Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

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#926      
TheDukeUIUC
STLini25 said:
Your point is correct Brad is willing to play freshman. Out of the 8 years listed, only 1 year did we win a R32 game. The expectations next year is to compete to return to the Final Four. The best way to accomplish that is to have a starting 5 that has all succeeded in college and have the two freshmen be expected to be rotational pieces and if they surprise with an upside then all the better. You can’t count on freshman to be all big ten and they don’t then the season is wasted.
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Two years getting to Sweet 16, 2024 and 2026, out of six (2019 and 2020 weren't NCAA tourney years for very different reasons). We even have an example of having no freshman starters and still couldn't get to the sweet 16 (2022). I would agree that our more successful years generally didn't feature freshman (2021 where Miller started but had a very defined secondary role, 2022 and 2024), but 2026 was the outlier there. I don't think there's enough to definitively say one way or the other will result in a wasted season.
 
#927      
Noblesville Illini
NarrowJ said:
Additional nugget/thought:

I'm starting to see Mara higher and higher on draft boards, Michigan has a crazy good freshman class coming in now but its beginning to look like they could lose their entire frontcourt this offseason
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Mara is the most likely to go to the league. See him a for sure 1st round pick
 
#928      
foby
LvilleILL1 said:
Gonna say this one more time, Cox is only coming here if he wants to be a bench/role player. He's not a starting caliber guard at a program like Illinois.
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For a significant pay increase
 
#929      
Fly Illini Fly!
I-L-L said:
Our world has become all about money versus so many other things that are more important.
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I-L-L said:
if we're talking millions of dollars no matter what, I have to say, I miss the days of culture, hard work, loyalty, companionship, life long relationships, etc. Screw this world of throwing millions at kids
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What “days” does this exactly refer to? More specifically, where did that time ever exist where being a top 10 NBA draft pick DIDN’T lend you a boatload of money?

Remember, we’re talking about PROFESSIONAL earnings here. You’re getting drafted into the National Basketball Association (as a top 10 pick no less).

It cannot be overstated how much hard work and dedication is required to reach that feat. Literally: there’s 8 billion people in the world, there’s 450 active roster spots available. That fraction is literally 0.0000056%.

More realistically, the approximate number of boys playing high school basketball each year in the United States is 540,000. Only 60 per year get drafted into the NBA. That fraction is 1/9,000 or 0.0001%. (I do understand the rise in popularity internationally)

So, when I see ANY of our guys reaching that stratosphere — and rightfully so getting rewarded with that payday — I genuinely could not be more overjoyed with happiness. What makes it all the more special is to see those guys come back doing well.

The Keaton one is extra unique due to how unexpected and iconic it was.
 
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#932      
hoopsfan47
Seems to me like the incoming frosh class of three guards is pretty good and may be the best ever trio of freshman guards ever for the Illini. If they can add a big time experienced guard there should be no weakness in the backcourt other than experience.

Also, finding a guy to replace Hummer should not break the bank either. Retention will be the challenge as big $ (2-4 million) may be offered for the returners.

Hold onto your seats Loyalty posters as this portal season will be wild and ripe with rumors.
 
#933      
NarrowJ
Joel Goodson said:
development doesn't necessarily stop in one's early twenties. Ayo is a prime example
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I also think “6th man” thing is kinda wild, wasn’t he our 2nd leading scorer for 90% of the season? For some reason the staff liked starting with Jake the last several games after Andrej’s 17th (or however many) lower body injury. I’ve actually wondered if he doesn’t have another level we just didn’t even see this year because he was battling knee/leg/ankle stuff the entire season.
 
#937      
skyIdub
I think you might have a hard time convincing the team to play with Cox on the bench.

50cent-bert.gif
 
#938      
AirTran
This should be completely obvious, but if the Illini offense is going to continue to be one predicated on taking a high volume of three point shots (was 43.4% of shot attempts), we MUST sign players with a better shooting percentage. ‘Elite’ shooters, if you will. IMO, making a higher percentage of initial attempts is a better strategy than relying on rebounding the put-backs.

And Drej has to work on this in the offseason.
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Actually, that is not true. The offense will be predicated on the "spread" which is what Brad has used as his base since he arrived at Oklahoma State.

What we actually run (sets and designed plays for individual players ) will be determined by the skill of the players on the floor.

That is always the way Brad has run both offense and defense and that isn't going to change.

Let's see what our roster look likes and whom our top 8-9 players are. That will determine both offensively and defensively what we run.

In the 9 years Brad has been here, he has changed (both offensively and defensively) the approach after the pre-season and first 2 B1G games.... based on personnel - every year including 2025 - 26. He calls it "extended practice time."
 
#940      
IllinitripleJ
Speaking of Morez, we better all hope that Morez/Mara both go to the NBA, bc if both of them come back along with McKenney/Cadeau/Cason…Michigan is going back to back.
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Michigan hasn't beaten UConn ....yet. Mara is the key. If he returns, Michigan will certainly be top 5. I'm not sure on Morez. Sometimes he looks great, other times not so great. If he stays, will Michigan pay him the huge NIL seeing they got the nation's second top recruiting class coming in. Basically, why pay Morez when one of next year's top freshmen, 6'9" Quinn Costello, can play the power forward position.
 
#943      
Appleknockersaluki
Potential role players from mid-majors in the portal that I've watched a lot of:

Rolyns Aligbe, 6'9" PF, Soph, SIU. Strong rebounder, shot 35% from 3 at low volume, 66% from the FT line, started at center for the Salukis. Could steal you 4-5 minutes a half to rest Mirk, but wouldn't be comfortable playing him 20 minutes a game if Mirk got hurt.

Quel'ron House, 6'0" PG, Soph, SIU. Salukis' leading scorer with a real knack for scoring around the basket, poor 3 point shooter (25%), 75% Ft shooter, not super quick for a small guy, not a lot of assists for PG (although SIU was a terrible shooting team), would probably be targeted on defense due to small size even in spot duty, so a hard no on House.

Brant Byers, 6'8" SG, Soph, Miami Univ. Second leading scorer, 39% from 3 in high volume, good mid-range scorer as well, seemed to play smaller than 6'8", not strong, might be in the Jake/Ben mold of 3 pt sniper his first year, then bulk up and rebound and defend better his second year, probably looking for a bigger role.
 
#944      
Trueblue777
Agree, Purdue was preseason #1 with a lot less. Need two combo type guards that can hit 3's. Andrej needs to come back and with a 30+% 3 pointer
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Andrej has the perfect teacher, his Pop
 
#945      
therealmiket86
illini0440 said:
And I don’t recall anyone over selling any NIL power last offseason….we spent about 10 million for the roster which was WAY up from the previous year and will increase even more next year. Hard to argue with the guy who thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room though.
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Same guy that said we exclusively ran cover 2 when Ryan Walter’s…..
 
#948      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
Fly Illini Fly! said:
We won't be. Team should have many capable, talented pieces.

The original post discussed him starting -- which has nothing to do with All Big Ten.
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DB11Headband said:
Staff is aiming MUCH higher than mid major players to round out the roster. And Quentin will start. Regardless, next year's roster will be loaded.
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Essentially, this is the starting unit I think we're aiming at:

TBD portal guard
Coleman
Stojakovic
Mirkovic
Tomislav

Obviously the bench will need some sorting out - depth, who's leaving, who's returning, etc.

That portal guard is the biggest focus/mystery at the moment (other than retention).
 
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#949      
STLini25
We won't be. Team should have many capable, talented pieces.

The original post discussed him starting -- which has nothing to do with All Big Ten.
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If he starts we are like a top 20 team not top 5 like some are stating. I’ve seen him play in person. He’s a great recruit to have . He’s not going to start on a top 5 team.
 
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