Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

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#51      

ElGran

E
ElGran
Ga65 said:
Future looks solid but Center is still not a lock as there are questions on Omar, Dain, and Lieb. Definitely potential but certainly unproven. Rest of positions look solid with depth to me with present roster and recruits. Am optimistic but wearing my Orange glasses
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While we won't have a force like Kofi at Center, we will have a lot of options, more than most teams. I would think Dainja would be the favorite if his foot's healthy. Then you got Payne, very athletic, but skills aren't there. You also have BBV whose best position is probably Center. And you've got Lieb who may or may not be ready to help next year. And if you want to go with a smaller, quicker lineup, Hawkins can play there.

Our cupboard is far from bare at Center next year.
 
#52      

logjam

logjam
logjam
I will never see another center at Illinois like Kofi..
Shopping Corona GIF by jjjjjohn
 
#55      

BretMyBeachHouse

B
BretMyBeachHouse
ElGran said:
While we won't have a force like Kofi at Center, we will have a lot of options, more than most teams. I would think Dainja would be the favorite if his foot's healthy. Then you got Payne, very athletic, but skills aren't there. You also have BBV whose best position is probably Center. And you've got Lieb who may or may not be ready to help next year. And if you want to go with a smaller, quicker lineup, Hawkins can play there.

Our cupboard is far from bare at Center next year.
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Every team has lots of options. We all have 13 scholarships.

None of our options right now have done anything to demonstrate that they're at the level of a starting center on a team to challenge for a top spot in the big ten. Still time for all of these guys but there's no reason to be confident. Hopeful, sure.
 
#57      

PapaKvells

P
PapaKvells
ElGran said:
While we won't have a force like Kofi at Center, we will have a lot of options, more than most teams. I would think Dainja would be the favorite if his foot's healthy. Then you got Payne, very athletic, but skills aren't there. You also have BBV whose best position is probably Center. And you've got Lieb who may or may not be ready to help next year. And if you want to go with a smaller, quicker lineup, Hawkins can play there.

Our cupboard is far from bare at Center next year.
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Can Hawkins possibly grow into a C? I know he doesn’t have mass, but he has the length, has a nose for the ball and seems like a good defender.
 
#59      

AZHOHoops

A
Scottsdale, AZ
AZHOHoops
BashCtIllini said:
Saw Jim Mattson interview Morez Johnson after the Washington Tournament of Champions. Johnson says he is 100% committed to Illinois. He wants to represent his homestate, and that kids in Chicago are more open to Illinois than in the past for the same reason. I'll take it.

www.facebook.com

25 Sports story on Illini recruit- Chicago St. Rita sophomore Morez Johnson, Jr | By Jim Mattson WEEK 25 Sports DirectorFacebook

25 Sports story on Illini recruit- Chicago St. Rita sophomore Morez Johnson, Jr
www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
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Great News
 
#60      

Chad Fleck

Chad Fleck
Eureka, IL
Chad Fleck
KnoxIllini2 said:
If we can pay him enough through NIL, let’s savor next season with him, too.
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I think this is entirely possible.

He could get better this year, but I haven't observed him covering guards (or stretch big guys) on a switch well enough to think him NBA ready. I'm no NBA expert, but I understand that to be a must.
 
#61      

TheChiefRises

TheChiefRises
TheChiefRises
Chad Fleck said:
I think this is entirely possible.

He could get better this year, but I haven't observed him covering guards (or stretch big guys) on a switch well enough to think him NBA ready. I'm no NBA expert, but I understand that to be a must.
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I've seen signs of a mid-range jumper this season however, which was one of the criticisms he's had I believe. Is that enough to get him drafted? No clue. But it's progress.
 
#63      

Haha

H
Haha
PapaKvells said:
Can Hawkins possibly grow into a C? I know he doesn’t have mass, but he has the length, has a nose for the ball and seems like a good defender.
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It will take a lot of growth for him to be a good defender.
Hope his growth plates are open or he learns how to not go sky on head and shoulder fakes
 
#64      

ElGran

E
ElGran
Route47 said:
Small ball 5, sure. I just think it would be a waste of his skill set to park him the paint, so to speak.
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Most teams don't "park their centers in the paint" these days (unless you have a Kofi type).

I'm not suggesting by any means that Hawkins should be a full-time Center. His best position by far is PF. But in a small lineup he can definitely play there.
 
#65      

BretMyBeachHouse

B
BretMyBeachHouse
ElGran said:
Most teams don't "park their centers in the paint" these days (unless you have a Kofi type).

I'm not suggesting by any means that Hawkins should be a full-time Center. His best position by far is PF. But in a small lineup he can definitely play there.
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Unless he's playing point guard.
 
#66      

TheFameProtector

TheFameProtector
Champaign
TheFameProtector
Haha said:
It will take a lot of growth for him to be a good defender.
Hope his growth plates are open or he learns how to not go sky on head and shoulder fakes
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He doesn't need any more height/length, just needs mass.

I would love to have a guy that combines Coleman and Justin Smith or Mark Vital as a bouncy, potential small-ball 5, ideally with some range. And then another reliable traditional big that can hold their own on defense against the Dickinsons and Edeys of the B1G. Unfortunately, I think you need the latter just to make it through the conference schedule without wearing down your small-ball 5, but recent history suggests the former may be a better option come tourney time.
 
#68      

EyeoftheIllini

EyeoftheIllini
EyeoftheIllini
Route47 said:
Small ball 5, sure. I just think it would be a waste of his skill set to park him the paint, so to speak.
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I agree. And I really don’t think Hawk is that great an on-ball defender. He gets his share of steals and blocks, but seems to me more in help situations. I think having full-time responsibility for the center would decrease the number of opportunities to do what he does best on D.
 
#69      

ptgrd23

ptgrd23
ptgrd23
Kofi is pretty awesome. Even if he leaves after this year he will go down in history as the best Illini center during modern (post 1970) area

Brian Cook his SR year was a 2nd team all american, B10 MVP average 20 ppg. Deon Thomas avg 18 ppg over 4 years at Illinois with 60% shooting percentage. Honorable mention all american.

Illinois has not had dominant big me in my lifetime. Other good postmen included Efrem Winters, James Augustine, Lowell Hamilton

Hopefully Dains will carry on the tradition Kofi started. Dains has the size and skills to be a high scoring post man.
 
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#72      

NJJ871

N
NJJ871
Illini 993 said:
If Efrem Winters had progressed as expected, he would rate higher in the best Illini centers. I'm old, so I remember his first 2 seasons, he looked like an All-American in the making. One of the best freshmen I have ever seen.
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Offensively, at least in the 2(?) years that Efrem played with George Montgomery, Efrem was more of a 4 than a 5. (Lou didn't believe in positionless basketball!) I agree on the rest, Efrem was a beast who left us all wanting a little bit more.

BretMBH beat me to it.
 
#73      

BRucks

BRucks
BRucks
NJJ871 said:
Offensively, at least in the 2(?) years that Efrem played with George Montgomery, Efrem was more of a 4 than a 5. (Lou didn't believe in positionless basketball!) I agree on the rest, Efrem was a beast who left us all wanting a little bit more.

BretMBH beat me to it.
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Loved Big George. Huge heart. Stone hands.
 
#75      

Illini 993

I
Illini 993
Absolutely right that Winters was a four. I responded to the post players mentioned above without thinking ... my bad.
 
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