A senior starter with a team for 4 years is soon to be the unicorn. Maybe already is.
Jack Ingram might be in that groupRemember when a kid developed and by his senior year might not be a
starter, but a valuable contributor minutes wise? Will that ever happen again?
Who were those kids at Illinois? Neil Bresnahan ( i was pretty young,?), Tyler
Griffey, Nick Smith, Bill Cole....
Jack played at Tulsa for two years. (Recruited there by Self prior to him coming to Illinois)Jack Ingram might be in that group
His defense with 44 seconds left in the Arizona game leading to Willaims 3 pointer was a key factor in getting the game to overtime.
"heart of a champion"
Maverick Morgan?Warren Carter is the first name that springs to mind of someone who was a non-contributor for three years then suddenly a key guy.
I thought Robert Archibald (RIP) was a guy like that. All thumbs early in his tenure, then a legit performer at the end.Maverick Morgan?
Absolutely agree. Go Titans! (1993)I always wondered why Lieb didn't transfer before, at least from a basketball standpoint. Why not go somewhere smaller and be a star rather than sit on the end of the bench? I went to Illinois Wesleyan and they would be perfect! Great basketball tradition and they actually have produced an NBA Hall of Famer.
Lieb wanted a degree from Illinois. I'm assuming he's getting it in May.I always wondered why Lieb didn't transfer before, at least from a basketball standpoint. Why not go somewhere smaller and be a star rather than sit on the end of the bench? I went to Illinois Wesleyan and they would be perfect! Great basketball tradition and they actually have produced an NBA Hall of Famer.
Jack was a great player, both college and pros.Absolutely agree. Go Titans! (1993)
Kind of. His big jump came his junior season though. But I do think he is an example of how staying with a program for four years can elevate your performance above what your natural abilities are.Maverick Morgan?
Also Kevin Turner in late 90's.Maverick Morgan?
I'm not sure he was a valuable contributor for any reason other than lack of alternatives. He never averaged 3 APG and only broke 3 PPG once (his sophomore year).I stand corrected, and I'll change my answer to Jaylon Tate as the last one that I remember as a non-starter.
I'm 1981. I was back in town last summer and walked around campus. Lots of changes but my old dorms, Gulick and Dodds, look exactly the same.Absolutely agree. Go Titans! (1993)
I always thought he should've started over Abrams. It's been a long time, but I always felt we went on runs when Tate subbed in for him. That was a bad stretch of basketball, and I drank a lot of beer during the games, so I'm probably misremembering.I'm not sure he was a valuable contributor for any reason other than lack of alternatives. He never averaged 3 APG and only broke 3 PPG once (his sophomore year).
By all accounts he was a good kid and played hard, but he didn't play outstanding basketball. That makes it all the more impressive that he's been playing professionally continuously since then. Obviously there was some level of untapped potential there.
1980I'm 1981. I was back in town last summer and walked around campus. Lots of changes but my old dorms, Gulick and Dodds, look exactly the same.
The few practices I watched, never really saw Chin coach much. I did watch him FU Big Greg about 20X in a 5 min span doing a simple lane line passing drill with defense, honestly thought Greg might punch the guy in the nose.Both here and on FB has been a a copious rehash of transfer out history with the BU program. We all know it's a lot, but I have not seen any statistical comparison with other programs. Can BU at ILL be all that unique?
In any event, it still sticks in my craw that all 3 assistant coaches left at the same time (the duo to KY and the other to Gonzaga). That's a slap in the face. Could it be that BU is such a shaper of coaching careers that these 3 were the cream of the poachable crop? Or, could it be that although we know BU yells at players during games, what does he do in late night game plan meeting rooms?
Brandon finished his degree, right?
Branson finished his degree, right?
this goes back a ways, but Quinn RichardsonChris Gandy, too.
This was my exact thought!Would love to see Brandon end up at Princeton or some other Ivy league school. Thank you, young man. You have a very bright future ahead of you.
Chris GandyAaron Jordan and Da'Monte Williams were probably the most recent.
This was my exact thought!
Would love to see Brandon end up at Princeton or some other Ivy league school. Thank you, young man. You have a very bright future ahead of you.