Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[Bleedorangeandblue44]

There's a lot I do like about Adam Miller coming back; a lot has to do with his talent, defense and his game. Plus I think it speaks well to Underwood to maintain a good relationship with players even when they leave. Makes it so when you hear him talk about culture or family it's not just coach speak, it's who he is and what he's building. Thought the same thing earlier this season with the photo of BU and Alan Griffin talking at one of the Illini home games.

One concern I'd have is counting so much on two guards coming off major injuries.

 

[logjam]

What's gonna happen when someone beats out Miller?

Hopefully better practices. I see what you're saying though.

 

[Dbell1981]

Any word on how he is doing post injury? I was pretty sour when he left but I would welcome him back in a heartbeat. Seems after all the smoke has cleared he was in a tough situation in regards to him transferring out. You gotta let a Peoria kid with his talent come home and represent.

 

[Kendall Gill’s Uncle]

Time to get a school admissions thread going.

College football and basketball will always be the most public face of a University for most of the general population.

Most Americans might have a personal tie to one or maybe a couple of colleges for personal reasons or through family and friends. The many hundreds of other schools just don’t get noticed for the most part because for most people they don’t have to be. Except for sports fanatics, people are too busy living their lives and only start to pay more attention (if they do) during college bowl season or during March Madness. (And even then, betting might really be their draw in).

So, how does a University stand out and get noticed? Have an elite major sports program. The middle-feeders don’t get noticed. The bottom dwellers don’t get noticed. But SEC footballers and the roundball Blue Bloods ALWAYS get noticed and even casual fans recognize those nameplates.

And so it is a self-generation loop of attention as high schoolers then gravitate to those big name programs with a legacy of success so they can leverage their short college careers to be highest chances of success. This is why Alabama and Ohio State get a constant stream of 5-star guys on the gridiron and the usual basketball Blue Boys do likewise. Once you get up to that highest level of name recognition and attention it is very hard to fall off that perch. Even when a big name or charismatic coach retires they are usually quickly replaced by some stud on the way up as Management knows what the bigger game is all about.

That’s why we in Illini Nation are so thankful for the developments of the past five years. A legacy successful program that fell on hard times finds the right guys to lead a turnaround to elevate the program back to the top 10-percentile on the court. And something similar is being attempted to elevate the football program above the level it has been stuck at for generations.

In some ways regarding admissions, one might look at bringing in a guy who isn’t the greatest student (in marketing terms) like a ‘loss leader’. Not talking about the character of the guy but the idea of compromising a bit on something to rake in greater benefits as an offshoot.

And the player in question has chance to be in quality institution and is given a golden opportunity to succeed on and off the field of play. Not a bad setup for the rest of his life.

 

[HailtotheChief]

Fo
For me I don't want Miller back. There are better transfer gaurds out there and if we don't get any those I am good with what we have and what is coming in. Dont want any players here who don't stay loyal to the program.

Where? I'd take him back in a heart beat and u hope he brings Murray with him.

 

[blife]

It would be best for Belo and Illinois if he were to move on.

What actually happened at half time? I am guessing there is way more to it, but that was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. I am also guessing he was frustrating to coach, probably called a few too many audibles. Sees it and runs with it. I am also guessing he could be a polarizing personality amongst teammates. Am I close on any of my speculation?

 

[Joel Goodson]

Is Miller going to be happy not being the primary PG?

 

[illini80]

Fo
For me I don't want Miller back. There are better transfer gaurds out there and if we don't get any those I am good with what we have and what is coming in. Dont want any players here who don't stay loyal to the program.

So you didn’t want Kofi back when he went to the portal after withdrawing from the draft last year? Like it or not, and I don’t, the days of expecting loyalty are gone. And I mean that from both sides of the equation.

 

[logjam]

Loyalty After Dark!!!

 

[Kendall Gill’s Uncle]

T

As far as the transfers in or out I'll believe them when I see them. Just like the recruits.

Thank you for that clarification. Should insiders withhold information so we can get more admissions discussion?

 

[I-L-L]

So you didn’t want Kofi back when he went to the portal after withdrawing from the draft last year? Like it or not, and I don’t, the days of expecting loyalty are gone. And I mean that from both sides of the equation.

That's really sad! Does everyone know it doesn't have to be that way? All it takes is solid people who work hard, care about others and do the right thing to change this? Sadly most people ignore the fact that we could all be better!
And for the record, I'm not knocking illini80s post at all. I just hate that the days of loyalty are gone, like him. Those days shouldn't be gone.

 

[Spirit of the Prairie]

So no one else is thinking Miami? Laranaga has won over 600 games, which could qualify as legendary... He also has a 5th year PG, and is playing in the sweet 16.

Miami is about as "home" for someone from Puerto Rico as you can get on the mainland.

Hope he decides to give BU another year to get his career back on its previous trajectory.

I think Curbelo mentioned "weather" in one of his comments, too, so I hope that doesn't mean somewhere like Miami. He played in NY so he's familiar with "weather" and he looks good in that parka. Hope he stays and hope he improves to become consistently amazingly great.

 

[GBIllini]

So you didn’t want Kofi back when he went to the portal after withdrawing from the draft last year? Like it or not, and I don’t, the days of expecting loyalty are gone. And I mean that from both sides of the equation.

He was testing the draft and didn’t go to another school.

 

[illinigiant80]

T

Thank you for that clarification. Should insiders withhold information so we can get more admissions discussion?

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo thanks

 

[IlliniLion]

Miller is still yet to enter the portal, correct? Because this thread is acting like he's in it already.

 

[Heisenbobble]

Miller is still yet to enter the portal, correct? Because this thread is acting like he's in it already.

"Yet"

 

[B-ILL]

Is Miller going to be happy not being the primary PG?

If he comes back, he may be the primary PG. Other options (without Belo) would be a freshman Skyy, a freshman Epps, a freshman Rodgers (point forward in HS, but I doubt that easily translates to college as a freshman), or one of the other sophomores who have never run point before.

He wouldn't be a bad option, honestly. Gimme some Ace Wolf.

 

[americanoutlaw11]

Does anyone know if a similar situation has ever actually happened?

Former Illini target, Jimmy Whitt. Arkansas. Transfer. SMU. SMU. Arkansas.

 

[skyIdub]

Loyalty After Dark!!!

 

[Spirit of the Prairie]

We

Ne

Near as I can tell, only talk of Curbelo not coming back is in the echo chamber of this board. One person speculates that his second half benching has left him dissatisfied, and it snowballs from there. But I’ve seen nothing outside of this board that makes me think anything other than he’s planning to come back.

We would all feel a lot better if he would just say, "I'm coming back!" He can say it standing on his head or juggling balls, but if he will just say it, we can relax.

 

[phats22]

Miller is still yet to enter the portal, correct? Because this thread is acting like he's in it already.

He may skip it and come directly to campus

 

[Govoner Vaugn Fan]

I don't get all these 'no big deal' takes on Belo possibly leaving. The kid was an absolute revelation at the end of his freshman year, was arguably are best most important player not named Kofi coming back this year, and was believed had a higher NBA ceiling than anyone on our team. And despite this season being almost a total loss for him, his defense was outstanding down the stretch. He'd be our only experienced ball handler next year, the only guard with any experience at all... losing him would be huge.

People underestimate the lingering effects of a severe concussion. Belo should have sat out the season
and returned fully recovered for 22/23

 

[LouHenson]

I think the fact BU and TA are recruiting Skyy so hard tells you all you need to know unfortunately. Podz is not even talked about but he is a what 6’5” point guard he is going to play some minutes I would assume? Pretty sure we saw Goode and RJ are future players, but I was under the impression Podz was every bit as good as the other two, yet we’re not talking about him at all?

 

[Joel Goodson]

If he comes back, he may be the primary PG. Other options (without Belo) would be a freshman Skyy, a freshman Epps, a freshman Rodgers (point forward in HS, but I doubt that easily translates to college as a freshman), or one of the other sophomores who have never run point before.

He wouldn't be a bad option, honestly. Gimme some Ace Wolf.

Doubt it.

 

[jumpingjack]

Well he recently excused himself by saying he was a "high risk/high reward player." That's a garbage mentality for anyone who cares about getting better. You should always look for ways to lower risk and increase reward. Settling for the status quo is weak.

Take your straw man argument and set it on fire. I said he doesn't owe anybody a public mea culpa about how he plays. He doesn't.