Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
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Just an unfortunate waste of Shannon and Hawkins' return to not get them a legitimate point guard and instead be planning to trot out either a wing or a guy who very well may not be eligible next year even if, against all odds, he's back to solid form a year after tearing his achilles. Hindsight is 20/20 but Brad and co. have the resources (and the expectations) not to get stuck in this situation.
Looking at Shannon's times at the combine, he has the speed and quickness to check points.
I'm not one to do a lot of bitching, however, if we go this year with the talent we have and no legitimate point guard.... well, what a waste and what a shame.
Exactly/s
This is not accurate.
Still waiting on Tyger to enter the portal and serve his suspension.
It’s risky but I wouldn’t say it’s a waste. The returning players all have a more favorable assist to turnover ratio compared to who left. They’ll improve significantly on the defensive end and the chemistry should be a night and day difference. It can work. But if doesn’t, the blame will be placed on not getting a veteran pg whether that’s the true cause or not.
Yes, I’m serious. Put yourself in a player like RayJ’s shoes and take a detailed look at our roster over the last 6 years, and show me the guards that improved.
Trent Frazier
Agreed. I think the team as currently constructed will be at least as good as last year. The shame is that it could be a really, really good team with a solid PG, which we don't have unless Williams is miraculously healthy, eligible, and as good as he was two years ago. With no quality PG, the whole will not be as good as the sum of the parts. Which is a shame, though probably not a disaster.
DB11Headband
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The fact that this is the staff’s external “solution” to the abysmal PG play last year is still absolutely mind-boggling and borderline insane. Cannot drive that point home enough.
Ayo definitely got better his last year.
Frazier improved each year.
Damonte became a usable rotation guy.
Griffith improved a lot while he was here.
Rodgers improved last year.
Miller improved.
Feliz became key player by end of year.
Not landing a healthy true PG to go with the rest of this roster, in this new transfer market, would truly be an awful look
We might call this upcoming season "Underwood's Undoing".
That list in my opinion proves my point. It isn’t marketable, and evidence that the staff is needed by these players.
Frazier is one of my all-time favorite Illini, but he was a baller from day 1. Averaging 12 pts, 2 rb, 3 ast, 2 stl, and .347 from 3 as a freshman.
www.sports-reference.com
Damonte can be an example, but is a “usable rotation guy, who’s heart and soul of the team” enough selling point?
Zach Griffith was a walk-on I think who eventually earned some tick senior year.
Rodgers was a Top 60 HS recruit who played to his ranking as a freshman.
Miller transferred out, while Feliz and Plummer were grad transfers.
I love all the players I just don’t think there’s much on the resume for the coaching staff to take credit for especially from a recruits perspective.
Frazier is one of my all-time favorite Illini, but he was a baller from day 1. Averaging 12 pts, 2 rb, 3 ast, 2 stl, and .347 from 3 as a freshman.
Trent Frazier College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
Trent Frazier - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more
www.sports-reference.com
Damonte can be an example, but is a “usable rotation guy, who’s heart and soul of the team” enough selling point?
Zach Griffith was a walk-on I think who eventually earned some tick senior year.
Rodgers was a Top 60 HS recruit who played to his ranking as a freshman.
Miller transferred out, while Feliz and Plummer were grad transfers.
I love all the players I just don’t think there’s much on the resume for the coaching staff to take credit for especially from a recruits perspective.
No he's a pretty traditional 2 guard. However, he is a solid secondary ball handler and he basically single handedly beat Arkansas when both Kentucky's point guards got hurt.
However, I know there is a lot of talk about getting a ball dominant pure point guard but I don't think it's incredibly necessary with some of the additions they made.
If they add Reeves they will have him, Williams, Shannon, Domask, Rodgers, Hawkins, and possibly Harmon if he can get accepted. Williams is a true point plus that's a ton of guys that are capable of handling the ball and facilitating. Having that pure point guard isn't as necessary if you have a ton of guys capable of handling the ball and moving it around, the issue last year was that the offense would stagnate
Reeves is a 40% 3pt shooter on heavy volume if you can get him just do it. I would absolutely love to watch a lineup of Reeves, Shannon, Goode, Domask, and Hawkins. Just surround Shannon and Hawkins with deadly shooters. You could play a small ball lineups Where you swapped Rodgers in for Hawkins and play 5 out where Shannon and Rodgers have unlimited space to drive.
Plus he's a Chicago guy from Simeon and establishing that pipeline could be huge even if we haven't seen a top ranked cps recruit in a few years.
For the record I perceive the exact opposite to be true for the football team. When Aaron Henry walks into a living room he has an entire defensive backfield of 3 stars and worse that he’s put in the NFL.
The basketball team just doesn’t have much to sell in that regard at this point besides playing time and NIL, and of course in my opinion.
The basketball team just doesn’t have much to sell in that regard at this point besides playing time and NIL, and of course in my opinion.
only time I've seen him comment on DGL, he said he was the 2nd worst player on the team, which didn't really concern me when we were fully expecting to bring in a top transfer PG. Now...... hoping for some improvement or that I remembered incorrectly.
Frazier improved significantly on defense and overall offense while here.That list in my opinion proves my point. It isn’t marketable, and evidence that the staff is needed by these players.
Frazier is one of my all-time favorite Illini, but he was a baller from day 1. Averaging 12 pts, 2 rb, 3 ast, 2 stl, and .347 from 3 as a freshman.
Trent Frazier College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
Trent Frazier - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more
Damonte can be an example, but is a “usable rotation guy, who’s heart and soul of the team” enough selling point?
Zach Griffith was a walk-on I think who eventually earned some tick senior year.
Rodgers was a Top 60 HS recruit who played to his ranking as a freshman.
Miller transferred out, while Feliz and Plummer were grad transfers.
I love all the players I just don’t think there’s much on the resume for the coaching staff to take credit for especially from a recruits perspective.
Was one of best guards in BT when he left.
Alan Griffin averaged near double figures his soph year.
Miller improved quite a bit defensively while here.
DaMonte went from an end of bench guy to BT starter.
You conveniently ignored Ayo becoming an AA.
I am not huge Rodgers fan, but go ahead and compare his stats and playing time with other Top 60-100 guys.
Feliz came from JUCO and played 2 years hereThat list in my opinion proves my point. It isn’t marketable, and evidence that the staff is needed by these players.
Frazier is one of my all-time favorite Illini, but he was a baller from day 1. Averaging 12 pts, 2 rb, 3 ast, 2 stl, and .347 from 3 as a freshman.
Trent Frazier College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com
Trent Frazier - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more
Damonte can be an example, but is a “usable rotation guy, who’s heart and soul of the team” enough selling point?
Zach Griffith was a walk-on I think who eventually earned some tick senior year.
Rodgers was a Top 60 HS recruit who played to his ranking as a freshman.
Miller transferred out, while Feliz and Plummer were grad transfers.
I love all the players I just don’t think there’s much on the resume for the coaching staff to take credit for especially from a recruits perspective.
For plug and play transfers like RayJ, the operative word would be succeeded.
Andres Feliz, Alfonso Plummer, Terrence Shannon.
With the current roster of bigs and wings, the table is set for a plug and play point. It is hard to understand why an experienced transfer would not jump at the chance.
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