Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

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#151      
ChiefGritty
blackdog said:
The flexibility is also why they are so successful game to game. The base philosophies are the same, high quality shots at the rim or from three, matchup hunting, attack the glass. The ways they can go about doing it are so varied depending on what the defense does, it's pretty amazing.
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Right, but the classical small get-to-the-rim lead guard type will always tend toward being an awkward fit with that. DGL, Epps, Clark, Petro to an extent.

I'm old school college basketball, there's no world in which my reaction is not "go get the quicksilver Chicagoland PG who's gonna be Illinois Mr. Basketball and build around him".

And yet we have this awesome team that we've built of these perfectly compliant parts AFTER chasing off the best set of transfers out of any program in the nation, it's really crazy.
 
#154      
jamarvelous31
Emerson Bigguns said:
Have we dialed in a specific style of play? Seems like we do things a little differently every year.

Get good/great players and figure out how to make it work. It's always been more about the Jim's and Joe's than the X's and O's. Ask Bruce Weber. LOL

Our coaching staff can still commit to it's principles of shots in the paint and at the arc, offensive rebounding, hustle, and daily improvement no matter the size of the kid. All other things being equal, sure, take the tall guy... but in no world should the height of the player be the singular reason you don't pursue him.

That said, if we can keep our front court at Illinois next year, every lead guard in the country should have interest. Those guys put so much stress on a defense... The PG is going to have ample opportunities to shine.
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The current offense & principles are significantly different than what you saw with the Ayo, Kofi or booty ball teams.

I think Brad has a bit of coach K in him (gross), his principles are based on what he thinks his players can achieve and what will win games.
 
#155      
ChiefGritty
BWA said:
Boswell is a short lead guard and he fits just fine. Underwood just requires that his players are capable defenders. DGL, EPPS, Clark, and Petro all struggled on that end.
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Not only is he taller but he's so much bigger. The "requires that his players are capable defenders" has a tone like it's all about attitude and trying hard. Boswell has those things, but he can switch onto larger players and not create matchup problems because he's so stout and physical.

Jaxson Davis isn't going to be able to guard wings. We're going to have to work and make sacrifices to ensure he can stay on the floor.

We made enormous sacrifices and built our whole defensive strategy out of keeping Kofi out of bad matchups, but he was obviously worth it at the other end and that was a few years ago now.
 
#156      
Luwdoo
Right, but the classical small get-to-the-rim lead guard type will always tend toward being an awkward fit with that. DGL, Epps, Clark, Petro to an extent.

I'm old school college basketball, there's no world in which my reaction is not "go get the quicksilver Chicagoland PG who's gonna be Illinois Mr. Basketball and build around him".

And yet we have this awesome team that we've built of these perfectly compliant parts AFTER chasing off the best set of transfers out of any program in the nation, it's really crazy.
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No, I would not pass on Isiah Thomas, Dee Brown, or Jalen Brunson because of their height.
 
#158      
Timj83
Indy Illini Fan said:
If we go full go rodeo … Think he’s ours …
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Seems like the type you break your positional size protocol for . Anyone know what kind of wingspan he's working with? He's got the athleticism it seems to play bigger than 6' and not be a liability on defense.
 
#159      
derrick6
This is the challenge, the more we dial in a specific style of play that we want to maintain going forward, the more that means certain players might not fit.

Should we, with the benefit of hindsight, just not bothered to recruit Morez Johnson in the first place? Would allocating that effort elsewhere have left us better off? That's a difficult question to answer.
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The Morez situation makes more sense now, and I no longer fault him for leaving.
 
#160      
blackdog
ChiefGritty said:
Not only is he taller but he's so much bigger. The "requires that his players are capable defenders" has a tone like it's all about attitude and trying hard. Boswell has those things, but he can switch onto larger players and not create matchup problems because he's so stout and physical.

Jaxson Davis isn't going to be able to guard wings. We're going to have to work and make sacrifices to ensure he can stay on the floor.

We made enormous sacrifices and built our whole defensive strategy out of keeping Kofi out of bad matchups, but he was obviously worth it at the other end and that was a few years ago now.
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Boswell is generously listed at 6'2 so he isn't really that much taller but he is built like a brick wall. Trent and Feliz weren't tall guards but were also defensive studs. Obviously the preference is for plus positional size but its not going to be a deal breaker to have someone on the smaller side if they are still able to hold up at that end.
 
#161      
rtbritt
Boswell is generously listed at 6'2 so he isn't really that much taller but he is built like a brick wall. Trent and Feliz weren't tall guards but were also defensive studs. Obviously the preference is for plus positional size but its not going to be a deal breaker to have someone on the smaller side if they are still able to hold up at that end.
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If the Davis kid works like Trent on the defensive end, we can make it work! Trent didn’t have the thickness or physicality that Boswell had, but his effort and brain made it work.
 
#163      
jrichisamazing
ChiefGritty said:
Not only is he taller but he's so much bigger. The "requires that his players are capable defenders" has a tone like it's all about attitude and trying hard. Boswell has those things, but he can switch onto larger players and not create matchup problems because he's so stout and physical.

Jaxson Davis isn't going to be able to guard wings. We're going to have to work and make sacrifices to ensure he can stay on the floor.

We made enormous sacrifices and built our whole defensive strategy out of keeping Kofi out of bad matchups, but he was obviously worth it at the other end and that was a few years ago now.
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I think we have been moving in this direction for the past couple years now and what we will most likely see moving forward. Find guys that are worth it on the offensive end and make it work defensively. Essentially, focus on skill over pure athleticism.

You brought up Morez, it's the main reason Ben was playing more minutes than him. If Morez was in this upcoming recruiting class we might not have even targeted him, but it's hard to say.

We took Petrovic when we could have went out and found a hard nosed blue collar point guard. And I believe Petrovic isn't playing because of his offense, not his defense. He was brought in to be a menace in the PnR game, and he hasn't made himself worth it on that end of the floor.

It would've been really interesting if Ty was healthy this year. If he was on the court the entire offense has to adapt. Is that worth it to get a better defender in the game? I could argue he would've average less than 15 mpg this season (which could've still been extremely valuable).
 
#164      
skyIdub
logjam said:
I actually have enjoyed having bigger guards and enjoyed the success with them...
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#166      
logjam
jrichisamazing said:
I think we have been moving in this direction for the past couple years now and what we will most likely see moving forward. Find guys that are worth it on the offensive end and make it work defensively. Essentially, focus on skill over pure athleticism.

You brought up Morez, it's the main reason Ben was playing more minutes than him. If Morez was in this upcoming recruiting class we might not have even targeted him, but it's hard to say.

We took Petrovic when we could have went out and found a hard nosed blue collar point guard. And I believe Petrovic isn't playing because of his offense, not his defense. He was brought in to be a menace in the PnR game, and he hasn't made himself worth it on that end of the floor.

It would've been really interesting if Ty was healthy this year. If he was on the court the entire offense has to adapt. Is that worth it to get a better defender in the game? I could argue he would've average less than 15 mpg this season (which could've still been extremely valuable).
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Petrovic isn't playing because of offense and defense and positional size...
 
#169      
Guest
If KW had gone to Minnesota or anywhere else, MP would have been the Illinois PG, and I think he would have been a good one. I see him as “good” Curbello. A pure PG. Don’t get me wrong, KW is a far better PG, just saying if he wasn’t here, MP would be starting. He is far from unplayable. Sure, he has had some rough minutes, but I think that has more to do with just not getting enough practice time with the team and not getting enough minutes on the court in actual games. It seems people forget a couple (or few) games where he played really well that people, even sports writers via twitter, got excited. For instance, after the UTRGV game (I think, it’s been a while):

Dariush Takhtehchian, M.D
@takhtehchianmd
22-year-old Mihailo Petrovic. As advertised. Already has 12 pts, 3 dimes, 2 boards in 12 minutes

Someone here posted, "I need more Mihailo."

And another: I'll go out on a limb here and say we got a good one in Petrovic.
Really good, really quick.

And there were a few other similar posts.

And if I remember correctly, he played well against Southern U. It wasn’t just at garbage time. I think it was in the first half. MP took over the PG duties, and KW played wing. Worked pretty well, but then, Southern was not much competition. The point is, he has played well when he gets significant minutes.

And even Underwood praised him after a game. I forgot which. I remember because it was so surprising.
 
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#170      
HailtotheChief
We have to land this dude because Greatest Basketball Jersey In The History Of Basketball Jerseys:sneaky:🤭🧡


90
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If we take a transfer with the departure of Keaton n Boz then with our new Assistant Coach's Colgate connection the pg from Colgate Jalen Cox. He has been mentioned and looked damn good when he played vs us
 
#171      
ChiTown
Combo said:
Also, in his defense, he started out injured and then had a unexpected elite talent take his position.

If you take away the injury and Keaton, who knows how he would have progressed.
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I for one see a lot of potential and talent in that young man…maybe if he hang around next season might really help with his development.Atleast by then he should know the system and what’s expected of him here.
 
#172      
Kendall Gill’s Uncle
jrichisamazing said:
I think we have been moving in this direction for the past couple years now and what we will most likely see moving forward. Find guys that are worth it on the offensive end and make it work defensively. Essentially, focus on skill over pure athleticism.

You brought up Morez, it's the main reason Ben was playing more minutes than him. If Morez was in this upcoming recruiting class we might not have even targeted him, but it's hard to say.

We took Petrovic when we could have went out and found a hard nosed blue collar point guard. And I believe Petrovic isn't playing because of his offense, not his defense. He was brought in to be a menace in the PnR game, and he hasn't made himself worth it on that end of the floor.

It would've been really interesting if Ty was healthy this year. If he was on the court the entire offense has to adapt. Is that worth it to get a better defender in the game? I could argue he would've average less than 15 mpg this season (which could've still been extremely valuable).
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Petrovic doesn’t see the floor because he couldn’t guard a barn.
 
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