Wagler went pro and averaged 17 with pretty much the same roster, to think Blackwell couldn't come in and average 17-20 and go pro doesn't make sense to me. But I will just trust the staff knows what they are doing as much as I would have loved to see Blackwell here.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
skyIdub
"I can't tell you. Secret."
Lol...way to sensationalize your strawman.
I've presented not a single word of this. Talk about misrepresenting.
Only if they pass the 5th year of eligibility rule, in which case I’d guess we take Bam
Loyalty went from “I’m wearing my cup just in case” to “why can’t we sign whoever TF we want??”
That is true in every facet of life. It all sounds good in advance, then as decision time happens.....the reality hits. It can be buying a car, then the papers/cost gets dropped in front of you to sign, it can be changing jobs, then the formal offer comes from the new one, it's getting engaged, then the day gets closer and those questions start.
18-22 year old kids, making multi-million dollar decisions....let's try and be human and give these guys/their families a little room. For us, it's 20 PGG. For them, it's their livelihood.
I’m for giving Brad and the staff their due. Four first round NBA picks in three years while competing at a high level, making one E8 and one F4.
I watched UW (Washington) do that and overall kill team chemistry. One set of rules for the 1-and-done, one set of rules for everyone else. While qualifying for nothing post-season.
Brad’s killing it on so many of the modern NCAA challenges.
“Dawg” is how UW (Washington) refers to themselves but I can’t believe this is a UW fan, they don’t get this passionate about UW MBB, like, everThis site is nothing if not entertaining.
How many people here were living in town watching these two when they were on WCIA together? Show of hands.
Right, as I said, that language you bolded is something nobody is saying. It was you who made the odd argument that, somehow, Petrovic being a big disappointment means a different Illinois team one year later doesn’t need a depth guard.
Duke, UConn, maybe Michigan, Louisville,
MSU and UCLA.
Kansas?
Soak it up Illini. We are likely a deeper roster than Bill Self’s Jayhawks.
Relentlessly shamed? Lobotomized? Propagandized? I think your the one who's being a bit unnecessary and strange.
drsmitty74
- Rochester
This is exactly what I was thinking. The staff will see some summer workouts and then have an even better idea what they need/want and then go get that exact piece....or two.
Tyler, most of us here don't have a guy like Neel Ganta whose job it is to find players, but we very strongly suspect that somewhere out there exists an experienced mid-major, "team player" who has interest stepping up a level to come off the bench for a team that could compete for the National Championship. The Illini certainly have found those guys in the past: Jacob Grandison, Alfonso Plummer, Justin Harmon, Jake Davis, Ben Humrichous. I simply do not believe that there does not exist a veteran collegian who is willing to fill the 'first guard off the bench' role and provide considerably better defense than (checks notes) a freshman Ethan Brown.
Even if he gets eligibility, Seth Trimble isn’t coming here to be the veteran backup guard.
Dude would probably start on Kansas with the way this offseason is playing out
Davis is arguably the only guy in that list who didn't come here to start or be 1st off the bench.
All of those dudes were under this staff. Do you really think this staff doesn't know how to grab someone similar if the politics allow and fit exists?
Having read early in this thread a question of whether or not JJ was going to be recovered to the point of being able to go 100% in practice over the summer, I continued to read every post for the answer....and got crickets. Can anyone answer that question with any certainty or report that it is still questionable? Asking for a friend.
IMHO, if he can step up and slow the game down a little while improving his skills and confidence, he could be a big factor. (Please note I did not say big contributor, but an important contributor). I have no idea how many guys are available in Europe or through the portal that are 6' 10", athletic, can shoot, and who want to play a small role in the Illini crusade for a title who have two years of experience at B1G level play. Anyone with credible knowledge please speak up.
From what I have seen of practice clips and games over the past two seasons, he has the potential to be a solid bench piece.
IMHO, if he can step up and slow the game down a little while improving his skills and confidence, he could be a big factor. (Please note I did not say big contributor, but an important contributor). I have no idea how many guys are available in Europe or through the portal that are 6' 10", athletic, can shoot, and who want to play a small role in the Illini crusade for a title who have two years of experience at B1G level play. Anyone with credible knowledge please speak up.
From what I have seen of practice clips and games over the past two seasons, he has the potential to be a solid bench piece.
This is not me, trying to start anything. But I am curious let’s say we have a UCONN situation where Coleman or Vaaks gets hurt this summer and is out for the year. Who takes their role right now? Then who is the back up in that role? That is what we are missing. I know insiders have said no an I get it 100% but Jalen Cox would be great. But I get it he doesn’t want that role.
Remember this name...... Seth Trimble, 6'3 Athletic Defender PG from UNC now in the portal and raised in Wisconsin. Y'all heard it here first..... to Illinois.
Why aren’t we trying to sign Blackwell again?
Those players that you listed have or had higher usage roles. We aren’t looking for that, we have enough of those type of players in the rotation. We are looking for a lesser depth piece for the bench. Based off that, again who would you get? Because it’s tough to find that in the portal….
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1. Vaaks
2. Mirk
3.Andrej
4. Tomi
5. Coleman
6. Jake
7. Big Z
8. Morillo
9. Davis/Brown/Transfer
The odds of you finding a player that wants to be the 8th or 9th guy that wants to play maybe 10 minutes a game that really is more talented/better than Morillo is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Every guy you mentioned played over 20 mpg here…we don’t really have that to sell. First off the bench is going to be Davis or Coleman followed by Z. Would a Blackwell put you in the top 3 for a championship absolutely….the player type you’re describing doesn’t.