Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[NarrowJ]

Anyone trying to measure teams at this point, especially placing “Super Team” labels on them, is likely to be extremely wrong.

Look at last year’s preseason AP poll:

Michigan and Arizona “Super Teams” were ranked 7th and 13th

The top 3 (Purdue, Florida, Houston) didn’t even make it past the S16

So if it’s that difficult to know which teams will be dominant and which teams won’t in November, then what sense is there to start assigning Super Team labels in freaking April?

 

[HensonHall71]

One the one hand: agreed, this is the correct read of the situation.

On the other hand, the correctly analyzed primary ballhandler/offense initiator on May 1 of the offseason:

2022-23: Skyy Clark
2023-24: RayJ Dennis
2024-25: Kylan Boswell
2025-26: Mihailo Petrovic

The ACTUAL primary ballhandler/offense initiator come the heat of conference season

2022-23: Epps/Mayer
2023-24: Marcus Domask
2024-25: Kasparas Jakucionis
2025-26: Keaton Wagler

I'm not sure where you are going with this - if it's "no one here knows who are PG will be by the end of the season logic"

Skyy Clark was absolutely our PG that season and would have been until the end of the season, but he quit the team - Epps was a forced pivot
Ray J never committed here
KJ was absolutely the PG from the moment he committed here - Kylan was never going to be the lead on ball guard
Last year is the only year that we pivoted to another PG because someone else emerged, which is what I think you are going for here

 

[LFOD]

Oh c'mon now. Don't give Pru a big head.

 

[Birdus]

Most years, you can count on Duke, Florida, Uconn to be at or near the top. They are multiple champions and it feels like everyone else is chasing them. We have raised our level within range of these talented teams and that makes me feel very good. There will always be the Sarr's & Storr's & Blackwell's etc. The good thing is that coach Brad is now recruiting and portaling top notch talent. The reason why is simple. We win and have NBA talent going through the pipeline. If we continue this, the five star guards will continue to sign on and this will breed more success. The arrow is pointing up!

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

Anyone trying to measure teams at this point, especially placing “Super Team” labels on them, is likely to be extremely wrong.

Look at last year’s preseason AP poll:

Michigan and Arizona “Super Teams” were ranked 7th and 13th

The top 3 (Purdue, Florida, Houston) didn’t even make it past the S16

So if it’s that difficult to know which teams will be dominant and which teams won’t in November, then what sense is there to start assigning Super Team labels in freaking April?

I wouldn't label anyone a superteam preseason; however, I also wouldn't assume that NO ONE will be a super team when we get down to it (and yes, Illinois is certainly a possibility).

 

[Aillini32]

One the one hand: agreed, this is the correct read of the situation.

On the other hand, the correctly analyzed primary ballhandler/offense initiator on May 1 of the offseason:

2022-23: Skyy Clark
2023-24: RayJ Dennis
2024-25: Kylan Boswell
2025-26: Mihailo Petrovic

The ACTUAL primary ballhandler/offense initiator come the heat of conference season

2022-23: Epps/Mayer
2023-24: Marcus Domask
2024-25: Kasparas Jakucionis
2025-26: Keaton Wagler

Yup. I think the staff has the opinion Vaaks could handle a larger workload, but it will be his first year being asked to be the primary ball handler. It was largely others who were bringing the ball up for Providence

 

[ChiefGritty]

Honest question: how do you think other stacked teams (not just/necessarily this offseason) have done it? Lied and made false promises? Offered ridiculous amounts of money? Are more desirable for some other reason (prestige, connections, etc)?

Different people are different.

But one way they've done it (read: Indiana and Kentucky) is create a big expensive mess that doesn't fit together as a basketball team.

 

[LFOD]

I'll quote a little Paul Simon from Train in the Distance, which I believe explains it:

What is the point of this story?
What information pertains?
The though that life could be better
Is woven indelibly
Into our hearts and our brains.

Related, but slightly different: hedonic adaptation

 

[altgeld88]

Two birds in the hand are worth one in the bush.

Or something like that.

Two stars in the Ubben firmament are worth one John in the (Black) well.

 

[Altuve27]

If Illinois had continued to push hard for John Blackwell while the portal was open and a key recruit was unsigned, neither Andrej Stojakovic nor Quentin Coleman would be on this team.

Have a great offseason.

Then they made the right decision. No question.

 

[IlliniwekKDR]

Whenever I'm having a great day this week, I just spend a few minutes reading this forum so all the insanity and anxiety in my life comes rushing back. It's a refreshing way to keep things balanced.

 

[EmeraldCityIllini]

Is Stefan Vaaks having trouble finding a pen? I’d be happy to help him out.

At this point, probably will just wait for the portal to officially close today.

 

[wncillini]

I wouldn't label anyone a superteam preseason; however, I also wouldn't assume that NO ONE will be a super team when we get down to it (and yes, Illinois is certainly a possibility).

Exactly. The portal era in the short term at least seems to point teams are getting better at the top not worse. There will be teams as good as Duke, Michigan, and Arizona this year, including maybe those very teams themselves. Hoping the top teams revert back to the pack with zero teams rising to the top and everyone in the top 10 having an equal shot isnt at all realistic.

In fact what looks like is happening is because there was so much draft talent this year then next, many guys are skipping the draft for another year of college hoping b to cash in next draft. So the gap n perceived talent between the two years has closed.

 

[the juiceman cometh]

Actually, it was Ty and Petrovic. Just had an unexpected injury (in the summer).

Petro turned out a bust, but we went into the year 9-10 deep.

1. Mirk
2. Tomi
3. Drej
4. Coleman
5. Vaaks
6. Jake
7. Big Z
8. Morillo
9. Brown

I get why you don't want to count Brown but for the same reason you don't count him, people on here were not counting Wagler and Davis. Which brings us down to 8 being the rotation in most people's minds last year at this time. Don't believe me? Here's what the discourse was like:

 

[RabidDawgClassic]

The last 15 days on the Loyalty board.

INSIDERS: We’ve got money and we’re going hard after Vaaks and Blackwell. It looks promising. But retention is the top priority.

LOYALTY: Yay! Superteam!

INSIDERS: Boom! We got Vaaks!

LOYALTY: Yay! Superteam!

INSIDERS: Pushing very hard for Blackwell. We’ve got the money. But retention first.

LOYALTY: Yay! Superteam!

INSIDERS: Boom! The “Triplets” are back! Ironing out details with Andrej. Blackwell still in the mix.

LOYALTY: Yay! Superteam!

INSIDERS: Boom! Andrej’s back!

LOYALTY: Yay! Superteam!

INSIDERS: Looks like we’re out of the Blackwell sweepstakes. I’m guessing you can figure out why.

LOYALTY: What?!? Why?!?

INSIDERS: Come on. Figure it out.

LOYALTY: ???

INSIDERS: Think about it.

LOYALTY: ???????

INSIDERS: ((sigh)) Blackwell backed off the day Andrej returned? Get it?

LOYALTY: So we’re broke?!?!

INSIDERS: ((sigh)) No… money is not a problem.

LOYALTY: So we’re just sitting on a pile of money?!? Can’t the coaches count???

INSIDERS: Yes, they can count. We’ll likely add more. Just not right away.

LOYALTY: So we’re gonna go into the season only eight deep?

INSIDERS: No, I said… ((facepalm)) ((sigh)). All is fine.

LOYALTY: I know what that means! All is NOT fine! PANIC!!! PANIC!!!

INSIDERS: Relax! Look… the staff knows who they want and what they’re looking for.

LOYALTY: Okay then… here’s a list of 40 players, all of whom would be a good fit and are desperately needed.

INSIDERS: You’re not gonna get any of those guys to come in and play backup to the backup.

LOYALTY: But you promised us a superteam!!!

INSIDERS: I’m getting too old for this sh*t.

 

[wncillini]

Whenever I'm having a great day this week, I just spend a few minutes reading this forum so all the insanity and anxiety in my life comes rushing back. It's a refreshing way to keep things balanced.

I mean someone threatens to kill me nearly weekly at work. Have had multiple dragged away in cuffs. This place reminds me of a spa in comparison.

 

[pruman91]

 

[NarrowJ]

Exactly. The portal era in the short term at least seems to point teams are getting better at the top not worse. There will be teams as good as Duke, Michigan, and Arizona this year, including maybe those very teams themselves. Hoping the top teams revert back to the pack with zero teams rising to the top and everyone in the top 10 having an equal shot isnt at all realistic.

In fact what looks like is happening is because there was so much draft talent this year then next, many guys are skipping the draft for another year of college hoping b to cash in next draft. So the gap n perceived talent between the two years has closed.

And right now, Illinois is being placed at the top of the way too early rankings. The thought of a bunch of teams jumping us means they’re signing multiple top 15 xfers, and there just aren’t that many to go around. Keep in mind the way too early #1 ranking FOX Sports gave us was a week prior to the Vaaks commitment.

This thought that Illinois needs to go into the new season with zero competition across a national scale is weird and not feasible.

 

[Indy Illini Fan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2046407531912643031

Update on Kentucky recruiting for everyone complaining here

If I was AD … Pope would be fired …

I don’t care what it cost … Likely should be for cause … Incapable of getting the job done …

Absolute embarrassment …

 

[Illini2010-11]

Then they made the right decision. No question.

Absolutely. There is no guarantee of how the locker room culture will work out when you bring in the hired one year assassin (we have seen the negatives of it from about 4 years ago).

It seems like the envisioned role for Blackwell that the staff had was not what his camp wanted. It is not like all of this is happening in a vacuum (other players know what is going on). Based on softly reading the tea leaves, I will take a high-end returning player (Andrej) who is known to work well with his peers than possibly losing him for the sake of bringing in a great player who may or may not mesh well with the locker room.

Part of the beauty of the team last year was how connected the locker room was (even when it seemed like things were slipping away in late Feb/early March). We have been able to retain a majority of that core, and I expect the connectivity of the team being a real strength of the team -- add in the high-level of talent, and there is no reason to doubt that we are still in prime contention to make it back to the Final Four again.

 

[Fighting I 95]

Id suggest if you have the time go watch Jeremy Werner's podcast. He speaks directly to adding another player and how the new pieces will fit with the guys we kept.

 

[Illini2010-11]

If I was AD … Pope would be fired …

I don’t care what it cost … Likely should be for cause … Incapable of getting the job done …

Absolute embarrassment …

Please don't give their AD good ideas. I am perfectly content with them continuing to spin their wheels.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

The last 15 days on the Loyalty board.

INSIDERS: We’ve got money and we’re going hard after Vaaks and Blackwell. It looks promising. But retention is the top priority.

LOYALTY: Yay! Superteam!

INSIDERS: Boom! We got Vaaks!

LOYALTY: Yay! Superteam!

INSIDERS: Pushing very hard for Blackwell. We’ve got the money. But retention first.

LOYALTY: Yay! Superteam!

INSIDERS: Boom! The “Triplets” are back! Ironing out details with Andrej. Blackwell still in the mix.

LOYALTY: Yay! Superteam!

INSIDERS: Boom! Andrej’s back!

LOYALTY: Yay! Superteam!

INSIDERS: Looks like we’re out of the Blackwell sweepstakes. I’m guessing you can figure out why.

LOYALTY: What?!? Why?!?

INSIDERS: Come on. Figure it out.

LOYALTY: ???

INSIDERS: Think about it.

LOYALTY: ???????

INSIDERS: ((sigh)) Blackwell backed off the day Andrej returned? Get it?

LOYALTY: So we’re broke?!?!

INSIDERS: ((sigh)) No… money is not a problem.

LOYALTY: So we’re just sitting on a pile of money?!? Can’t the coaches count???

INSIDERS: Yes, they can count. We’ll likely add more. Just not right away.

LOYALTY: So we’re gonna go into the season only eight deep?

INSIDERS: No, I said… ((facepalm)) ((sigh)). All is fine.

LOYALTY: I know what that means! All is NOT fine! PANIC!!! PANIC!!!

INSIDERS: Relax! Look… the staff knows who they want and what they’re looking for.

LOYALTY: Okay then… here’s a list of 40 players, all of whom would be a good fit and are desperately needed.

INSIDERS: You’re not gonna get any of those guys to come in and play backup to the backup.

LOYALTY: But you promised us a superteam!!!

INSIDERS: I’m getting too old for this sh*t.

Thanks, best laugh I’ve had here in a long time

 

[Snoopy]

Is 65% annual inflation sustainable? Let's ask this Argentine economist!

The wealth imbalance in this country is insane, it is an exponential curve, and a decent fraction of the very wealthy support their schools athletic departments. We can argue the wisdom of a society that pays millions to college basketball players. But even the most expensive college basketball player's annual pay is still pocket change to a billionaire. (or a collective of the slightly more moderately wealthy.)

 

[DReq]

Yeah, but once we get that serviceable 9th guy we’re gonna want a serviceable 10th guy. Where does it end??

I believe technically according to the rules it ends somewhere in the vicinity of a serviceable 15th guy. And maybe a silent European recruit to step in to fill any holes that show up. Possibly a serviceable lead manager or an assistant to the assistant coach's assistant. (Even then, maybe not)