Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (Week of April 19th, 2021)

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#326      

Deleted member 746826

D
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It’s funny to me how many people on here say Kofi can’t develop his game any more at the college level. How long has he been playing ball?? I bet all of us had the game down pat after playing for 5 years with nothing left to learn. Such a stupid take. If he had nothing left to develop or learn he would be a lock for the NBA instead of not showing up on any draft boards. Payne is a backup. I don’t believe for a second that Brad plans on starting him. Kofi will be back in orange and blue next season
it is not a stupid take. you cant have your cake and eat it too. if he can develop more of his game than he has the nba will scoop him up in a heartbeat. they love the guys with potential.
 
#327      
Agreed. And we didn't approve when Crean was doing it at Indiana. The times they are a changing!
Exactly, bad for others to do it, but turn a blind eye when it benefits us.

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#329      
There is some buzz on tigerboard about them wanting Cuonzo to pursue Hamlin. That team is going to be a train wreck for the foreseeable future. All is right in the world.
No...say it ain't so....former Illini players coming back to haunt us in the Braggin Rights game.....hopefully Mizzo rids itself of all former Illini players and recruits and we get a W in St. Louis this coming December
 
#331      

Deleted member 746826

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Not even close to the textbook definition of Creaning.
coaches knew what he was when they talked him into coming here. he gave us two years of bench backup. now we see better low hanging fruit. what is not a crean about this?
 
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#332      
Creaning is basically pulling a scholarship, not “you are not likely to get minutes here going forward and while we appreciate your contributions you may want to consider alternatives”. Calling the Hamlin situation a Creaning without some evidence is not a good look. These are not the same things.
 
#333      
Creaning came to be coined from a very specific circumstance.

When Crean first took over he signed 7 players for his first class, most of them signing in the spring. Then, that fall, before any of the 7 freshmen had even played a game he signed 7 more players in the early November signing period. So it became apparent to everyone that one of the freshmen was on the way out. It was widely mocked and thus the term.

Those circumstances are likely never to be repeated in college basketball.

I have no idea whether Hamlin was Creaned, that is told to find another home. It's certainly possible but it's probably more likely he's a basketball player that wants to play basketball and he's looking for the spot to do that.

Players transferring out because they're not getting time, voluntarily or involuntarily, really doesn't bother me a whole lot. I'm much more concerned about when guys like this are brought in and what they are told at that time. Are we being up front with them at the recruitment?
 
#334      
Creaning is basically pulling a scholarship, not “you are not likely to get minutes here going forward and while we appreciate your contributions you may want to consider alternatives”. Calling the Hamlin situation a Creaning without some evidence is not a good look. These are not the same things.
Was the original Creaning conducted on Matt Roth?
I recall that he was a significant contributor during a very low period at Indiana and after recruiting picked up, Roth was shown the door with a year of eligibility left.
 
#335      

haasi

New York
Fine, I will concede it does not fit the “true” definition of Creaning since we aren’t currently over signed.

But we’d be naive not to admit Illinois is searching for an impact 4 and out of scholarships. Jermaine was lowest in the rotation and left before it became glaringly obvious someone had to go.
In light of the ncaa’s change of policy allowing transfers to play immediately I think even “true” Creaning is a lot less problematic than it used to be. It used to be that the player kind of got screwed because he’d have to burn a year sitting out after transferring. And if the player already redshirted, he’d lose a year of eligibility entirely.

Illini took Hamlin as a very late flyer when he had no high major offers and was heading to prep school. He got two years here being part of winning teams at the highest level of college ball, got some playing time, got tons of practice time against an elite center and coaching from an elite big man coach. At this point, I assume he would rather go somewhere he can get a lot of playing time immediately and for two years as an upperclassman. If his preference is riding pine, it does stink a little that he’s being encouraged to transfer (I would assume that’s all that’s happened and the coaching staff did not tell him “we’re not renewing your scholarship”). But with the way the transfer portal now works, that’s life in high major basketball. People transfer freely, there is major upside to many players in that they get to go play wherever they want immediately, and the downside to players who don’t want to leave is limited by the fact that they can also go play elsewhere immediately.

I have mixed feelings on the transfer portal. I think it’s fair to players, but I don’t love the impact it has on the sport. As a spectator, I enjoy roster continuity and watching players develop and teams come together. But with the changes to the portal and the proliferation of transfers, schools can’t be expected to just sit back and let other schools position themselves well while others don’t. There are tons of top notch transfers available, and we lost one in Miller. We’d be idiotic not to try to take advantage of the portal, which every other team is doing.
 
#338      
I have watched the Illini since Manny Jackson. This is the best recruiting staff I think Illinois has ever had! They have the knack of finding players that at first we say: "WHO is that guy!?" I can't believe we gave HIM a "ride." THEN we see him play and say: "This staff knows what they are doing!"
I watched my fair share of Illini BBall mostly when coach Combs was the man in charge
with Skip Thoren, Bogie Redmon, Don Freeman, Dave Downey, et. al. I met and would briefly chat once in awhile with Preston Person then an Illini bball player.
 
#340      

uofi7477

Silver & Gold Vandals
I watched my fair share of Illini BBall mostly when coach Combs was the man in charge
with Skip Thoren, Bogie Redmon, Don Freeman, Dave Downey, et. al. I met and would briefly chat once in awhile with Preston Person then an Illini bball player.
That is way back there for sure, and did you also say you saw The Quarrymen too?
 
#341      
No...say it ain't so....former Illini players coming back to haunt us in the Braggin Rights game.....hopefully Mizzo rids itself of all former Illini players and recruits and we get a W in St. Louis this coming December
What I held against Cuonzo was that he poached players and coaches off other teams' rosters where those individuals were already committed. That is why Tilmon and Smith and Cuonzo were booed in StL at the game. And don't forget the Porter twins and their father. Justice was served when neither Porter twin played much, Smith was a dud, and Tilmon never fulfilled his potential. Now they are all gone and Cuonzo has to recruit.
 
#342      
it is not a stupid take. you cant have your cake and eat it too. if he can develop more of his game than he has the nba will scoop him up in a heartbeat. they love the guys with potential.
There's a fine balance. A lot (most) of players that are going to be drafted ahead of Ayo don't have his production. What they do have is perceived potential/ceiling. So, the longer a player stays in college, the more that player is perceived to have neared their ceiling. Obviously, Kofi's game would improve with another year. So the balance...would Kofi improve his draftability with one more year of college? Maybe, it's really hard to say. If Kofi came back and was a front runner for national player of the year, averaged 20 pts/12 rbds, improved his passing, and added a short jumper, maybe. Those things aren't out of reach. I guess it depends on the feedback he'll get from the NBA.
 
#343      

uofi7477

Silver & Gold Vandals
What I held against Cuonzo was that he poached players and coaches off other teams' rosters where those individuals were already committed. That is why Tilmon and Smith and Cuonzo were booed in StL at the game. And don't forget the Porter twins and their father. Justice was served when neither Porter twin played much, Smith was a dud, and Tilmon never fulfilled his potential. Now they are all gone and Cuonzo has to recruit.
Very sweet indeed.
 
#345      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
coaches knew what he was when they talked him into coming here. he gave us two years of bench backup. now we see better low hanging fruit. what is not a crean about this?

Because you/we have no idea if his scholarship was pulled from him. That's Creaning.

A kid putting his name in todays transfer portal is not even close to being "Creaned". It's just yet another example in a long line of posters creating their own narrative to suit their idea of what is happening when no one actually knows.
 
#346      

Central IL Illini

Springfield, IL
It’s funny to me how many people on here say Kofi can’t develop his game any more at the college level. How long has he been playing ball?? I bet all of us had the game down pat after playing for 5 years with nothing left to learn. Such a stupid take. If he had nothing left to develop or learn he would be a lock for the NBA instead of not showing up on any draft boards. Payne is a backup. I don’t believe for a second that Brad plans on starting him. Kofi will be back in orange and blue next season
I think it is more the things that he needs to be become a better NBA prospect cant be developed, a la quick feet, a three point shot, and longer arms. Kofi improved vastly from his freshman to sophomore year, and what did that do for his draft prospects? I agree with another poster who said the only way he could really develop into a meaningful NBA contributor would be start practicing against NBA big men every day.

If he did come back he would probably end up being a slightly better version of what he was this year. A dominant inside force with a game that doesn't really translate to the modern NBA, but is an unbelievable college player. What's best for Kofi and what's best for Illinois aren't really congruent, even if he stays. I still think there is a spot for him on an NBA roster as a rim runner/rim protector coming off the bench.
 
#349      
Not even close to creaning. I bet he is having a great time cheerleading instead of playing. Meetings at the end of the year lets players no their position for next year. Im just guessing here but playing time this past year might help in that decision too. Just a guess.
 
#350      

kcib8130

Parts Unknown
What I held against Cuonzo was that he poached players and coaches off other teams' rosters where those individuals were already committed. That is why Tilmon and Smith and Cuonzo were booed in StL at the game. And don't forget the Porter twins and their father. Justice was served when neither Porter twin played much, Smith was a dud, and Tilmon never fulfilled his potential. Now they are all gone and Cuonzo has to recruit.
Spin it however you want, they beat us three years in a row.
 
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