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

[sharpshot16]

more of unc giving out unrealistic numbers and we were not willing to do the same and gave Garcia a much more realistic number

Wouldn't say this is the case...

TIFWIW but Illinois, being the data nerds they are, came up with an NIL algorithm based on social media followers and things of that nature. It spit out the 400k number for Ayo. Granted, Illinois has researched this stuff and have an entire team dedicated to it, so it's probably accurate. They are playing 100% by the books and true spirit of NIL.

These other blue blood schools are saying the same but also saying "we have xyz companies already lined up for you. We did the heavy lifting on negotiating and the aggregate across those companies for you is 200k-300k alone."

So we are going to lose in the long run unless we play the game. This NIL garbage is going to turn NCAA sports programs into fundraisers. (Not that they weren't already, this just lets them do it in the open)

 

[the juiceman cometh]

Maybe. But it be any different than programs in the last wining at all cost now and not worrying about ramifications down the road?

Did UNC ever really suffer from the academic fraud issues with the 2005 “championship”? What about KU and the Darnell Jackson stuff? Or the “*” on Bill Selfs only “championship”?

I think we would suffer from reputational blowback if we overpromised, as we are not a blueblood, so our reputation is going to be based more on what we've done recently . I think UNC will be fine even if the NIL money comes in lower than advertised, as their blueblood reputation will overshadow any reputation for puffery, as long as their actual NIL money doesn't come in lower than competitors. If it turns out Coleman Hawkins makes more than Garcia next year, then yeah, UNC could suffer a reputational hit. But if Garcia makes $500k instead of $1 million, and ends up getting drafted to the NBA, is he really going to complain about his time at UNC?

 

[Chieeeeffffff]

Wouldn't say this is the case...

TIFWIW but Illinois, being the data nerds they are, came up with an NIL algorithm based on social media followers and things of that nature. It spit out the 400k number for Ayo. Granted, Illinois has researched this stuff have have an entire team dedicated to it, so it's probably accurate. They are playing 100% by the books and true spirit of NIL.

These other blue blood schools are saying the same but also saying "we have xyz companies already lined up for you. We did the heavy lifting on negotiating and the aggregate across those companies for you is 200k-300k alone."

So we are going to lose in the long run unless we play the game. This NIL garbage is going to turn NCAA sports programs into fundraisers. (Not that they weren't already, this just lets them do it in the open)

Hopefully it spit out 400k with the caveat that, you know, the season was played without fans. I think Kofi could realistically make 7 figures next year. Hopefully that’s the message, or else this will be just the latest version of Illini bridesmaid-ery for the foreseeable future.

 

[Homecoming 2019]

All this NIL stuff is playing out just about like I imagined. I’ll keep my fingers crossed on Garcia and Kofi until I hear otherwise, but I’ve said all along this stuff benefits the blue bloods and big markets. We are neither. Good for the players getting paid.

We certainly are a big market. We aren't UNC/UK/Duke, but we are in the next tier below.

 

[Piasa]

That was my first thought also that something was amiss and the heat from the non positive crowd would be too much to put up with.....

I really don't blame him at all for leaving.......

The 'non positive' crowd? You mean those who don't jump up and down because an anonymous poster who has actually guessed correctly way below 50%, hints of good news, and is quickly followed by two other anonymous 'insiders' who wink, and like, and boom? Then dozens of gifs reinforcing the thought. They know what a prospect is going to do before the prospect does, right. Some of you never learn. The phrase 'don't count your chickens.....' has been around for over 450 years.

 

[pruman91]

"" The Wizardry of NIL ""

Join our cast of characters on their voyage to the $$$$$$ Emerald city.......

Share with them the joy's and pitfall's in their search for the right path to happiness.........

The new movie box office hit, at college campus' nationwide.....

 

[Homecoming 2019]

The 'non positive' crowd? You mean those who don't jump up and down because an anonymous poster who has actually guessed correctly way below 50%, hints of good news, and is quickly followed by two other anonymous 'insiders' who wink, and like, and boom? Then dozens of gifs reinforcing the thought. They know what a prospect is going to do before the prospect does, right. Some of you never learn. The phrase 'don't count your chickens.....' has been around for over 450 years.

To me it was all the people doubting and telling him a meeting between OA and Kofi where OA said to come back to Illinois didn't happen. He knew for a fact that it did, but people with actually zero info kept telling him it couldn't have.

 

[drsmitty74]

Interesting tidbit of info.....

UNC Recruiting: Marquette transfer Dawson Garcia has withdrawn from the NBA Draft

With the pros out of the equation, the promising sophomore forward will pick between four schools.

www.tarheelblog.com

"For those who may not know, former head coach Roy Williams (I will never not feel weird saying that) offered Dawson Garcia a scholarship back in 2019 following an impressive performance at the 2019 NBPA Camp. Hubert Davis became Garcia’s lead recruiter, so one can imagine that the two still have a good relationship despite UNC failing to earn his commitment. As McMillan reported via IC, Garcia’s recruitment ended right around the time that Walker Kessler committed to the Tar Heels. Now that Kessler is with Auburn, the door is wide open for Garcia to make is way to Chapel Hill and likely get immediate impact minutes."

 

[Illwinsagain]

so what happens when he gets there and it ends up being nowhere close to $1M?

Or, what are his new teammates thinking? If he got $1M, I need to get paid too!!!

 

[illini80]

We certainly are a big market. We aren't UNC/UK/Duke, but we are in the next tier below.

Our definition differs. I’d say we are top 25, not top 15.

 

[217sports]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1413134005105475584

that’s a wrap

 

[Deleted member 747671]

All this NIL stuff is playing out just about like I imagined. I’ll keep my fingers crossed on Garcia and Kofi until I hear otherwise, but I’ve said all along this stuff benefits the blue bloods and big markets. We are neither. Good for the players getting paid.

Agree 100%.

Like I have no doubt that Whitman and Illinois have been working their butts off trying to figure out how to use NIL to their advantage and seemingly appear to have some infrastructure in place to help their athletes as much as possible. But like any NCAA rule, playing by the spirit of the rule only puts you at a disadvantage. Sure setting up local endorsement deals is great for the majority of student athletes, but the "big fish" are going to require, and get offered, a whole lot more, and the bluebloods already have their machines in gear.

 

[Homecoming 2019]

Our definition differs. I’d say we are top 25, not top 15.

Same definition, but different in that I think we are top 15.

 

[the juiceman cometh]

Well, I guess the only possible silver lining here is that this disappointment may serve as a wake-up call to step up NIL efforts in time to lure Kofi back. I'm not very optimistic in that regard, but if this was going to happen, at least it happened before the re-recruitment of Kofi went too far so that we have an opportunity to adjust our approach. Here's hoping we actually use that opportunity.

 

[thedrunkreferee]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1413134005105475584

that’s a wrap

Yep. Better believe if Jeff Goodman decides to tweet about something related to us, he knows we’re getting nut punched. He rejoices when we suffer.

 

[skyIdub]

 

[Flight33]

What was the tweet that did this even? Am I missing something? Every time I try to follow the breadcrumbs it comes back to rumors started on this forum. Maybe we should all just take a step back and not react so quickly to random tweets that aren’t from the recruit

Truth

 

[QCtoKC]

Keeping Kofi has been the staff's number one priority the last week-could have caused them to maybe low ball the nil number to Garcia. We will see what happens with the big fella now...

I mean, most logical signs point toward Kofi heading to Kentucky so this is not reassuring at all

 

[Deleted member 747671]

I wonder if our NIL presentation is like too specific. "This endorsement could get you X, doing this will get you Y, we project over the course of the year you could make upwards of $$$$."

And UNC (insert blueblood here) is just like, "Yeah we have a network of sources that will give you a million."

 

[Oranges]

Does anyone really understand the market at this point? Makes me wonder if this first NIL offseason we’ll just see teams throwing as much money as possible at anyone, or if this will be the standard. I remember a few years ago the NBA salary cap jumped, teams threw big money at average role players and regretted it later. Of course there is no cap here, so that may be a poor comparison. Is it really a good idea to allow teams to negotiate these deals for uncommitted prospects? The more things change the more they stay the same

Yes. Maybe I don’t understand the market at all, but hard seeing maybe 3rd or 4th option on UNC, with no prior history at the school and no independent national brand (a la Zion) being worth 7 figures in endorsements. But then again, what’s the downside of UNC’s “puffery”?

 

[sacraig]

I mean, most logical signs point toward Kofi heading to Kentucky so this is not reassuring at all

I'm not at all sure there are any actual signs related to Kofi yet. All we have is pure prognostication based on feelings as soon as he entered the portal plus some cautiously optimistic takes from insiders. Based on that I'd say no logical conclusion can be drawn. Kofi could end up anywhere.

 

[sharpshot16]

I wonder if our NIL presentation is like too specific. "This endorsement could get you X, doing this will get you Y, we project over the course of the year you could make upwards of $$$$."

And UNC (insert blueblood here) is just like, "Yeah we have a network of sources that will give you a million."

That's pretty damn close to how it went down.

 

[hooraybeer]

I wonder if our NIL presentation is like too specific. "This endorsement could get you X, doing this will get you Y, we project over the course of the year you could make upwards of $$$$."

And UNC (insert blueblood here) is just like, "Yeah we have a network of sources that will give you a million."

this is what i envision. we are being realistic and specific in scenarios that call for unjustified and wild predictions

 

[pruman91]

What if a school says you will get $ 1 million NIL and boosters fail to come up with it ???....Does the college have to pay the difference....??

Also, will there be a NIL contract signed by player and school that is binding in a court of law ???


So many questions and as usual, in the NCAA sports scene, so few answers.....................

JMHO

 

[sacraig]

That's pretty damn close to how it went down.

I still think our approach will be the more sustainable one.