Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (March 2017)

[FIREHAWK]

jerrymeyer247[/B][/URL] for clicks and ad revenue....Last I checked he still has a signed LOI with UI, picking a "new team" now seems bit premature and silly.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Jerry Meyer‏ @jerrymeyer247 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]@IlliniNationNet @Dihvinity Also, I am trying to pick correctly. Being right mean a lot more to me than money made by the company.[/FONT]

sure...and if you believe that one I have a bridge to sell you

 

[Whitman2020]

Yeah I assumed he was gone when Groce was fired so if he stays it's just a bonus in my mind.

 

[Illini B-Ball Fan]

to be honest, I'm just tired of the Tilmon watch. All the drama getting him to commit, then all the drama getting him to sign the LOI. Now more drama about him staying, this is before he's played one minute in an Illini uniform. This is not about Tilmon or his family specifically, but the swirling hooplah around him. If he goes, he goes. The team will survive. If he stays, wonderful. Just no more Tilmon watches.

Yeah, plus we just started a transfer thread that will have some potentials available next year right away to take his place, so less drama would be nice.

 

[Adnarel]

Yeah I assumed he was gone when Groce was fired so if he stays it's just a bonus in my mind.

Exactly. He is now officially a cherry on top. A really sweet cherry, but a cherry on top. And we've already got a decent chocolate shake here to work with.

 

[haasi]

to be honest, I'm just tired of the Tilmon watch. All the drama getting him to commit, then all the drama getting him to sign the LOI. Now more drama about him staying, this is before he's played one minute in an Illini uniform. This is not about Tilmon or his family specifically, but the swirling hooplah around him. If he goes, he goes. The team will survive. If he stays, wonderful. Just no more Tilmon watches.

completely agree. if he comes great, if not would suck but we'll live. we knew this was a risk when we fired Groce. Hopefully it won't set us back too much. also in this vein, it's most important that BU get the coaching staff he wants. if walker is among those guys and that lets us keep tilmon fabulous, but if he thinks someone else would be a better fit, give him the opportunity to assemble his own staff

 

[FatGreg]

to be honest, I'm just tired of the Tilmon watch. All the drama getting him to commit, then all the drama getting him to sign the LOI. Now more drama about him staying, this is before he's played one minute in an Illini uniform. This is not about Tilmon or his family specifically, but the swirling hooplah around him. If he goes, he goes. The team will survive. If he stays, wonderful. Just no more Tilmon watches.

He's a 5-star big man. This is par for the course given the dynamics at work (coaching change, general program turbulence). If the program is heading where we hope it is, buckle up. Recruitments like Tilmon's, Elijah Thomas's, and Cliff Alexander's are typical.

 

[Illwinsagain]

I certainly hope that he makes it to UI. We haven't had a big rated this well since Leonard. I'd like to see it come to fruition. If you would like to avoid the drama, you could not click ghe recruiting thread.

 

[redwingillini11]

to be honest, I'm just tired of the Tilmon watch. All the drama getting him to commit, then all the drama getting him to sign the LOI. Now more drama about him staying, this is before he's played one minute in an Illini uniform. This is not about Tilmon or his family specifically, but the swirling hooplah around him. If he goes, he goes. The team will survive. If he stays, wonderful. Just no more Tilmon watches.

You're right. If he goes to Mizzou, then good for them, they can enjoy their one year of hype and falling short in March, while we lay the foundations for a top level program.

 

[chief9]

Absolutely no way. Even with the Porter's, Mizzou is not in that great of a situation right now. I could see SLU but not Mizzou.

EDIT well maybe if they get Walker but otherwise, Jerry Meyer is so off base here

So is Jerry basically outing Missouri as committing NCAA violations???opcorn:

 

[robjilla]

How does everyone feel about Brian Bowen?

I met him last week at the bulls game. The whole La Lumiere team was there. Him and Jordan Poole apparently go to the same barber shop.. lol.. He is a good dude. I asked him about his recruitment. He mentioned he went to Arizona, Michigan State recently. I asked him was it true that he visited DePaul and he said yes. DePaul has 2 recruits from last years class on the team. Athletic, good in between game. Any school in the country would take him.

 

[Illwinsagain]

So is Jerry basically outing Missouri as committing NCAA violations???opcorn:

It has to be some kind of record, right? Less than a week?

 

[Illini B-Ball Fan]

March 11, 2017: Unofficial Visit
Brian Bowen unofficially visits DePaul Blue Demons

DePaul is still in on him? Wow!

Did Bowen ever visit Illinois?

 

[illiguy85]

Maybe Underwood not sending encouraging signals to him.

Judging from BU's presser I'm guessing he's not interested in Illinois kids with an LOI to UI that might want to bolt to a traditional rival.

Good riddance if Tillmon doesn't figure it out.

I don't think primadonna's fit BU's style.

This is rife with false assumptions. Did Underwood not state that he planned to speak with each committed recruit? The Tilmon camp has also not yet reneged on their commitment to Illinois yet, as they are also evaluating the situation. We'd be fortunate to have Tilmon come play with us, but you can understand if he does not want to - Underwood did not recruit him (until now).

 

[Obelix]

Judging from BU's presser I'm guessing he's not interested in Illinois kids with an LOI to UI that might want to bolt to a traditional rival.

And what part of the presser made you reach that conclusion.

 

[ChiefIllini]

Tilmon handled this entire process about as classy as any other borderline top 25 kid has in recent years. He seems like a great, no nonsense kind of kid. Why try to label someone without any merit other than the new HC not coming out in his first official appearance begging for him to stay on?

I think both sides have handled the situation perfectly since Groce was fired.

 

[Deleted member 236589]

He's a 5-star big man. This is par for the course given the dynamics at work (coaching change, general program turbulence). If the program is heading where we hope it is, buckle up. Recruitments like Tilmon's, Elijah Thomas's, and Cliff Alexander's are typical.

Honestly, I agree with the other poster's sentiment. If Tilmon is that tied to Assistant coach to this extent vs loyalty to the school he chose, then let him go. I was moved at the time about him saying that he wanted to play for his state school. Frazier, being from FL, has shown more dedication to his commitment to the University of ILLINOIS....Than the kids of their home state of Illinois.

The school hasn't changed, the education hasn't changed, the fact that it's our home state hasn't changed, the roster hasn't changed and in Tilmon's case, early playing time definitely hasn't changed.

If he is that tied to an assistant and is willing to kick the school to the curb that easily, see ya. You have to build a program based on the buy in of 100% of your staff, parents and players.

Holding Underwood hostage over Walker is ridiculous. It's either they're both committed to being here or they aren't. If not, later.....

 

[DaChief4ever]

Tilmon better be sensational....lotta blow he's LeBron incarnate.

 

[HTT]

If BU is playing one big and 4 guards/wings, the big has to be Tilmon. I don't think anyone else in our squad or anyone we may recruit can be that big guy.

 

[Adnarel]

Come on guys, don't start dragging the poor guy over the coals because of a stupid CB. That's not cool.

 

[Johnny Lawrence]

I do not think DaMonte de-commit would be the end of the world. We are overloaded on guards next year and possibly adding Smith to the mix. If we keep things like this someone has to transfer out in 1 or 2 years. We need to leave some schollies for bigs and some free space for BU to get who he wants.

Small line-up and quick tempo utopia will be destroyed in big10. Every big10 coach (except John Groce) knows how to slow opponents down and punish bad D and undersized squad. Free flowing dream might work in other conference but not the No.1 toughness conference. If we do not have front-court with depth, size, athleticism and great D overall, we are going to be bad forever. Black and Tilmon are excellent front-court starters but we must add depth to that.

I would take Demonte over Trent any day of the week and twice on Selection Sunday.

 

[Peoria Pipeline]

Absolutely no way. Even with the Porter's, Mizzou is not in that great of a situation right now. I could see SLU but not Mizzou.

EDIT well maybe if they get Walker but otherwise, Jerry Meyer is so off base here

SLU was 12-21 last year and one of the worst offenses in the country. Ford cant coach, players are going to eventually realize this. I know Goodwin is coming next year, and Gordon(still feel he may end up elsewhere) the following year but SLU is a long way from being good.

 

[1LL1NO1S]

Wouldn't we restrict Tilmon from transferring to Missouri because of the bragging rights game? Just like we restrict other transfers from transferring into other B1G teams?

 

[Illwinsagain]

This is rife with false assumptions. Did Underwood not state that he planned to speak with each committed recruit? The Tilmon camp has also not yet reneged on their commitment to Illinois yet, as they are also evaluating the situation. We'd be fortunate to have Tilmon come play with us, but you can understand if he does not want to - Underwood did not recruit him (until now).

Thank you.

 

[OneTime3]

Yeh, I hope Tilmon comes here obviously and think he'll fit in the system well - but don't blame him at all for thinking about it / possibly leaving - coach got fired lol, coaches are a huge reason a lot of these guys commit to certain places.

 

[Whitman2020]

The real question is if we win tonight, do the Walker conversations progress to a point that they can tell JT what is going on, or is he in the wind until the end of the month?