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Illini Basketball 2022-2023
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TSJ at least - he started at a team better than ours last season and is a fully proven veteran. There's no reasonable way you seriously think Goode (who has proven next to nothing but has some potential) will start ahead of TSJ at the 2 (which is quite obviously not Goode's best position either).
Maybe one, but not both.
Maybe Hawk, but not TSJ
I might be in the minority. I hope Grandi not to come back and I don’t think he will, either.
Not sure I follow here...
If Grandi comes back it would be with the acknowledgment of his role and minutes would be reduced from last year most likely. I can see the draw for him to play for a very good team and enjoy the college experience one more time
He’s the ultimate teammate and role player - doesn’t demand the ball, does the little things and we all saw how much we dropped off in efficiency when he was hurt - I for one would welcome him back with open arms - he would only make us better
Grandy could start at a lot of major programs next year. I think people overrate the RJ tech on the dunk against Houston and underrate Jacob being at ~50% health for the matchup.
No room at the inn. I hope Grandison does not return. I do not see much Playing Time for him. Matthew Meyer came here to get more PT and Ty Rodgers will most likely backup the position. Where will he play, not to mention Coleman Hawkins could see some time at the 4.
Dr Copejam
- The Rock
You never can have too many solid players. If Jacob understands his role may be diminished, you take him back in a minute. He’s a “culture” guy.
I understand what you're saying and agree somewhat. However, if the injury bug bites the Illini, he's a good insurance policy. Agreed, he would be a starter with another program, but he knows the system, the team and would be a positive influence on the incoming Freshmen. I think he's also a realist and sees a possible trip to the Final 4 and a National Championship game and will accept his role if he decides to return and not enter the portal.
Yeah, woof. However, he is correct in a way - 10p EDT would be 8p CST. I kind of wonder if this is some failed GoogleFu.
TheFameProtector
- Champaign
Exactly. It's also not like he has crazy expectations to begin with. He had a bigger role this year but he averaged 15 min/game in 20-21. If he's fine with that kind of role, or maybe even less if Goode/others exceed expectations, then I would love to have him back. He still has some more to go before he finishes up his grad degree, right? If so, I'm guessing that's a big motivator here, perhaps more so than the basketball/team role.
As far as the 2-4 spots go, I think we should be completely satisfied with the roster as-is. With two open spots, two positions that need backups, and BU's soft preference to keep one slot open, there is some room for Jacob, but not a lot.
I want him to end up where he wants, but it is hard to say if that is here or somewhere else. Not entering the portal early might have limited his options outside of Chambama, unfortunately. He would 1000% help the team in practice, but is the team better off in March if we learn on him for minutes in December?
So, I would want Hutch back, too. I was thinking that the insiders said we wouldn't see any more returnees, but maybe the math has changed. Is NIL available to walk-ons?
I think we pick up a 5 once the dust settles or we get one at second semester.
How many times on this board pre-season do we say “man there’s so much talent here and not enough minutes to go around” only to have unexpected injuries, guys completely not pan out, and us actually wishing we had more depth and more guys who could generate instant offense off the bench. Even with last year’s +2 scholarships, there were times where we went only 7 or 8 deep off the bench, and anyone who didn’t crack the rotation clearly wasn’t Big Ten contributor ready. You take Jacob Grandison back 10 times out of 10. We are trying to win a National Championship at the end of the day.
Tacomallini
- Washington State
Connor Serven has a NIL deal
100% agree. Posters here act like we're Duke or Kentucky with seven or eight 5-star recruits. I understand that's what fans do. But people work themselves up and develop ridiculous expectations.
Before this last year, we had people thinking we would go 11 or 12 deep (which no coach does) and that it would be difficult to keep everyone happy with playing time. Then the season started, people got injured and there were times we didn't have enough depth. And that was with 14 kids on scholarship.
I will say that if we add a decent PF/C to help Hawk and Dain, and if we avoid significant injuries, we could be a real good team by next March.
CleaverName
- Chicago but not there anymore
I was hoping to make my first post more insightful but when an opportunity to gif knocks...
Posters not wanting Grandison to come back. He would be one of our best shooters and PROVEN players. He is a great teammate and has accepted any role that has been thrown his way. Absolutely disrespectful to a player that has given his all the last 3 years to the program. I'm sure the staff would welcome him back with open arms.
I was hoping to make my first post more insightful but when an opportunity to gif knocks...
Selfishly I'd love to see him come back, but given the transfer season has been such a success at those 3/4 spots, I wouldn't blame him if he wants to see what he can get elsewhere.
I just don't understand the sentiment that we can't have Grandison back because then we have "too much depth". We have two open rides right now. A mid-season transfer isn't going to be better than Grandison and wouldn't be able to play until the following season regardless. The ONLY reason in my opinion you wouldn't want Grandison back is because you think you can use the ride on a better player. There is no such thing as too much depth. Even the best college teams ever are not actually deeper than 10 really good college players. The freshmen will force their way into the lineup if they are good enough regardless of whatever other players are here. If they are not good enough, then we are a better team with them not playing on the floor. We are trying to win, not massage teenage egos.
I agree on two things: 1. Grandson is a very solid player. And 2. There's no such thing as too much depth.
That said, we have a pretty pressing need for a PF/C that can contribute. Hawk and Dain really isn't enough. And after that our next most pressing need would be a guard. J Grand is good but he's not a Big and he's not a guard.
Think there is a large sentiment among fans of needing to give minutes so guys don’t transfer, but guys transfer for such a variety of reasons, minutes is far from the only reason they leave or come. Any player that fits into the culture doesn’t want guaranteed minutes, they will want to earn the minutes.
And you never know who will transfer. You can start a freshman nearly every game, they may still decide to transfer. Minutes isn’t everything and you can’t commit minutes to the future in todays transfer portal. You have to play for the current season every season. This isn’t a rebuild anymore. We are rebuilt. We don’t need to play for 2-3 years from now. The roster will look way different by then, no matter what happens this year to try to appease players a b and c.
TLDR - no such thing as not enough minutes.
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