Illini Basketball 2025-2026

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#601      
ptgrd23
Everything going right in 2025/2026 season (ignore Ty injury)

1. Ben H shoots 40% from 3 and averages 15 ppg. Goes from scape goat to beloved transfer joining Marcus in Illini transfer HOF
2. Kylan reverts to mean and shoots 39% from 3 like his freshman and sophomore seasons at AZ. Averages 15 ppg and goes in NBA draft 2nd round
3. Tomas adds unstoppable post game averages 18 ppg and is all B10. Big debate is whether he should leave for NBA or stay for 1 more year and become potential lottery pick.
4. Big Z slots in perfectly as twin towers stretch 4 due to playing one same team as Tomas since he was 5 years old. Give Final Four Illini team 12 ppg, 10 rbg and 3 bpg. Nobody can score inside vs Illini and we keep out 10 rbg differential. Brad resurrects the Bill Self high low offense and the Ivicivic twins ares unstoppable.
5. Andre plays like the golden gunner Rick Barry - even changing how he shoots free throws. He is unstoppable driving the hoop with his change of pace, incredible body control, and magic shot.
6. Mircovic is a man among boys grabbing every defensive and offensive rebound. So strong with great fundamentals they call him young Jokic.
7. Petrovic plays like an NBA veteran, 10:1 assist to turnover ratio, getting everybody easy baskets
8. Jake is B10 6th man of the year, providing instant offense and lock down defense. He inspires screams from female fans not heard since Matt Heldman SR season. Kids imitate his pony tale.
 
#604      
Joel Goodson
hoopsfan47 said:
Living in Springfield, Mo. with a daughter living in Mission, Ks., I am quite familiar with the Shawnee Mission School District (her adopted daughter attends Shawnee Mission North). Since Wagler's commitment, I have been interested in his progress. He is a fascinating prospect and is loaded with potential due to his athleticism. His contribution to the 25-26 Illini team is predicated on his desire to work and excel at B1G level. He seems to use his skills and athleticism to make his team better. Will he do just that at Illinois? We all hope so. Seems like he may be a Ty clone who can shoot. or at least in my imagination. Both he and Lee have been overlooked by Illini fans since they signed...and that can be a huge motivating factor.
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very intriguing player and seemingly very shrewd pickup (seemingly only because it's awfully early). great shooter (and more), no doubt. but Ty clone? nope, don't see it. hope he proves me wrong
 
#605      
Joel Goodson
ptgrd23 said:
Everything going right in 2025/2026 season (ignore Ty injury)

1. Ben H shoots 40% from 3 and averages 15 ppg. Goes from scape goat to beloved transfer joining Marcus in Illini transfer HOF
2. Kylan reverts to mean and shoots 39% from 3 like his freshman and sophomore seasons at AZ. Averages 15 ppg and goes in NBA draft 2nd round
3. Tomas adds unstoppable post game averages 18 ppg and is all B10. Big debate is whether he should leave for NBA or stay for 1 more year and become potential lottery pick.
4. Big Z slots in perfectly as twin towers stretch 4 due to playing one same team as Tomas since he was 5 years old. Give Final Four Illini team 12 ppg, 10 rbg and 3 bpg. Nobody can score inside vs Illini and we keep out 10 rbg differential. Brad resurrects the Bill Self high low offense and the Ivicivic twins ares unstoppable.
5. Andre plays like the golden gunner Rick Barry - even changing how he shoots free throws. He is unstoppable driving the hoop with his change of pace, incredible body control, and magic shot.
6. Mircovic is a man among boys grabbing every defensive and offensive rebound. So strong with great fundamentals they call him young Jokic.
7. Petrovic plays like an NBA veteran, 10:1 assist to turnover ratio, getting everybody easy baskets
8. Jake is B10 6th man of the year, providing instant offense and lock down defense. He inspires screams from female fans not heard since Matt Heldman SR season. Kids imitate his pony tale.
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ease up on the kool-aid
 
#606      
Illini in Italy
Joel Goodson said:
ease up on the kool-aid
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That ain't Kool-Aid . . .

1753534671862.gif
 
#610      
hooraybeer
ptgrd23 said:
Everything going right in 2025/2026 season (ignore Ty injury)

1. Ben H shoots 40% from 3 and averages 15 ppg. Goes from scape goat to beloved transfer joining Marcus in Illini transfer HOF
2. Kylan reverts to mean and shoots 39% from 3 like his freshman and sophomore seasons at AZ. Averages 15 ppg and goes in NBA draft 2nd round
3. Tomas adds unstoppable post game averages 18 ppg and is all B10. Big debate is whether he should leave for NBA or stay for 1 more year and become potential lottery pick.
4. Big Z slots in perfectly as twin towers stretch 4 due to playing one same team as Tomas since he was 5 years old. Give Final Four Illini team 12 ppg, 10 rbg and 3 bpg. Nobody can score inside vs Illini and we keep out 10 rbg differential. Brad resurrects the Bill Self high low offense and the Ivicivic twins ares unstoppable.
5. Andre plays like the golden gunner Rick Barry - even changing how he shoots free throws. He is unstoppable driving the hoop with his change of pace, incredible body control, and magic shot.
6. Mircovic is a man among boys grabbing every defensive and offensive rebound. So strong with great fundamentals they call him young Jokic.
7. Petrovic plays like an NBA veteran, 10:1 assist to turnover ratio, getting everybody easy baskets
8. Jake is B10 6th man of the year, providing instant offense and lock down defense. He inspires screams from female fans not heard since Matt Heldman SR season. Kids imitate his pony tale.
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one miss: Hamer rebrands as X’s and o’s superstar, sans tights, and becomes the next Gentry
 
#611      
Fly Illini Fly!
I think Z leads the big ten in blocks. He averaged 2.5 per 25 minutes last season. He may not get to 25, but will almost surely play into the 20s.
 
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#612      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
Fly Illini Fly! said:
I think Z leads the big ten in blocks. He averaged 2.5 per 25 minutes last season. He may not get to 25, but will almost surely play into the 20s.
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not gonna lie really liked this team pre Ty injury.

Z has always been a really good idea... the thing is it's an idea and is yet to fully materialized. Very few out there better shot blocking wise.
 
#613      
PepeSilvia
Illini in Italy said:
That ain't Kool-Aid . . .

View attachment 42970
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It's the only thing that can explain thinking Petrovic can put up an assist to turnover ratio of 10-1.

I'm pretty sure the NCAA record is around 5-1. I think Monte Morris was the only guy to put up something around 5-1 in a power conference.

If Petrovic put up a 10-1 assist to turnover ratio he would be the best point guard in NCAA history.
 
#614      
Fly Illini Fly!
PepeSilvia said:
It's the only thing that can explain thinking Petrovic can put up an assist to turnover ratio of 10-1.

I'm pretty sure the NCAA record is around 5-1. I think Monte Morris was the only guy to put up something around 5-1 in a power conference.

If Petrovic put up a 10-1 assist to turnover ratio he would be the best point guard in NCAA history.
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In the ABA league he had a 3.02:1 ratio (which is REALLY good).

For comparison Braden Smith was 2.87:1.
 
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#619      
Joel Goodson
skyIdub said:
Just me out here looking for the hills some of y’all climbed…both ways…in the snow to watch Illinois basketball back in the day.😝


maes-b-lost-in-a-field.gif
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if you made it to the blizzard game (mid-80s, IIRC, which I probably don't, lol) and you weren't already in CU, that would qualify
 
#621      
hoopsfan47
Joel Goodson said:
if you made it to the blizzard game (mid-80s, IIRC, which I probably don't, lol) and you weren't already in CU, that would qualify
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In 1972 or 73, I went to a game against Purdue AFTER a blizzard. The temperature was around 15 below. The snow was so deep that in virtually every field, in almost the exact center, there was a brace of pheasants gathered. Their hiding holes along the fence rows were drifted with 3+ feet of snow so they huddled in the middle to be able to see in all directions, feed on the stray corn, and fly away from any predators or hunters. Must have seen a thousand or more on the hour drive to C-U that took 1.5 hours instead.

Of course, if I had brought along my 12 gauge shotgun, there would not have been a single bird in sight. Murphy's Law.
 
#623      
Fly Illini Fly!
ptgrd23 said:
Everything going right in 2025/2026 season (ignore Ty injury)

1. Ben H shoots 40% from 3 and averages 15 ppg. Goes from scape goat to beloved transfer joining Marcus in Illini transfer HOF
2. Kylan reverts to mean and shoots 39% from 3 like his freshman and sophomore seasons at AZ. Averages 15 ppg and goes in NBA draft 2nd round
3. Tomas adds unstoppable post game averages 18 ppg and is all B10. Big debate is whether he should leave for NBA or stay for 1 more year and become potential lottery pick.
4. Big Z slots in perfectly as twin towers stretch 4 due to playing one same team as Tomas since he was 5 years old. Give Final Four Illini team 12 ppg, 10 rbg and 3 bpg. Nobody can score inside vs Illini and we keep out 10 rbg differential. Brad resurrects the Bill Self high low offense and the Ivicivic twins ares unstoppable.
5. Andre plays like the golden gunner Rick Barry - even changing how he shoots free throws. He is unstoppable driving the hoop with his change of pace, incredible body control, and magic shot.
6. Mircovic is a man among boys grabbing every defensive and offensive rebound. So strong with great fundamentals they call him young Jokic.
7. Petrovic plays like an NBA veteran, 10:1 assist to turnover ratio, getting everybody easy baskets
8. Jake is B10 6th man of the year, providing instant offense and lock down defense. He inspires screams from female fans not heard since Matt Heldman SR season. Kids imitate his pony tale.
Click to expand...
I think #2 and #3 happens. I think parts of #4, #5, and #6 happen.
 
#625      
Second place is 1st loser
Fly Illini Fly! said:
I think #2 and #3 happens. I think parts of #4, #5, and #6 happen.
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Actually, I think part of #1 happens. I think Ben will be in that 40% range, but it will be as a extremely solid role player. He won't average 15 per game, but expecting him to come in, stretch the floor and knock down open looks(as he was expected to do last year).....I fully believe that will happen. A whole year in the program will do wonders.

Bringing a 6'8", 6'9" shooter off the bench is a flat out luxury.
 
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