I'm dancing... but not in the streets. LOL I'm not worried about point guard. I'm looking forward to Illinois putting the ball in the hands of Vaaks. I just happen to think the Illini could use ANOTHER guard in addition to Vaaks and Coleman. Perhaps a guard with some experience? One who's better than Brandon Lee. And one who's better (at least initially) than Morillo at Guard. Plus, I think the Illini will need minutes from Morillo at SF and PF. (No great candidates to play those minutes at those positions if Morillo is forced to start at Guard for an injured Vaaks or Coleman.)
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
Wagler shot 39.7% from three this year. Vaaks? 35% Wagler was the better shooter, period. I don't care about the "eye test." I care about results. That said, I'm excited Vaaks is coming next year and hope he gets even better and sees more wide open threes, which are both reasonable assumptions to make.
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Incoming 5-star freshman guard Jason Crowe Jr for Missouri is going to be a PROBLEM for opponents next season!
This x10000!! If the injury bug hits the team, depth will be a major concern.
If Blackwell truly backed away and the money is still there, try to persuade someone like Paul McNeil to join. He’d be a great fit.
We can't help those posters. I've given up trying to make people understand how good we're going to be and how difficult it had to have been for Brad to pull this off-season off. People have the ask themselves what Drej, Mirk and the twins would have been worth it they all hit the portal? Drej and Mirk would have been 5 stars for sure....guessing Tomi would have been as well.
To pull Vaaks out of there and secure plug n play freshmen that you can mold for when our seniors leave after next year....you keep that retention pipeline flowing.
You can't just live out of the portal. You have to be able to develope guys, retain them and use the portal as an accent, which is pretty much what we did this year.
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I’m not arguing that at all. Just pointing out what his agent is saying.
Calling Pru.....give us the button brotha
pruman91
- interviewing new NL's daily....I really really am
I seem to remember the Illini' offensive # 's this past year being described as " historic " on Kenpom.............that's without a contribution from Mr. Blackwell , wasn't it???????..............
we had a top 150 recruit transition to a probable top 7-8 lottery pick coming up in a couple weeks.........maybe some of our freshmen coming in can do the same.....maybe ??.......................maybe the newest commit's dad said it best about the Illini program being best at player development in the country........................maybe some of our retention 5 players actrually improve ......maybe ????...
MAYBE some posters need to think more before posting some of the fodder showing up here now.......
I believe in this program like never before as to making the right decisions as to what's best for us to succeed.....I wish more felt that way , but it's your right to post an opinion........MAYBE give most thought before you post......JMHO......
we had a top 150 recruit transition to a probable top 7-8 lottery pick coming up in a couple weeks.........maybe some of our freshmen coming in can do the same.....maybe ??.......................maybe the newest commit's dad said it best about the Illini program being best at player development in the country........................maybe some of our retention 5 players actrually improve ......maybe ????...
MAYBE some posters need to think more before posting some of the fodder showing up here now.......
I believe in this program like never before as to making the right decisions as to what's best for us to succeed.....I wish more felt that way , but it's your right to post an opinion........MAYBE give most thought before you post......JMHO......
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Blackwell isn’t coming here to sit behind anybody — he’d be competing with guys who earned their roles, not blocked by them.
And Tyler has shown they’ll play multiple guards together if they can score and defend. If you can produce, you’re on the floor.
And Tyler has shown they’ll play multiple guards together if they can score and defend. If you can produce, you’re on the floor.
We’re still a natty favorite without Blackwell..
Maybe not #1 preseason but I don’t know if there’s a group with such retention that is for sure better. We’re going to have a season where the final four & a national championship will be the bar for success.
we rode with these guys last year, Zen’s dad is right.. we are the premier development program. Morillo & Coleman are fantastic additions as freshmen & Vaaks will be a first round pick….
Nothing to be upset about- especially if the kid isn’t focused on winning. Everyone that’s coming back is sacrificing to win. Andrej could go anywhere he wants.. he could
Be averaging 25ppg at Cal right now but instead he’s locked in on bringing a national title to Champaign.
Maybe not #1 preseason but I don’t know if there’s a group with such retention that is for sure better. We’re going to have a season where the final four & a national championship will be the bar for success.
we rode with these guys last year, Zen’s dad is right.. we are the premier development program. Morillo & Coleman are fantastic additions as freshmen & Vaaks will be a first round pick….
Nothing to be upset about- especially if the kid isn’t focused on winning. Everyone that’s coming back is sacrificing to win. Andrej could go anywhere he wants.. he could
Be averaging 25ppg at Cal right now but instead he’s locked in on bringing a national title to Champaign.
He's an exciting addition. Excellent shooter, adept passer, and very good run/jump athlete.
The only question is can we get him to play acceptable defense.
All of THIS ^^^^^
if Blackwell is concerned about too many mouths to feed and not being successful, then he's not, as BU says, "playing for the name on the front of the jersey". like when he saw Keaton score 2 points in high school and came away still ecstatic about him because he got his teammates involved and didn't care that he only got 2 points.
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Oh I have. Nothing wrong with having more than 1 quicker guard with more experience to boot
I don't think you're going to find many guards that are quicker that Wilkins even if they are smaller.
Would love to see him work with Fletch. Has all the tools to be a plus perimeter defender.
If he can be halfway good enough to payback Wisconsin for Michael Finley and Frank Kaminsky then I’ll be happy!
CrazedUIFan
UI Fan in QC Land
I wonder of Glynn must be frustrated, but kudos to allowing John to make his own decision.
Whitmans Sampler
- Eastern Iowa
You conveniently forgot to mention Vaaks and Mirk who will likely be our highest usage players. I agree the minutes would be there for Blackwell, though maybe not the shot volume he + his agent are looking for.
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Lee can absolutely contribute this year. I think he’s slept on. Keaton overshadowed him this year. Another year in the system, it’s not unreasonable to think he can take a sophmore leap.
The goal is $$ AND usage. He and his camp are hunting both; not necessarily winning though.
Keaton did not overshadow Lee; he couldn't even get on the court.
The guys that got overshadowed by Keaton were Mirkovic and Stojakovic -- both of whom will be focal points of next year's team.