I just don't see how a team with so much depth in the backcourt can finish 12th in the conference. I don't know if we'll finish much higher than that but I think 12th is our floor. Depending on how our bigs adjust to this level, I could see us as high as 8th but I think 10th is probably realistic unless we get a solid 5th year big. Either way, I'm really looking forward to seeing the youth show flashes of potential. I expect the following year to be pretty big for us.
Not gonna quote the posts but a couple pages earlier people were talking about Higgs ability as a rom protector. Remember there are two types of rim protection, blocks and charges. Kane might be the only guy who can block shots, but if we got guys smart enough to be in the right place and tough enough to take charges, that can be just as good, if not more effective.
I'll stand by Kipper as growing into the perfect 4 mold. I've said it before but I think if he puts it together he'll get NBA looks.
Because the people voting in the poll aren't looking at our guards through rose colored lenses. We have an honorable mention all conference point guard returning, a highly rated freshmen point guard coming in, and ....? A senior who can shoot but hasn't been able to create his own shot and has a tendency to disappear. A sophomore who average 3.5 ppg in 17 minutes last year. Some other freshmen who were not terribly highly rated. Kipper, who will be forced to play mostly out of position at the 4.
I get it. I hope Jordan has a great year and we can get more shots for him with Ayo/Frazier combo. I hope DW makes big strides and becomes reliable on both sides of the ball. I hope the freshman outperform their rankings. But all those things might not happen. Then our back court looks more pedestrian. And combine that with our front court.... that's how you get to 12th.
People please study your Illinois basketball history before comparing anything to the Flyin' Illini, the single greatest collection of basketball talent in the modern era at Illinois.
You might as well compare the roster heights to the Golden State Warriors - the comparison would be about as relevant.
I'm not expecting all the new guys to come and exceed expectations, but I think we have the pieces in place to be better than Penn State, Northwestern, Rutgers, and maybe even Ohio State. I think 8th is our ceiling but I don't expect it to happen. 10th or 11th is where I feel comfortable placing a bet. Ayo really impressed me playing for the US team and I have high expectations for Jones. I also feel more comfortable with Bez being a serviceable big with his size and passing ability.
On one hand I'm almost giddy that we finally got a much needed commit. On the other hand I almost have to laugh at this board and myself for getting this excited by the number 385 ranked player. I have no doubt he will see minutes, I just hope he can pick up the system quickly and provide some solid defense in the middle.
Not gonna quote the posts but a couple pages earlier people were talking about Higgs ability as a rom protector. Remember there are two types of rim protection, blocks and charges. Kane might be the only guy who can block shots, but if we got guys smart enough to be in the right place and tough enough to take charges, that can be just as good, if not more effective.
I think the concern from the original post was in line with what Kipper had to do. But Kip showed up to Tulane and was set to take summer classes. Sounds like this isn't the case with Higgs.
I think at least in my case, that the comparision was based on wing types in size with guard or wing ability...Bardo, Gill, Anderson, Liberty, Smith, Battle, Hamilton...all were athletic and multi-dimensional. Hamilton was the only one that you could say was a true inside type and even he had some wing abilities. All were 6-3 to 6'8 also.
Also BU in on record as stating that was the BEST time for the ILLINI, none of us would disagree...we all just want to get some semblance back to that era!
Not sure if you are serious.....He de-committed from Ole Miss, never played there.
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/5000019/5a8a1dd73deb460e84049a45
Impressed overall with his highlights. He looks like he can really shoot which along with his size and athleticism could make him a tough cover. Highly doubt there’s 350 better players in this class.
IF (big if) Kipper can be 3/4 of what Leron was at the 4 I'll be optimistic because our guard play should be much improved and I really don't see how our 5 play can be much worse than last year. A lot also hinges on how much our B1G competition has risen or fallen.I'm a lot more optimistic than many of you on here. I think this team is much more talented than last year, and I think we're top 7 in the Big 10 this year.
I'm a lot more optimistic than many of you on here. I think this team is much more talented than last year, and I think we're top 7 in the Big 10 this year.
24 - 9 11 - 7 in Big 10 Don't laugh, and I'll be expecting praise at the end of the season! lol
Once again....Height AND Ability....you cannot say this team is nowhere close anymore than I or another can say they are...hell we have what 6 new players as of now. How many of us have seen what they can do other than some video clips or a few in person sightings...not many if any really.
You can't be serious... You are comparing the ability of this team to the 1989 Flyin' Illini? Not only was the 1989 the greatest collection of talent, with 3 McD AA (current team has none), one of the best PF's who ever played for the Illini and the epitome of hard work and tenacity (i.e., Battle), arguably the best wing who ever wore the Illini uniform (i.e., Anderson), one of the best SG's who ever played for the Illini, etc. etc. but the 1989 was also a team of proven ability that culminated years of successful recruiting and on-court performances. The 1989 was no fluke, neither was a delusional shot in the dark.
Are some fans losing their minds here? People have gone from arguing ad nauseam whether this team can be better or worse than last year, a discussion that in meaningless IMO given that last year's season was on of the worst in modern history, to comparing the "ability" of this team to the Flying Illini 1989 team.
Once again....Height AND Ability....you cannot say this team is nowhere close anymore than I or another can say they are...hell we have what 6 new players as of now. How many of us have seen what they can do other than some video clips or a few in person sightings...not many if any really.
Ayo in ALL if his clips does not look like a pogo stick with a basketball, he does look as if he is the best player with the ball in his hands on the court...that is ability which most of the 89 team had.
Jones looks to be that above the rim type of player along with Higgs, where will they end up who knows, but they do have the athletic ability of say a Bardo/Liberty type at the least.
Kane may well be more athletic long run than ANY 89 player, who knows, but the clips are encouraging.
Feliz is well an experienced guard...not really athletic meaning above the rim type, but very slick with the ball in his hands.
Griffin would seem to be a very similar player to say a Bardo, but a much better shooter. Defensively they may end up being quite the same.
The moral is again height and abilities, BU wants the team, the students and most importantly the fans of the ILLINI and the overall population of Illinois to get behind a team in much the way we all did during the 89/05 years. The only way to do this is assemble a team of similar sorts of players. I believe he is doing just that, now where they all end up in regards to talent and evolution of their games, well who knows....I for one cant wait to see this season start again though!