Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (March 2021)

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#1,951      
During the B1G tourney, Ayo and Garza's family were sitting together and the two fathers talking. I think Garza needs another year to fine tune NBA skills, and will take advantage of the COVID year. But Iowa is losing much of the supporting cast. Therefore, the families agreed it would be best for both Ayo and Garza to come back, with Garza sliding into the four spot at Illinois with Kofi at the five and Grandison moving to the three. That's it, isn't it? Ayo staying and Garza transferring in ?
Both those guys are done playing college basketball lol
 
#1,952      
If Grandison is a bench player for Illinois next year we will have a really good team. I like how Grandison plays and his experience will be needed next year
Then I guess I think we’ll have a really good team. I posted this in another thread, but this disappointing exit/team remind me of Self’s last Illini squad that had high hopes for a deep run but lost in the second round to ND. Cook was a dominant 20 ppg scorer (and B10 POY) surrounded by a talented young core (including some guy named Dee Brown) and some solid veteran pieces. We lost Cook, but the sophs made the leap, and Luther made another mini leap, and we know how the next two years went. Lots of ifs—can Belo and Ace (and Hawkins) make big leaps? I think they can. Can we fill in some roster gaps? I think we will.
 
#1,953      

Deleted member 747671

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I'm guessing it's someone not really mentioned in this thread. Guessing it was a high end recruit who had a rough year and/or coaching change.
The name I was going to include on this very vague post just entered the portal so I guess I can say it without feeling bad. Khristian Lander
 
#1,957      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
I can't imagine this current transfer portal configuration is going to be a long term solution. The chaos is already enormous and we're nowhere close to the finish line.
As long as other sports don't require a one year sit out, there's no going back. IOW, get used to it.
 
#1,959      
Then I guess I think we’ll have a really good team. I posted this in another thread, but this disappointing exit/team remind me of Self’s last Illini squad that had high hopes for a deep run but lost in the second round to ND. Cook was a dominant 20 ppg scorer (and B10 POY) surrounded by a talented young core (including some guy named Dee Brown) and some solid veteran pieces. We lost Cook, but the sophs made the leap, and Luther made another mini leap, and we know how the next two years went. Lots of ifs—can Belo and Ace (and Hawkins) make big leaps? I think they can. Can we fill in some roster gaps? I think we will.
I fully expect big leaps from all the Freshmen. A full summer of a college hoops training program, along with a real training camp will do all of them wonders. Andre & Adam are already really good players. They will be handed the keys. We saw flashes of what CH can bring to the table. I think his role will expand a great deal.

As Al McGuire famously said "The best thing about Freshmen is they become Sophomores." I am really excited to see the 2.0 version of these players.

There is a lot of gloom and doom regarding incoming players. I personally think if we hang on to what we have we will still be a tournament team, which is a far cry from where we were 4 or 5 years ago.
 
#1,961      
I think you're both right. The culture is (at least should be) already relatively established so you're not really rebuilding the program, but if Kofi leaves and the way transfers are going across college basketball you are "rebuilding" the roster. This isn't a tear it down and start over rebuild, just getting a decent amount of new guys rebuild.
KY "rebuilds" every year...they just have 9 18 yr olds to train each year.
 
#1,965      

frozenrope9190

Aurora, IL
As long as other sports don't require a one year sit out, there's no going back. IOW, get used to it.
It's not the number of transfers that is concerning to me. It's the possibility of linking coach movement with player movement. Shaka goes from Texas to Marquette and takes Ramey and Sims with him. Now schools can start offering coaches contracts based on the players the coach can poach with him, then dump the coach when those players are gone and take the next coach from the next program that has a good set of players. The money is going to be there from some booster. Obviously it gets much more complicated, but this doesn't feel sustainable.
 
#1,969      

sacraig

The desert
It's not the number of transfers that is concerning to me. It's the possibility of linking coach movement with player movement. Shaka goes from Texas to Marquette and takes Ramey and Sims with him. Now schools can start offering coaches contracts based on the players the coach can poach with him, then dump the coach when those players are gone and take the next coach from the next program that has a good set of players. The money is going to be there from some booster. Obviously it gets much more complicated, but this doesn't feel sustainable.

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That's a slippery slope fallacy if I've ever seen one. Ultimately, coaches aren't dumb, nor are their agents. They'll guard against this with big buyouts and schools won't be able to afford to just poach coaches for one or two years just to bring some recruits and then move on. Maybe it would influence some hiring decisions, but the ultimate hiring criterion will be whether a coach can build long-term success, not a short-term transfer haul.

In that sense, it's really no different than now. A coach's recruiting ability is already factored into hiring decisions.
 
#1,972      
Belo, Ace, (guard to be named), Hutch/Hawkins, (big to be named) is how I think this plays out. Hope I’m wrong and Kofi stays.
I am really high on Hutch (assuming he can get and stay healthy), but we are screwed defensively if he's our 4. He's long but even leaner than Grandison.

I agree about the need for a big (priority #1 if Kofi leaves) and a backup PG. But if Kofi stays, the top of my wish list is a 6'6"+ lengthy, burly defender. We have to replace the DMW role.
 
#1,975      
Look, yes Lander had a rough year but he reclassified. Honestly should have still been in high school but IU really pushed for him to come early. Plus Archie might be the worst guard developing coach I’ve ever seen. Lander wasn’t a 5 star for s***s and gigs. Look him up on YouTube and tell me he’s not talented. I think he’d be a great get if we lose out on TyTy and Nimari. EDIT: plus he’ll still be a freshman eligibility wise who just got baptized in the B1G. IU fans said he was showing more promise down the stretch so I’d really love to see this
 
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