Illini Basketball 2026-2027

#51      
SescIllini
LvilleILL1 said:
Already hearing some stuff.....will post something by the end of the weekend after the first week is done.

I will add one nugget already: Stefan Vaaks has exceeded expectations so far.
Click to expand...
Wow on Vaaks...expecting Coleman to impressed. He has been developing quickly, just continues to look better at each event.

See Vets being better and more confident
 
#52      
RollChief
LvilleILL1 said:
Already hearing some stuff.....will post something by the end of the weekend after the first week is done.

I will add one nugget already: Stefan Vaaks has exceeded expectations so far.
Click to expand...
One of the best transfers out of the portal is exceeding expectations?

1781634159912.png
 
#53      
NarrowJ
RollChief said:
One of the best transfers out of the portal is exceeding expectations?

View attachment 50603
Click to expand...

Want to revisit the 'Vaaks is the best offensive player in the portal' hot take 8 months from now

Haggerty holds that honor at the moment, but will be interesting to see how the year plays out (you could maybe even argue Vaaks > Blackwell offensively now, given his size, versatility and playmaking)
 
#55      
Emerson Bigguns
jjv0004 said:
Let me guess. Q is going be better than Wagler and Lucas Morillo is going to be a borderline starter. :illinois:
Click to expand...
I mean, the odds aren't great, but Q is the highest rated recruit we've had since cell phones were a thing you used once, to call your dad or your lawyer.
 
#58      
wc_illini
Uihoop2023! said:
Q Doesn't have to be better than Wagler...Vaaks upgrade from Boswell and returnees get better
Click to expand...
You could also look at it as Vaaks --> Wagler and Q --> Boswell. Not necessarily in terms of their role, but in comparing "value". So if Vaaks is a step down from Wagler, then either Q or the returnees need to make up the difference (and then some if we want to be better).
 
#59      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
wc_illini said:
You could also look at it as Vaaks --> Wagler and Q --> Boswell. Not necessarily in terms of their role, but in comparing "value". So if Vaaks is a step down from Wagler, then either Q or the returnees need to make up the difference (and then some if we want to be better).
Click to expand...
If we’re ranking the 4:

Wagler, Vaaks, Boswell, Coleman
 
#61      
Fan Since '70
Watching a lot of Vaaks footage, I believe he will be a very able Wagler replacement. Coleman should provide better offense than Boswell, and hopefully can provide decent defense to boot. Z, Davis and Morillo I expect to be first guys off the bench. In early part of season, Zens, Brown and Williams will be given opportunity to show if they can earn a spot in rotation. IMO, Vaaks and Coleman make us slightly better than last season and bench is deeper. Barring injuries, I hope to see Illini back in Final Four and Illini have the experience and added power to go further.
 
#62      
PepeSilvia
Illiniguy13 said:
Think I'm going with Tomi...does he stay relatively healthy this year? "Good Tomi" makes us so dang hard to deal with
Click to expand...
In general would just like to see more of Tomi in the post.

He's capable of scoring in the low post and opening things up from the inside-out while being a good enough passer to punish teams that try to cheat in.

Maybe he was injured but I think he just spent too much time away from the basket this year.

Likewise with Mirk. If teams are going to play and guard him with basically wings then he should be punishing them inside. UConn will be a prime example likely playing Khamenia in the Karaban role. Khamenia does not have the weight to hang with Mirk in the paint.
 
Last edited:
Back