Checking in on the Illini Diaspora as we approach the end of the non-conference season
Jacob Grandison - Duke (6th year) key rotation piece off the bench at 17.9 MPG, currently averaging 6.0/3.2/1.4 on an efficient .631 TS%. Similar to his time at Illinois, he continues to crush it in the advanced stat Box Plus/Minus (currently 7.7)
Tevian Jones - Southern Utah (5th year) leads the 6-4 Thunderbirds in minutes at 29.6 MPG, leading scorer on one of the highest scoring teams in the country at 19.7 PPG albeit on a fairly ho-hum .538 TS%
Omar Payne - Jacksonville (Sr.) has started 4 and appeared in 5 out of the 6 games for the 4-2 Dolphins where is averaging 24.2 MPG, averaging 8.0/5.2/1.0 along with an impressive 2 blocks per game.
Jermaine Hamlin - Eastern Illinois (Sr.) despite being the starter for the first two games, he's seen a decrease in his minutes and is now averaging 10.3 MPG in 7 games (team has played 9 total) for the pitiful Panthers who are 2-7 and rank 356/363 in the nation in KenPom
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonck - South Carolina (r-Jr.) has played and started in 7 games and is averaging 21.2 MPG for the struggling Gamecocks who have begun the year 4-4. Averaging 3.7/5.1/2.1 on a very inefficient .410 TS%. His struggles are reflected in the Box Plus/Minus advanced stat where he is a -4.4.
Andre Curbelo - St. John's (Jr.) Starting Point Guard for the 8-1 Red Storm that is averaging 29.0 MPG with 11.3/5.2/3.3 as well as an impressive 2.2 stealers per game. Has 3.2 turnovers per game as well and a TS% of .545.
Adam Miller - LSU (r-So.) leads the Tigers in minutes (33.9 MPG) and scoring 16.9 PPG (he and the 2022 OVC player of the year KJ Williams are neck and neck) on an impressive .635 TS% for the 7-1 Tigers.
Brandin Podziemski - Santa Clara (So.) the clear alpha dog with 35.4 MPG and 20.6/9.6/2.4 along with an impressive 2.2 steals per game for the 7-2 Broncos (who are just barely outside the KP top 100 right now, checking in at #104). He is shooting 41.5 % from three on good volume (5.9 attempts per game) and an overall TS% of an efficient .588.
Good for Jacob - different experience playing for Duke. Still less mpg than last 2 years at Illinois
Tevian - right choice to transfer, happy to see him succeed at lower level
Omar- showing not P5 talent
Hamlin - showing not P5 talent
BBCV - showing not P5 talent
Andre - 11 ppg - same stats as at Illinois. I think the concussion is still bothering him. Will get playing time at SJ to work it out. Would have had dogfight for playing time on this Illini team.
Adam - he could have played 2G on this Illini team. Doing well at LSU.
Pods - 21 ppg. Big fish little pound. He could have been in the rotation at Illinois but split minutes with Skyy, Sencire, Jayden , and RJ