Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[MDchicago]

Not one bit. I think Lou wanted Big Ed to be a post player. He saw himself more in the mold of Bernard King. From what I remember, that took Illinois out of the running. (Horton was a great athlete in high school but certainly bulked up in college.)

He actually had a pretty solid career with Iowa. His Lanphier teammate, Kevin Gamble, turned out to be the better player of the two and nearly made an NBA All-Star game with the Boston Celtics. Great guy, too.

Per the Tribune (March 1985):

"Coach Lou Henson had asked Horton to redshirt his freshman year. He had hoped Horton would enroll at Illinois with Providence-St. Mel star Lowell Hamilton, who will not redshirt.

''It was just one of those things,'' said Horton, who played on Lanphier`s state championship team two years ago. ''Mr. Henson wanted me to redshirt, and I couldn`t go for that. Not on a team I knew I could play for.''

With Efrem, Welch, Norman, Meents and Lowell onboard, understand Lou's view of the available PT as a freshman. But Horton's dismissive response is equally unsurprising, given his physical readiness and high rankings (McD AA and #9 in Bob Gibbons final rankings). Recruiting in the mid-80's!

 

[ElGran]

Per the Tribune (March 1985):

"Coach Lou Henson had asked Horton to redshirt his freshman year. He had hoped Horton would enroll at Illinois with Providence-St. Mel star Lowell Hamilton, who will not redshirt.

''It was just one of those things,'' said Horton, who played on Lanphier`s state championship team two years ago. ''Mr. Henson wanted me to redshirt, and I couldn`t go for that. Not on a team I knew I could play for.''

With Efrem, Welch, Norman, Meents and Lowell onboard, understand Lou's view of the available PT as a freshman. But Horton's dismissive response is equally unsurprising, given his physical readiness and high rankings (McD AA and #9 in Bob Gibbons final rankings). Recruiting in the mid-80's!

Yup. Horton ended up higher ranked than Hamilton by the end of their HS careers.

 

[uofi7477]

Yup. Horton ended up higher ranked than Hamilton by the end of their HS careers.

Fire Coach Henson!

 

[JacquesClouseau]

Amani Hansberry was once ranked in the top 20 for his 2023 class but fell like a meteor. Weight problems? After a gradual rise, he really turned heads with his play in Louisville at the Nike EYBL in late May, 2022. It seems the extra weight has been shed.

Unofficial visits

Pitt - 06-14-21 (reported way back in Oct, 2021 as planning OV to Pitt sometime in future)
MD - approximately 2 weeks ago
PSU - 06-27-22 (had OV 03-24-22)

Interestingly, Rivals has Pitt as 67 percent and IL as 33 percent as of today.

OV's

PSU - 03-24-22
BC - 06-23-22
IL - 06-28/29-22

Reported OV's as planned to be scheduled but unknown dates were Virginia Tech, TN, NC State, and Pitt --- but this was reported as such almost a year ago.

Finally, to confuse things more, Orange & Blue News reported on 06-08-22 that Amani was planning 3 upcoming visits. Certainly those who pay the premium can answer who these visits are and if they are only OV's. If only OV's as I suspect, there is still one more. ? Pitt ?

 

[RabidDawgClassic]

Per the Tribune (March 1985):

"Coach Lou Henson had asked Horton to redshirt his freshman year. He had hoped Horton would enroll at Illinois with Providence-St. Mel star Lowell Hamilton, who will not redshirt.

''It was just one of those things,'' said Horton, who played on Lanphier`s state championship team two years ago. ''Mr. Henson wanted me to redshirt, and I couldn`t go for that. Not on a team I knew I could play for.''

With Efrem, Welch, Norman, Meents and Lowell onboard, understand Lou's view of the available PT as a freshman. But Horton's dismissive response is equally unsurprising, given his physical readiness and high rankings (McD AA and #9 in Bob Gibbons final rankings). Recruiting in the mid-80's!

I can’t imagine a modern day scenario where a recruit would be asked to redshirt. That’s an open invitation for the recruit to immediately consider the transfer portal.

 

[Big Jack]

I already told

 

[FinallyMadeAnAccount]

Finally, to confuse things more, Orange & Blue News reported on 06-08-22 that Amani was planning 3 upcoming visits. Certainly those who pay the premium can answer who these visits are and if they are only OV's. If only OV's as I suspect, there is still one more. ? Pitt ?

I'm fairly certain on the Illini Inquirer Podcast from less than a week ago, Derek Piper said we're probably his last visit.

 

[WhiteHorseWings]

Don't get hung up on the actual diploma. Your friend may not have attended graduation or gotten the high school diploma, but he had to have a high school transcript that said he was prepared and qualified. If he says he didn't, press x.

The kid that skipped three years conceivably could have taken the GED to show he was prepared. There's no age limit on that, either. Before admissions standards became so clearly defined, you could get into most 4-year schools with that; now, not so much.

Bottom line is, since the early 1900s, universities have required some kind of proof that students were ready to study at the collegiate level. You don't need to take a traditional route to get there, but universities don't risk their reputation on students who can't show they're ready.

I would imagine that international players who have played semi-pro (or is it full pro?) like Perrin need to show a equivalency as well. UIUC gets enough international students that admissions is well versed in those tests and how they compare to our GED, SAT, etc.

My son is currently finishing his second year of college and is concurrently enrolled in a masters program after taking one year in high school and does not have a hs degree. I’m sure it’s very different for athletes to qualify to play but a diploma is unquestionably not required to be accepted at a university.

 

[Oldskoolkoach]

Hansberry’s game reminds me of Leron Black in a lot of ways…

Hopefully he makes friends with the bouncers at Kam's and the other clubs in town before having to pull a knife, too!

Lemon really matured however and wish he would've stuck around for that last year. Could've been big for him professionally and for the team

 

[Mobi]

That's a lot of words...

I scrolled to the bottom and read:

Coachability​

• “One of the most coachable players I’ve ever been around” (Mount St. Joseph Assistant Coach, Jordon Griffin).
• A student of the game
• One of the first to arrive in the gym and one of the last to leave
  • Gets in extra conditioning and works on flexibility after workouts
• A leader on the court
• Outstanding executor of game plans on both ends
• High character

Definitely a Brad type of #everydayguy

Not a great 3 point shooter just yet. Otherwise than that, he seems to be a strong PF almost every college coach would love to have.

 

[ptgrd23]

Per the Tribune (March 1985):
"Coach Lou Henson had asked Horton to redshirt his freshman year. He had hoped Horton would enroll at Illinois with Providence-St. Mel star Lowell Hamilton, who will not redshirt.
''It was just one of those things,'' said Horton, who played on Lanphier`s state championship team two years ago. ''Mr. Henson wanted me to redshirt, and I couldn`t go for that. Not on a team I knew I could play for.''
With Efrem, Welch, Norman, Meents and Lowell onboard, understand Lou's view of the available PT as a freshman. But Horton's dismissive response is equally unsurprising, given his physical readiness and high rankings (McD AA and #9 in Bob Gibbons final rankings). Recruiting in the mid-80's!

That was a great year for Illinois HS bigs. Hamilton, McCants (Purdue), Horton (Iowa)

 

[Illini92and96]

The way I remember the story, Horton wanted to come to Illinois, but he also wanted to play with Gamble. Henson wasn't sold on Gamble and wouldn't offer him a scholarship. Gamble committed to Iowa and Horton went also.

We played it safe and didn't want to gamble with Horton.

 

[warhog6g]

Hansberry is following @Indy Illini Fan on instagram.

 

[Longtimelurker]

My son is currently finishing his second year of college and is concurrently enrolled in a masters program after taking one year in high school and does not have a hs degree. I’m sure it’s very different for athletes to qualify to play but a diploma is unquestionably not required to be accepted at a university.

I’d like to subscribe to your parenting blog.

 

[RabidDawgClassic]

My son is currently finishing his second year of college and is concurrently enrolled in a masters program after taking one year in high school and does not have a hs degree. I’m sure it’s very different for athletes to qualify to play but a diploma is unquestionably not required to be accepted at a university.

Are you sure your son’s not pulling the ol’ “Yeah, I’m totally enrolled in college and I’m even in a concurrent masters program so no need to come down here, just send me more money, okay” ruse?

 

[CleaverName]

Are you sure your son’s not pulling the ol’ “Yeah, I’m totally enrolled in college and I’m even in a concurrent masters program so no need to come down here, just send me more money, okay” ruse?

Too obvious

 

[zentrails]

We got beat out by Florida and Eastern Michigan today on targeted recruits??? It's a sad, sad day for Illini fans.

/SSSSSSSSSSSS

I love where the program is and where it is going.

Which reminds me, where is John Groce these days? LOL

 

[CubIllini]

Which reminds me, where is John Groce these days? LOL

Actually, doing quite well where he should be- a mid major program in Ohio.

 

[destindog]

Supposedly he was headed for C-U. I was attending Lou's basketball camp that summer when his younger brother got busted and sent home for robbing other campers rooms. I assume that hurt our relationaship with Ed.

The way I remember the story, Horton wanted to come to Illinois, but he also wanted to play with Gamble. Henson wasn't sold on Gamble and wouldn't offer him a scholarship. Gamble committed to Iowa and Horton went also.

Dick Nagy telling Ed Horton they wanted him to redshirt when he was on his official visit is what hurt Illinois with Horton.

 

[WhiteHorseWings]

I’d like to subscribe to your parenting blog.

You’re all invited to his dropout party

 

[Jplatt06]

 

[WeWillWhen]

Our Number 1 option is a high 3 star recruit? Meh. I trust Underwood and Staff but that's super underwhelming. Guess they're worried about "recruiting over" the 2022 class or scaring away 2024. So 2023 will be a fairly nothing class?

 

[ILL21]

Hansberry is following @Indy Illini Fan on instagram.

What is Indy Illini instagram handle?

 

[IlliniGman7795]

What is Indy Illini instagram handle?

tylerunderwood12

 

[Brosky]

The 25 ranking is probably underrated. By December, I expect Illinois to be ranked much higher than that.

There may be a few speed bumps at the start of the season, as no matter how you slice it, you're going to have 5 players on the floor who have never played with each other before. It won't surprise me if Underwood does quite a bit of lineup tinkering in the early going, particularly since he now seems bullish on "positionless" basketball.