Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (September 2018)

[TeamWilliams]

Ok, so do we go all in on Anthony Walker now? If not what are PF/4 interior guy do we go after?

Also speaking of Walker, do we let Coach Walker go at the season's end?

 

[Calvin]

Staff was informed last night about EJ not coming, so I've heard.

I would sad face this, but I didn't expect him to be an Illini.

 

[OldSlowPG]

Ok, so do we go all in on Anthony Walker now? If not what are PF/4 interior guy do we go after?

Also speaking o Walker, do we let Coach Walker go at the season's end?

Hopefully we still have a shot at Anthony Walker. Capel from Pitt is really going after him. He's seen him on campus, at his home and at his school. Timme is really a PF, but we have heavy competition for him. From what we saw of Oscar, he can play PF. I imagine it's a long shot that we get him, however.

 

[BlueLeader]

We never expected to get EJ so don't let it get to you. Shannon wasn't supposed to be ours either, and what a weird recruitment that is. We need a 5. The else is dressing.

 

[whatahack]

Liddell isn’t coming here..

I know many will disagree but I hope it is OSU....anywhere but mizzery

 

[jrichisamazing]

We never expected to get EJ so don't let it get to you. Shannon wasn't supposed to be ours either, and what a weird recruitment that is. We need a 5. The else is dressing.

This is a pretty big deal. We’ve been on Liddell for a long time. For the majority of that time we were worried about a blue blood coming in. That didn’t happen. Same with Okoro. Losing Liddell, Shannon, and Okoro with none of them going to blue bloods would be pretty worrying.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

We need a 5. The else is dressing.

We need a 4 and a 5.

 

[Newman]

This is a pretty big deal. We’ve been on Liddell for a long time. For the majority of that time we were worried about a blue blood coming in. That didn’t happen. Same with Okoro. Losing Liddell, Shannon, and Okoro with none of them going to blue bloods would be pretty worrying.

They may not be blue bloods but all those kids have offers from schools that are much better than Illinois. There just isn’t much of a reason for a kid to pick Illinois unless the inner circle has some sort of connection to Illinois.

 

[Spoon House]

This is a pretty big deal. We’ve been on Liddell for a long time.

I don't share this outlook.

From the get-go, I counted Liddell as a lost cause. I don't think, at any point, we were given an overt reason to hope to land him other than the fact that he kept us around in his list. A pretty big part of me thinks he's kept Mizzou and Illinois in his list because of the buzz and publicity. Most information we've received described Liddell's recruitment as a two-horse race between Mizzou and tOSU, and tOSU pulled away after their official visit. We have always felt like an afterthought in the Liddell sweepstakes.

My consolation is that he won't be a Tiger, which is a great consolation indeed.

 

[SescIllini]

I know many will disagree but I hope it is OSU....anywhere but mizzery

If not Illinois, it is better he go to Mizzy. We can still beat Mizzy with him. OSU is a conference foe we could possibly play 3x/season.

 

[Spoon House]

If not Illinois, it is better he go to Mizzy. We can still beat Mizzy with him. OSU is a conference foe we could possibly play 3x/season.

It's true that if he goes to tOSU, he will leave us in tatters for 3-4 years, like tOSU always seems to do with some forward they have. But it's better than being left in tatters by Misery. Always.

 

[Tacomallini]

If not Illinois, it is better he go to Mizzy. We can still beat Mizzy with him. OSU is a conference foe we could possibly play 3x/season.

my thoughts too, but i think we're in the minority of fans on this. hate for mizzou runs deep in the illini nation

 

[jrichisamazing]

They may not be blue bloods but all those kids have offers from schools that are much better than Illinois. There just isn’t much of a reason for a kid to pick Illinois unless the inner circle has some sort of connection to Illinois.

That’s the whole point of recruiting. Give kids a reason to come to UI, make a connection. This staff doesn’t look too good at doing that.

If this fall recruiting cycle turns out the way it looks, then this upcoming season is going to be very important.

 

[stlillinifan]

Would be horrible to lose him to Mizzou

 

[IlliniinIowa]

That’s the whole point of recruiting. Give kids a reason to come to UI, make a connection. This staff doesn’t look too good at doing that.

If this fall recruiting cycle turns out the way it looks, then this upcoming season is going to be very important.

This season is already incredibly important. Another year of cellar dwelling in the big ten and I'm not sure Underwood will be here in a couple years without some huge recruiting coups. Which don't look very likely at this point.

Just hoping and praying we can be the surprise of the conference this season!!

 

[Tacomallini]

Would be horrible to lose him to Mizzou

Not ideal, I agree. But pragmatically I think it's tougher if he goes to tOSU, because we play them more. I get where you're coming from, and as you're a STL based illini fan, you've got a lot more skin in the Mizzou rivalry than I, a knucklehead in Tacoma, WA do.

 

[Spoon House]

I will be keeping an eye on CB's in the coming 24 hours. Late CB's are usually the fat lady.

 

[the national]

Not ideal, I agree. But pragmatically I think it's tougher if he goes to tOSU, because we play them more. I get where you're coming from, and as you're a STL based illini fan, you've got a lot more skin in the Mizzou rivalry than I, a knucklehead in Tacoma, WA do.

True, and logically put. However, I have respect for the big ten and generally want it to be the best conference in the country regardless of the outcome of Illinois. He is a great talent and would rather keep him in the B1G than go to the Missery yokels.

 

[drewillini89]

Hearing that Smith is a big reason EJ went cold on Illinois. He’s been in his ear and more importantly Smith’s parents have been in EJ’s parents ears.

 

[Spoon House]

"They've got this treadmill, man..."

 

[WARDFORTHREE]

So some things that I keep thinking about...has there ever been a team that finishes top 3 for recruits more than us?
Is walker a bad recruiter, or is it just we haven’t won and recruits don’t want to come?
How do teams that don’t win get so many more recruits than us? Are we recruiting too high profile players? We got some great recruits, but we need some guys who can just play for awhile. My opinion on it all? Get rid of walker and get a big time recruiter (grey even).

I have to also say, I have heard from far too many people that BU is too difficult. Cue the tough guys saying how kids need to handle it. It just doesn’t happen that way anymore folks. Kids are told they are the best from an early age and we need a coach that can push that agenda IMO.

That’s it. Disappointed if we don’t get EJL, he would fit the system perfectly. Long athletic and tough as nails.

 

[Joel Goodson]

So some things that I keep thinking about...has there ever been a team that finishes top 3 for recruits more than us?
Is walker a bad recruiter, or is it just we haven’t won and recruits don’t want to come?
How do teams that don’t win get so many more recruits than us? Are we recruiting too high profile players? We got some great recruits, but we need some guys who can just play for awhile.

My opinion on it all? Get rid of walker and get a big time recruiter (grey even). I’m pretty disappointed in Dee and his inability to do the right thing. He would have been awesome for us.

I have to also say, I have heard from far too many people that BU is too difficult. Cue the tough guys saying how kids need to handle it. It just doesn’t happen that way anymore folks. Kids are told they are the best from an early age and we need a coach that can push that agenda IMO.

That’s it. Disappointed if we don’t get EJL, he would fit the system perfectly. Long athletic and tough as nails. F OSU.

Frustrated and pissed off. That said, the writing has been on the wall for a loooong time. Was hoping we had made up ground and were in position to close on the OV. Yeah, guzzling the kool-aid. As far as blame goes, Walker is second banana, by a country mile.

 

[Yes33]

Unfortunately, all of these stars think they are going to come in and start from day one. Maybe He was worried about guaranteed PT and competition when he saw the team..

 

[PlayAZ]

Hearing that Smith is a big reason EJ went cold on Illinois. He’s been in his ear and more importantly Smith’s parents have been in EJ’s parents ears.

Well if that is all it takes....Smith was over-rated and couldn't live up to the billing....EJ is probably a little under-rated and has lived up to all the hype so far against elite competition. If that is the deciding factor there are issues...EJ is a very smart young man and his family has been through this before. Doubtful this is happening, but not a bad theory.

 

[illinitiger]

"Kids are told they are the best from an early age and we need a coach that can push that agenda"