I agree with you. I believe you meant that for the purposes of recruiting, the culture is gravy, and you're right. However, for winning, I think the culture is vital. You can collect top-rated recruits, and some of those can move on to the NBA, but if the culture isn't right you won't win (and it won't last)
Illini Basketball 2020-2021
- Status
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
WRT Kofi, that mock is an outlier. Agree w/your points though. Kofi is definitely moving up, but I doubt if he'll go in the first round (if the draft was today).
No way. I think Kofi should come back, but he won't. The money is too big..why wait another year? The meter is running, start cashing in. And really, the days of players sticking around to play another year of college ball when there is a contract to be had are in the rear view mirror. You play big-time basketball and recruit big-time players this is what happens. More power to him. Also, a great selling point for the program.
Lottery pick next year would mean much more financially than second round this year. I sure hope he stays both for Illini and Kofi.
AirNeezy
Orange Krush '13 -'14
Big difference between lottery pick money for Myers and where Kofi is projected right now.
No guarantee he would be a lottery pick next year. No guarantee he falls to the 2nd this year. He has to go, and my guess is that Brad will tell him that. He is getting beat up nightly now, why risk injury. As the Hawk would say, "He gone"
Yes. That is 100% what I meant. I was speaking strictly through a recruiting lens.
For the long term success of the program we need to retain great coaches, maintain a winning culture and obtain great recruits. I would love to see the IHSA championships return to Champaign permanently too just for that free unofficial visit for all players on top teams.
Why do we think his stock will be higher next year than this year?
Kofi has had a helluva a year. The most impressive thing to me is he has been finishing around the basket. He was going up soft last year, but this season he is either dunking or he is finishing with both hands. In the new NBA, he is not going in the first round. He needs to improve his shooting (free throw and mid range). I don't know if I have seen him shoot outside of 15 feet. He is not going in the first round. Most mocks have Garza in the 40s and Kofi late second round, if at all.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Because he may show NBA teams that he's more skilled than they thought (e.g., Ayo). The entire calculus of Kofi's decision is going to boil down to what is the probability that he can move into the first round versus his projected lost wages. Sure, it's possible that a team with a late round pick will take him, but I doubt it.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
I am not sure I conceive what skills Kofi would need to show that he cannot do right now. The only things he seems needing to prove is defending out to the perimeter and extending his range on offense. There isn't a big man in college that is going to test the first part. Underwood would just stick the 4-man on that guy because there isn't a guy that big in college who can shoot 3's. I'm dubious about him extending his range offensively. Either way, both of those need to be tested professionally. But for skill? He's already shown a drop-step both ways, he can spin in the post, he has shot hooks with both hands, etc. What am I missing that he needs to show skill-wise?
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Free throws, hit a 10-12 footer, ability to pass out of a double team.
And I'm not suggesting that the way to improve is via another year in college. Just that the more question marks he puts to rest, the higher he'll move up. Really though his ceiling is probably high teens. Huge $ difference between #20 and #45.
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This basically covers it. He'll never space the floor or be able to guard 1-5, but if he can even average 1.5 assists next year (a big jump to be fair) that would be huge in the eyes of scouts. And 1st round contracts not only come with more dollars but also more years. It's awesome seeing Kofi start to pop up on draft boards, but it's not the worst idea in the world for him to copy Ayo and lead the team for a year.
illiniCA
- DC Area
Passing out of a double or triple team would completely change Kofi's stock IMO
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
if Kofi stays in college for next year , he would make more $$ in the future and get better prepared for the NBA....Grown men in the NBA that have been playing there 10 + years....needs to improve shot up to 8-10 ft from basket and improve conditioning for 82 game grind , plus playoffs....
JMHO
JMHO
If my memory is correct, Meyers knew he wasn't ready and wished he could stay. He went early because the family needed serious money for medical bills. Meyers has made 9-10M/year after his rookie contract expired. Not too shabby.
I believe he could show the same type of improvement as Ayo showed this year. Improved free throw percentage, better ball handling skills would improve his draft standing considerably.
Long Ayo interview with Ronnie Hummel and another guy. This channel is a good follow on YT.
That’s probably what people told Garza, too. I don’t think his draft stock has changed this year
I think Kofi is very similar to Ayo last year in that he could put to bed a lot of doubts if he stayed another year.
Ayo shot under 30% from 3 last year. I think he was a better shooter than he showed, but with off season work he put that doubt to bed and then some, bumping his % over 40.
Similarly, I think Kofi is a better free throw shooter than he’s shown. His form is good, and his on again/off again (ie he will shoot 8-10 one game then shoot 0-5 the next) shows me it’s probably a mental/focus thing he just needs to work through. And he’s gotten a lot better at defending the perimeter but could probably use a larger sample size.
Probably my biggest concern if I were an NBA GM is I don’t think he’s the quickest or most explosive leaper. He’s finished around the rim at a very high rate this year but still gets his shot blocked more than I would like. I think he will struggle a bit to finish in the nba, which is full of bouncy seven footers. He would have been a lottery pick for sure 10-15 years ago, but I do think players of his ilk have been devalued in the NBA.
Not sure how much he can improve on his leaping. I do think he would benefit from another year in college but he is also 22 already and can’t fault him if he wants to make money somewhere. No idea what his family situation is like. Can’t fault anyone for wanting to take care of their family.
Ayo shot under 30% from 3 last year. I think he was a better shooter than he showed, but with off season work he put that doubt to bed and then some, bumping his % over 40.
Similarly, I think Kofi is a better free throw shooter than he’s shown. His form is good, and his on again/off again (ie he will shoot 8-10 one game then shoot 0-5 the next) shows me it’s probably a mental/focus thing he just needs to work through. And he’s gotten a lot better at defending the perimeter but could probably use a larger sample size.
Probably my biggest concern if I were an NBA GM is I don’t think he’s the quickest or most explosive leaper. He’s finished around the rim at a very high rate this year but still gets his shot blocked more than I would like. I think he will struggle a bit to finish in the nba, which is full of bouncy seven footers. He would have been a lottery pick for sure 10-15 years ago, but I do think players of his ilk have been devalued in the NBA.
Not sure how much he can improve on his leaping. I do think he would benefit from another year in college but he is also 22 already and can’t fault him if he wants to make money somewhere. No idea what his family situation is like. Can’t fault anyone for wanting to take care of their family.
I wonder how much more he can improve on this level. He is so physically dominant that it wouldn't make sense for him to start shooting 10-15 footers. He finishes through double teams more often than not. His FG% is off the charts good, regardless of the attention he receives. Why would a team trying to win, ask him not to do the things that make him so good? The only way to get used to being challenged by other physically gifted big men is to play against them regularly. That won't happen in NCAA. Nothing that can be thrown at him at this level is going to force him to improve. That's not even considering pros get paid, and don't have to worry about grades.
For the glory of Illini basketball, I'd love to see him run it back. I'm just not convinced it would be the best thing for Kofi.
For the glory of Illini basketball, I'd love to see him run it back. I'm just not convinced it would be the best thing for Kofi.
100% this... the only thing I think you could maybe sell him on is if he doesn't hear he's guaranteed money then he can comeback. Continue to work on his conditioning. Then come back and dominate his junior year and let somebody fall in love with his production and God given gifts.
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
Haha, when they asked him who the best trash talkers in the B1G are, Ayo hesitated before admitting that it's him and Trent. Some people wait until their team is up 10 with 2 minutes left in the game before chirping, but Ayo says he and Trent start even before the tip.
Ayo (talking to Trent within earshot of Trent's defensive assignment): "Trent, you know he not getting none tonight."
Trent (talking to his defensive assignment): "Yeah, your water's shut off."
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