Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

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#876      
NarrowJ
trant said:
I think you're overselling a bit how much of our offensive issues were about lacking a pure PG.

We got a top PG last year. Our offense wasn't good with him either. If we had a top-30 PG coming in you wouldn't be saying this, but we'd be in the same spot we were a year ago.

I think last year's team had pretty obvious chemistry issues, and hopefully those are settled. Just that alone will go a long way.
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Which one? The freshman that averaged as many turnovers as he did assists and quit on the team halfway through the season? Or the other freshman that also averaged as many turnovers as he did assists and quit on the team halfway through games and, eventually, at the end of the season?

Any argument that we had a competent PG last year is a bad one.
 
#880      
fuddrules
Second place is 1st loser said:
Did you know the name RayJ Dennis before mid April, 2023? I bet that 95% of the people who are ready to toss themselves off of a bridge because he didn't commit here...hadn't heard one thing about him. Yet, you can guarantee me....three months before they even go on their international trip that he's the missing piece?
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Missing piece? I didn't say that but the Illinois coaches did. They hitched their wagon to only find out on June 1st he really wasn't that interested. Illinois was a back up - a place holder - you've got to figure that out prior to June 1st.
That's a big part of the job.

Maybe the Illinois coaches pull a rabbit out their hat but magic hasn't been their forte.
 
#881      
Eternal Optimist
I don’t have a lot of posts myself, but I do enjoy all the new posters with the latest scoop once something like this happens.

Hansberry third in line to get creaned? I can promise that has never been muttered by anyone. Honestly, at the way he is shooting, he might be our best 3pt shooter next year! Obviously I’m kidding, but maybe not? The game will speed up from what he’s used to.

Back to what I was saying about all our new “insiders”… we all know who really has the scoop. So unless you have something more than vague assumptions that any of us can repeat from Twitter, and you start to get a track record of success, then let’s leave the real updates to the proven few.

And to the rest of the crazy people that come out of the woodwork to rant, complain, and point fingers at people for being wrong (might I add it is rare for the individuals I’m speaking of), feel free to return to silence.

Rant over. Keep on keepin on, Loyalty! It will be a fun year!
 
#882      
fuddrules
Mojoman said:
Let me remind people we are now ranked 26th on Torvak (with no starting PG yet), and were 50th this past year.

I think we will be fine.
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As long as they have better team chemistry they can be very solid. We shall see how well the chemistry develops.
 
#883      
chrisRunner7
fuddrules said:
Missing piece? I didn't say that but the Illinois coaches did. They hitched their wagon to only find out on June 1st he really wasn't that interested. Illinois was a back up - a place holder - you've got to figure that out prior to June 1st.
That's a big part of the job.

Maybe the Illinois coaches pull a rabbit out their hat but magic hasn't been their forte.
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You can be upset we didn't land RayJ, fine, but the fact that he was choosing between several really good options and ultimately picked Baylor does not make this true
 
#886      
Chuck Nuggets
Second place is 1st loser said:
I don't like getting bounced before the second weekend of the tournament any more than you do. Trust me. However, is your view of this team so poor that you've put a ceiling on them in June?
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This team, as currently constructed, needs a point guard. Teams without point guards will not win in March. You can downplay losing Dennis, but it's a big miss and it puts a limit on what this team can achieve. It's not even about this particular team. It's a basketball fact. Whether someone knew who RayJ Dennis was 3 months ago or 3 minutes ago doesn't change that. Scott Drew may not have heard of RayJ Dennis 30 days ago. Underwood has time and potential options to fill that void. We will see.
 
#890      
Wrightandjohnstreet
If Jeremiah Williams is starting at PG next season, this offseason is a monumental let down from my standpoint and an absolute waste of Shannon and Hawkins talent for another 9 seed type season, which isn’t acceptable given the resources this alumni provides and passion this fan base has.
 
#893      
IllinoisIntegrity
#894      
BalloonsTheElephant
Chuck Nuggets said:
Can I get another update from everyone who had not read the thread until just now and how they interpret it?
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Brad is on the hot seat.

Don't enroll your 7 year old in travel sports, it's bad parenting.

Is Yuri Collins still available?

Williams is good and/or bad.

Brad is now John Groce 2.0

We may be in play for Reeves at the expense of Moretti, Harmon, or DGL

Chip and Joanna Gaines are from Waco, TX where Baylor is also located

Some /s implied variously throughout this post.
 
#895      
AyoDos11
Just logged in for the first time since this morning to see THIRTY-SIX pages! Guess I'll be reading for a while lol.
Shocked-Troy-Walks-Into-Fire-With-Pizza-Community.gif
 
#896      
Goldtop
Actually been a good offseason of additions to this team up until today. Does seem that Underwood put too much faith in his ability to close the door on this one, and now has the door wide open for a storm of criticism.
I have a glimmer of hope yet, based on past years that looked really bad, but Brad found a way to add the pieces that at least on paper looked promising.
So we will see. Go Illini
 
#897      
BretMyBeachHouse
One Man Fast Break said:
Kevin Durant went from May 9, 2019 until December 22, 2020 until he played another competitive basketball game. That is 593 days.

Jeremiah Williams tore his Achilles October 6, 2022. If he took his time recovering for as long as Kevin Durant did, he would not suit up for another game until May 21, 2024.
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Williams is probably a better athlete and will recover quicker.
 
#900      
21ChampaignSt
Sedino said:
I think you're underselling how important a PG is to running a successful offense. Our offense wasn't good with Skyy either because Skyy wasn't a good PG. Was that because of chemistry? skill? something else? It doesn't matter. He was not a good PG and our offense suffered. Jayden wasn't a good PG and our offense suffered.
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While we're on the subject of point guards. I think having continuity at the position is an important thing. For a pg to be really really effective, he has to know his teammates and his teammates have to know him... that rarely happens over the course of one summer. And we won't get to benefit from any kind of pg continuity until 2025 or 2026.

Here are our starting pg's since Ayo:

2022 - Belo, Trent
2023 - Clark, Epps
2024 - unknown transfer
2025 - maybe DGL?

More than missing on a single transfer pg, this is my concern. Revolving door.
 
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