Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (Week of April 5th, 2021)

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#951      
Lville what are you hearing on Podz and Tre Mitchell? Is the staff still talking to Adam Miller or has that ship sailed?
still hearing positive things on podz, he should commit soon. A lot of Tre Mitchell has to do with Kofi, I actually think he could play the four here. Antigua is recruiting him so there is a chance there. With Adam, who knows. We will have to wait and see but that ship has not sailed just yet.....
 
#952      
I'm sure this will have me labelled as one of the "sky is falling" crew, but I find it a little disappointing that one of the insiders who was talking just a couple weeks ago about how we're going to reload with all this talent and compete again next year is now talking about building for the future. I think it's possible to feel good about the future of the program and also feel disappointed about the lost opportunity. Depending on where the chips fall this team could be very good next year, or could miss the tourney. That's not a terrible place to be in, but I also don't think it's where we imagined we'd be a few weeks ago.
We somehow still lack the recruiting clout, at times, you'd think we'd have with certain guys. I'm not completely shocked with transfers as we need to look at the younger guys who just saw what Ayo did etc. and who they actually made an impression on. Hence I'm more relieved we've landed Bass and Storr than I am concerned guys who didn't care about Illinois 2 years ago aren't suddenly over the moon for us.
 
#956      
I remain fairly confident Kofi is coming back. No reputable site has him even getting drafted and we all know his deficiencies, all of which can be remedied with hard work and a good coaching staff.
This reputable site has him going late 2nd round.
 
#957      
And I'd like to remind the "lower the bar" crowd that no other 1 seed in the tourney this year is having the "punch a ticket to the dance" or "underdog" conversation right now. All I've heard the last month from fans and players is that Illinois is "back"
I'd like to remind you specifically that all those other 1 seeds in the tourney have been consistently better than us in the last decade.
 
#959      
As of right now we are Belo and a bunch of unknowns......

We have to start getting some of these guys at some point. We can't keep saying on to the next because next is not as good as what was there. Player pool may not be but talent pool will continue to dwindle.

Right now these guys have become a priority....

The Mitchell
Kofi (coming back)
Adam Miller ( coming to his senses)

Otherwise we may not even be a bubble team next year. I'm not a pessimist and always a optimist with our illini but up to now I dont like what has happened this off season.

I mean, to me, a team with Curbelo, Miller, Grandison, Mitchell and Kofi as the starting 5 has a legit shot to get a double bye in the Big Ten and is probably the best frontcourt in the country (I’ve watched a decent bit of Mitchell, and he’s really that good). I don’t think missing on one of those pieces takes us off the bubble next year. Whiff on all 3, and then let’s talk...
 
#960      
I would like to remind the “sky is falling” folks that this staff has consistently been able to coach players up.

Who did they coach up Underwood's first 2 seasons when Kofi wasn't on the team? Those first 2 Underwood teams were bad. 14-18, 12-21 level bad. I'd argue the 14-18 team didn't have much talent, and it was Underwood's first season so I'll give him a pass. But the 12-21 team had Ayo, Giorgi, Frazier, Feliz all on it. So I think the jury is definitely out on whether Underwood can coach up inferior talent since he hasn't at Illinois. Which is people take recruiting misses very hard. We know this staff can win with high end talent. But if they don't have it, the results haven't been good.
 
#961      
I kinda think our roster situation is hurting us here. Curbelo is really the only main contributor back. Sure there’s playing time everywhere but these top players want to play on top teams and even with our great season, we very much are an unknown.
Ummmm is Grandison chopped liver?
 
#962      
Except this is what he has coming in next year 😳

Alabama looks to be in good shape, but let's do a quick comp, for those feeling overly jealous...

4 of their top 8 minutes guys were seniors - Jones and Petty being the headliners - and presumed to not be returning.

4 of our top 8 minutes guys are either seniors or confirmed to be leaving (Ayo, Giorgi, Trent, Da'Monte). Yes, we have 2 more that could be gone (Kofi, Adam), but let's go with best case scenario for now.

They're bringing in a former top-50 who hasn't shown much at the college level yet (Nimari). So are we (Omar).

They return a young PG who will take on a more prominent role (Quinerly), not unlike us with Curbelo.

If you rank all of the incoming recruits together, they have the two best, but then we have the next two.

1. 0.9962 JD Davison
2. 0.9897 Charles Bediako
3. 0.9569 Luke Goode
4. 0.9531 Ramses Melendez
5. 0.9390 Jusaun Holt
6. 0.9352 Langston Wilson

When you consider that Hutch would be rated 0.9999, then it starts looking more even.

I think they may be out of rides, whereas we could still add more.

Let's say we lose Adam, but keep Kofi. Would you want to trade rosters?
 
#966      
So....you don't have hope for him being special?

College basketball has taught me that greatness can spring forth in surprising ways, from surprising sources. So, I have hope.

But I do get nervous for a guy when expectations are set so high, based on relatively thin evidence.
 
#972      

texillwek

🔶🔹🔸🔷
Supposedly, his Mom didn't like Underwood.
house of cards GIF by Vulture.com
 
#974      
Add Mitchell and Washington and we are in pretty good shape.
PG. Belo, TyTy
Guards. Hutch, Jake, Goode, Melendez
Bigs, Hawk, Payne, BBV, Mitchell
Two deep at each position but need that big and a PG. Don’t see another 6’4”-6’6” guard as a priority.
 
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