Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (Week of April 1st, 2021)

[the juiceman cometh]

Exactly. Thank you for pointing this out. Armaan would be an amazing get, and let's be honest, Ace was a disappointment this year. Disclaimer: he's a freshmen and will improve, but Belo was better this year, at least more fun to watch. Armaan is proven and put up more efficient numbers this year.

Please take a look at Franklin's numbers as a freshman and see how that informs your priors on Ace’s freshman year.

AM is gone. In that context Franklin would be a great addition., and I wholeheartedly hope he comes. But to compare Franklin's sophmore performance with AM's freshman performance and come to the conclusion that Franklin is an upgrade is classic cherry-picking evidence to fit the desired narrative.

 

[Dbell1981]

Would have liked to see Miller stay but put me in the camp of Goode replaces his shooting and Melendez replaces his playmaking. Plus we get 5 more fouls to use/s. Of course we would be better with all 3 players but beggers can't be choosers. I also find it hilarious that we are critiquing top 50 players when we would be going bananas 2 years ago about Paynes potential and 3 years of eligibility left. Thats all, Happy Easter Loyalty

 

[CV Illini]

Any timeline on Franklin decision?

 

[Kofiisforclosing]

He was a freshman. You're acting like he was going to stay at that spot next year, when in reality, freshmen generally improve quite a bit.

You have to compare his projected value over the rest of his career compared to any replacement, which is obviously much more difficult to do. But it's safe to say Miller would have most likely improved and has an extremely high upside (possibly NBA). Let's not pretend it's a minor loss.

Lol @ Miller possibly in the nba.

 

[I11ini82]

Miller finished the season on Torvik as the #73 rated player in the BIG. A couple of players on both sides.....Gabe Kalscheur, Trey McGowens, Chase Audige, and Jonathon Davis, hardly all conference guys or even close. BTW, Franklin was #53.

This post paints such an incomplete picture.

1) Torvik's player rankings are offensive only.

2) Comparing a freshman to sophomores, juniors, and seniors isn't exactly an apples to apples comparison.

3) Miller was the 8th best freshman in the conference. Franklin was the 11th best sophomore.

4) Franklin wasn't even in the top 100 as a freshman.

 

[illini80]

Exactly. Thank you for pointing this out. Armaan would be an amazing get, and let's be honest, Ace was a disappointment this year. Disclaimer: he's a freshmen and will improve, but Belo was better this year, at least more fun to watch. Armaan is proven and put up more efficient numbers this year.

Disagree that Belo was the better player this year. If he started every game like Miller it would have been a much different season. Adam was a solid, dependable player. Belo was spectacularly good and spectacularly bad at times. I would agree the last few games Belo improved dramatically. They both have high ceilings.

 

[Joel Goodson]

Disagree that Belo was the better player this year. If he started every game like Miller it would have been a much different season. Adam was a solid, dependable player. Belo was spectacularly good and spectacularly bad at times. I would agree the last few games Belo improved dramatically. They both have high ceilings.

They do, but Curbelo's is a lot higher.

 

[pruman91]

Disagree that Belo was the better player this year. If he started every game like Miller it would have been a much different season. Adam was a solid, dependable player. Belo was spectacularly good and spectacularly bad at times. I would agree the last few games Belo improved dramatically. They both have high ceilings.

Belo was on the B1G all frosh team.....also was 6th man of the B1G.......
Miller was a starter on a top 5 team.....averaged almost 10 ppg...improved dramatically on defense.....good 3pt shooter

I think belo was better but it;s strictly a matter of one's own opinion........

I'm glad we got Belo and he is staying an Illini...

Wish I could say the same about Miller, but he and others made a decision to leave...

i think Goode , RJ and Hutch and others we add will more than make up for his lost production...

Spin it whatever way anyone wants to, but I'm going to root for the players wearing an Illini uniform next season and not lament on those who turned their back on the Illini program.......

loyalty has been replaced with a "" me first attitude """ in certain circles and that is a shame.......

it was discussed repeatedly about our great chemistry this year...was it "" REAL """ or a facade ????

bring on some good news please ....This board, and I, need it ASAP

 

[Joel Goodson]

loyalty has been replaced with a "" me first attitude """ in certain circles

nope, it's always been that way. Recency bias is a b*tch, lol.

My team is on the floor!

 

[Oranges]

@the Adam Miller debate

 

[Nappy I_L_L]

Please take a look at Franklin's numbers as a freshman and see how that informs your priors on Ace’s freshman year.

AM is gone. In that context Franklin would be a great addition., and I wholeheartedly hope he comes. But to compare Franklin's sophmore performance with AM's freshman performance and come to the conclusion that Franklin is an upgrade is classic cherry-picking evidence to fit the desired narrative.

Ace had an attitude when he was off the court. As many have said, we do not want players that don't want to play for UI. Yes, I agree that all freshman struggle, but it is unfair to say Ace would have made the leap. I wish Ace the best of luck at his new school. Illinois has the big recruiting mentality, though losing out on keeping a quality Chicago kid hurts, it will not ruin the recruiting of the future.

 

[Flight33]

Okay, so the majority of people on here are past stages one and two (denial and anger) of grief and many are working on the bargaining stage (comparing Miller to other players and outcomes). This would make for a fascinating psychology paper. Some of you UI undergrads should look into it. I guess I'm using (attempted) humor to deal with my grief...

 

[Emerson Bigguns]

Please take a look at Franklin's numbers as a freshman and see how that informs your priors on Ace’s freshman year.

AM is gone. In that context Franklin would be a great addition., and I wholeheartedly hope he comes. But to compare Franklin's sophmore performance with AM's freshman performance and come to the conclusion that Franklin is an upgrade is classic cherry-picking evidence to fit the desired narrative.

One could debate that if Franklin stays on a somewhat linear path of development, he would be an upgrade for the 21-22 Illini, even over a much improved AM.
Long term, I agree, as Miller has more remaining eligibility to improve.

 

[CubsIlliniFan]

This. Also, if you replace a guy with a player who doesn’t have people in his ear and he and those around him understand the role and fit, it’s all the better. Ace seemed like a GREAT teammate, but kids are human. If my mom/dad/influencer was upset at how I was being utilized when I played and making it known notwithstanding any team success, it would affect me (and by extension the team) negatively.

What I see in Franklin is a guy that managed to shoot really well from deep on decent volume in one of the most dumpster fire offenses in the B10 that stands a legit 6’4”. Sign me up, because that’s who needs to be Curbelo’s wing man in the back court.

I grew up with kids who had controlling parents. One time, I turned to one of these parents and gave a tongue lashing. I did not care, I was one of the most despised kids in my lousy town so me yelling at them was pure pleasure. Parents are such manipulators. It is truly sad. But Miller is easily replaceable. Good player and he will develop. Who ever is pulling his strings may ruin him. We will get a guy who is longer, more athletic who fits better in BU's scheme, thinking Franklin or whoever. BU will not wait around licking his wounds.

 

[Chieeeeffffff]

I wonder if you said the same thing about Kendrick Nunn after his freshman year too.

I’m sure Ace’s family would love to hear he’ll be undrafted and spend a year in the G league before being picked up on a minimum contract, but only after spending five years in college.

While we’re on the subject of Nunn, he had superior shooting splits as a freshman (and even better in conference play—around 47 percent from the field and over 40 from three) as compared with Ace’s freshman year (under 40 overall and ~34 percent from three). Nunn was B10 all freshman and is a much better athlete than Ace. Nunn then regressed (shot under 40 percent from the field) his next two seasons before he left the team.

Franklin’s stats are bird in the hand sophomore numbers, in the same conference, and he’s a larger guard. He made the leap you speculate Miller could make. Miller’s ceiling could be higher as a soph, but he could also go the Nunn route and stink it up from the floor his sophomore year in larger role. I don’t think the numbers support his leaving as a catastrophic loss on the court (off the court is obviously a different story).

 

[sacraig]

Lol @ Miller possibly in the nba.

I didn't say possibly now. I said it's possible in the future. You think he has no possible NBA upside even after a few more years of work an improvement? Even as a 3 and D guy? Why do you feel that way?

 

[Emerson Bigguns]

If it were me, I would tell whoever, parents or handler to STHU and stay out my business. I am the player here and you are the greed. My happiness does not grow from your happiness.

Easier said than done if that person is your parent, who very literally supported you every day of your life until now. Many of these kids parents invest countless hours and dollars in the process of getting their kids to this point.
Not sure someone telling their Mom to STHU is a very high character move, except in pretty extreme circumstances.

 

[DB11Headband]

Let’s log off and try again tomorrow, Loyalty. Good grief I’ve lost brain cells reading the last few pages about a kid who is totally irrelevant to our program now. Back to recruiting maybe?

 

[I11ini82]

Ace had an attitude when he was off the court. As many have said, we do not want players that don't want to play for UI. Yes, I agree that all freshman struggle, but it is unfair to say Ace would have made the leap. I wish Ace the best of luck at his new school. Illinois has the big recruiting mentality, though losing out on keeping a quality Chicago kid hurts, it will not ruin the recruiting of the future.

My thoughts on this entire post:

There is just too much wrong with this post.

 

[CV Illini]

Happy Easter! Can we please continue to talk about a player, that has decided to transfer, in the recruiting thread? It's so much fun!

 

[BretMyBeachHouse]

Okay, so the majority of people on here are past stages one and two (denial and anger) of grief and many are working on the bargaining stage (comparing Miller to other players and outcomes). This would make for a fascinating psychology paper. Some of you UI undergrads should look into it. I guess I'm using (attempted) humor to deal with my grief...

I wonder if there is NIH money available.

 

[sacraig]

The revisionist history here is astounding. (I mean, not really surprising, but astounding.)

 

[Flight33]

I grew up with kids who had controlling parents. One time, I turned to one of these parents and gave a tongue lashing. I did not care, I was one of the most despised kids in my lousy town so me yelling at them was pure pleasure. Parents are such manipulators. It is truly sad. But Miller is easily replaceable. Good player and he will develop. Who ever is pulling his strings may ruin him. We will get a guy who is longer, more athletic who fits better in BU's scheme, thinking Franklin or whoever. BU will not wait around licking his wounds.

I agree with telling a "handler" that (who needs a handler, anyway?), but I can't see telling my parents something like that.

 

[TCTORNADO]

Is Nimari Burnett still on to announce on April 8th??

 

[BretMyBeachHouse]

Happy Easter! Can we please continue to talk about a player, that has decided to transfer, in the recruiting thread? It's so much fun!

Yep. There literally is a thread devoted to his transfer. Have it folks.