Illini Basketball 2016-2017
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Yeah that's DJ. He just looks completely different without the long hair.
Right click on the picture and open it in a new tab or window. Then zoom in. What do you see?
(Hint: the correct answer is DJ Williams)
This could be solved easily by tweeting it at one of them and asking who it is. If anyone has a Twitter machine to do so.
Fletcher has me intrigued. Trying to envision what guys like DJ, Kipper, AJ etc are going to become physically down the road.
ILL in IA
- Iowa City
I'm just as intrigued and excited about the buy in from the team to get after it in the weight room. This is one of the things that helps build a culture in a program. Young guys come in and see how hard everyone works in the weight room, and it becomes a habit. Love it! Fletcher deserves a lot of credit, but its a 2 way deal.
That is DJ
Tevo
- Wilmette, IL
I want to see shuttle run times improving. Foot quickness and change of direction are what Finke really needs.
That is just amazing. You expect a sophomore leap, but I guess we get an explosion at the same time. At the risk of exceeding my miexed-metaphor quotient, if DJW continues to grow stronger and the light bulb gets brighter over his head like it did late in the season, we could have a real monster on our hands.
Let's be clear getting ripped in the weight room doesn't necessarily equal success on the basketball court. It can be a contributing factor but some of you make it sound like the stronger they get then clearly they must be a better basketball player. Strength and conditioning are just one of many factors that go into it.
Mike
C-U Townie
Understood, but in the case of DJW, I think it is already accepted he has some serious skills and athleticism. The rap against him has been that he does not always seem to care, or play up to his abilities.
I want to believe that the way he is throwing himself into strength training is a sign that the light bulb is burning bright for him. Not proof, but I will settle for seemings and portents.
I'll use the sophomores as examples here--if you take guys like DJ, JCL, AJ and compare their overall basketball skills from last season to now, they likely aren't in a whole different league skill-set wise. Improved? Yes, but probably not majorly improved. But if you pair marginal skill improvement with a stronger, quicker and better conditioned body, it's hard to argue they aren't better players. Especially defensively. If you can be quicker on the perimeter, stay infront of your man better, body somebody up in the post and not get outmuscled or out worked, then you will see more minutes on the floor. This gives the young guys a better chance to have the light come on.
Rebounding and Rim Protection
The thing that gives me the most hope for 2016-17 is the near-certainty of improvement in these two areas. I just looked at last year's B1G team stats again and our rebounding and interior defense were astoundingly bad! I know this isn't news to anyone.
Here's how bad it was, though:
-Total Rebounds per Game: 14/14 in the conference (31.6/game)
-Rebounding Margin: 13/14 (ahead of only Rutgers - minus-5.5/game)
-Blocked Shots: 14/14 (we averaged 1.9; Michigan only managed 2.3/game, but every other team averaged at least 3.3)
-FG% Defense: 14/14 (teams shot 46.2% against us)
Last in rebounding volume, second to last in rebounding margin (only beating out an historically overmatched Rutgers squad), last in rim protection stats. Wow!
Now, think about what we thought we had at PF/C this time last year: everyone rightfully talks about the injuries to Black and Thorne, but we also thought we'd have 6'9, 240 pound Darius Paul who averaged almost 6 rebounds as a freshman at WMU. Add those three guys to the rotation, slide Malcolm Hill to the wing full time--where he's a plus rebounder--and the season looks drastically different IMO. Tracy is also a good rebounder at the PG spot.
Looking forward to this season, we should be looking at a rotation that incorporates positionally good rebounders in Tracy Abrams (though potentially diminished quickness may nullify his tenacity and instincts somewhat), Malcolm Hill (if he's playing primarily at SG/SF), Leron Black, and Mike Thorne. We also have terrific size off the bench in the backcourt: AJ is 6'5 and long, DJW and Kipper both at 6'7 with good length and athleticism. Finke is reportedly stronger and hopefully quicker and generally more physically ready.
We still don't have a big time weakside shot blocker, but the extra bulk down low will at least be a deterrent I imagine. If we move up to, say, 6th or 7th in total rebounding, rebounding margin, and defensive FG%, along with 9th or 10th in blocked shots, I think that adds up to 6 additional wins right there. I think it's essentially the whole difference between last year's debacle and a tourney bid. Thoughts?
The thing that gives me the most hope for 2016-17 is the near-certainty of improvement in these two areas. I just looked at last year's B1G team stats again and our rebounding and interior defense were astoundingly bad! I know this isn't news to anyone.
Here's how bad it was, though:
-Total Rebounds per Game: 14/14 in the conference (31.6/game)
-Rebounding Margin: 13/14 (ahead of only Rutgers - minus-5.5/game)
-Blocked Shots: 14/14 (we averaged 1.9; Michigan only managed 2.3/game, but every other team averaged at least 3.3)
-FG% Defense: 14/14 (teams shot 46.2% against us)
Last in rebounding volume, second to last in rebounding margin (only beating out an historically overmatched Rutgers squad), last in rim protection stats. Wow!
Now, think about what we thought we had at PF/C this time last year: everyone rightfully talks about the injuries to Black and Thorne, but we also thought we'd have 6'9, 240 pound Darius Paul who averaged almost 6 rebounds as a freshman at WMU. Add those three guys to the rotation, slide Malcolm Hill to the wing full time--where he's a plus rebounder--and the season looks drastically different IMO. Tracy is also a good rebounder at the PG spot.
Looking forward to this season, we should be looking at a rotation that incorporates positionally good rebounders in Tracy Abrams (though potentially diminished quickness may nullify his tenacity and instincts somewhat), Malcolm Hill (if he's playing primarily at SG/SF), Leron Black, and Mike Thorne. We also have terrific size off the bench in the backcourt: AJ is 6'5 and long, DJW and Kipper both at 6'7 with good length and athleticism. Finke is reportedly stronger and hopefully quicker and generally more physically ready.
We still don't have a big time weakside shot blocker, but the extra bulk down low will at least be a deterrent I imagine. If we move up to, say, 6th or 7th in total rebounding, rebounding margin, and defensive FG%, along with 9th or 10th in blocked shots, I think that adds up to 6 additional wins right there. I think it's essentially the whole difference between last year's debacle and a tourney bid. Thoughts?
BananaShampoo
Captain 'Paign
- Phoenix, AZ
Agree completely, plus we should be equal or better offensively at all positions. Combined with a pretty weak schedule should mean 7-9 additional wins over last season, not including the B1G tournament.
Mav's progress even started to show last year. An entire offseason with Fletch could have Mav beastly.
I decided to end the speculation by just asking him on twitter.
I think everybody here realizes strength and conditioning is just one factor but the fact remains it's an extremely important factor.
Increasing upper and lower body strength and explosion can literally improve just about anything a SF/PF tweener would be asked to do on a basketball court.
To put it in another way DJW has the best frame and "looked the part" last year in the way he moved to have the most potential at the next level. Not necessarily the skill level (Malcolm Hill is considerably more skilled at this point) but one of the major areas DJW needed to work on is adding 10-20 lbs and he appears to be well on is way.
Whether it's fighting through contact, grabbing boards, not letting guys he's defending power through him, etc. etc. etc. making the transformation from looking like a young adult to a grown _ _ _ man is a great sign that DJW, at least physically, has taken a step into becoming a more productive basketball player.
I think everybody here realizes this doesn't mean his shot, court vision, or handle are necessarily drastically better and that he needs to continue to increase his skillset as well.
I don't see any real reason we can't get excited about him developing in a key aspect he needed to develop. If he's putting this much time and energy into the weight room and 15 more lbs gives him a little more "alpha" to him (hardly uncommon) then that's yet another perk..
http://www.todaysu.com/big-ten/big-ten-basketballs-5-best-returning-players/
Thought it was interesting Swanigan made this list over Happ & Thomas Bryant. Kind of thought Swanigan had an underwhelming freshman campaign. We shall see
Thought it was interesting Swanigan made this list over Happ & Thomas Bryant. Kind of thought Swanigan had an underwhelming freshman campaign. We shall see
Huh? Swanigan led the B1G in rebounding as a true freshman, while also scoring in double figures on a team that had two 7-footers (i.e., he was not just the only focal point on offense). He had a great year.
All three had great years (Happ, Bryant, Swanigan), Happ deserving the B1G freshman of the year award, although he did have the benefit of the RS year. I personally think Bryant probably has the most NBA talent, but they all had really good years. I would definitely not call Swanigan's freshman year "underwhelming."
I stand corrected. I just don't remember hearing much hype and got the impression Bryant and Happ were likely to be better players this season.
Jon Rothstein @JonRothstein
Illinois' Mike Thorne (meniscus) has been cleared for non-contact work, John Groce told @CBSSports. Return to full-contact later in summer.
Jon Rothstein @JonRothstein
Illinois power forward Leron Black (knee) has been cleared for full contact drills, John Groce told @CBSSports.
Illinois' Mike Thorne (meniscus) has been cleared for non-contact work, John Groce told @CBSSports. Return to full-contact later in summer.
Jon Rothstein @JonRothstein
Illinois power forward Leron Black (knee) has been cleared for full contact drills, John Groce told @CBSSports.
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