrown a bit into trial by fire last year coming off his injury. With that experience and a year under his belt, I think he will make fewer freshman mistakes wrt ball handling. Not sure how much PG play he will get going forward, if that ship sailed or not.

I think JCL will primarily be a 2-guard, especially w/Nunn off the team. I don't think there's any thoughts of making him into a PG, especially w/the PG's and combo guards we have coming in next year. Hopefully JCL continues to work on his mid-range game.

 

[Sizzler22]

Usually, being the 1st one in line for a visit isn't good because it doesn't allow the program to leave the last impression and gives the recruit more time to forget about all the positives that took place within the visit. Now, if you're someone like Trent Frazier and you were so happy w/the visit that you decided to cancel your other ones, that's another story. I don't think that'll happen here. I would prefer to be the last school he visited rather than the first school.

Its funny because me and my fiancé have been looking for a house recently and I started to compare it to the recruiting process for some of these kids (I tried to make sure that didn't sound creepy haha). The first house we walked through I absolutely loved the floor plan and living space was just what we wanted and then we walked through a few others that were mediocre and then one at the end that really really blew my mind away (perfect for a bachelor for entertainment), it was everything I wanted....but then I kept thinking back to the first one because its really what we needed for our future and if we wanted to have kids. Even though the last one was the most attractive and really had everything....the first houses layout and floor plan was the better option. I don't think this is exactly what these kids go through obviously but it really just comes down to what you need for your future in my opinion.

 

[Greensboro]

Usually, being the 1st one in line for a visit isn't good because it doesn't allow the program to leave the last impression and gives the recruit more time to forget about all the positives that took place within the visit. Now, if you're someone like Trent Frazier and you were so happy w/the visit that you decided to cancel your other ones, that's another story. I don't think that'll happen here. I would prefer to be the last school he visited rather than the first school.

Problem is there is a difference between last scheduled/planned & last actual. I'm with FatGreg, I think the chances of him making it to UConn are slim, before that Xavier is nearly a month after IU visit...there is a good chance he doesn't make that one. In this case, I love going first, he least we get to make a pitch, maybe if rumors are true & Tilmon/Williams/Pickett show up something good happens. So let's hope for your first & last visit, that scenario usually plays real well.

 

[Johnny Lawrence]

Usually, being the 1st one in line for a visit isn't good because it doesn't allow the program to leave the last impression and gives the recruit more time to forget about all the positives that took place within the visit. Now, if you're someone like Trent Frazier and you were so happy w/the visit that you decided to cancel your other ones, that's another story. I don't think that'll happen here. I would prefer to be the last school he visited rather than the first school.

I ask again, how many recruits make it to all five scheduled visits? It seems to be that most (75%?) commit to a school somewhere midstream.