Illini Basketball 2022-2023
- Status
At first blush, this sentiment might seem counterintuitive to some. Fresh(er) legs come tournament time should be the goal, but 4-7 minute scoring droughts when your best player is on the bench dictate otherwise when you're eye-holes-deep in muddy conference water.
Dain could remedy this... Also having shooters and slashers capable of getting their own bucket when Kofi is catching a breather could as well.
A man can dream..
Starters (1-5):
Clarkk
Shannon
Melendez
Hawkins
Cockburn
Rotational Bench: Epps, Goode, Rodgers, Dainja
There if we need them: Bosmans-Verdonck, Harris, Podziemski
Along for the ride: Lieb, Walk-Ons
That team has no ceiling for where it can be ranked and how far it can go...
Starters (1-5):
Clarkk
Shannon
Melendez
Hawkins
Cockburn
Rotational Bench: Epps, Goode, Rodgers, Dainja
There if we need them: Bosmans-Verdonck, Harris, Podziemski
Along for the ride: Lieb, Walk-Ons
That team has no ceiling for where it can be ranked and how far it can go...
That is what we’re hoping for. Could be a very good team if Skyy and/or Epps is ready.
That said, keep in mind that Duke, Kentucky and a few others have rosters that (on paper) blow that away. In conference, Michigan would have more talent in aggregate.
Michigan has Juwan coaching though. That should even up any talent advantage.
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
scUM has the talent but do they have the coaching?
blackdog
- Champaign
It definitely was a situation where BU had to overplay Kofi because there wasn't a suitable backup that could play for a good stretch of minutes without hurting the team. I think they will hopefully be less reliant on Kofi to make the offense go and can survive with him getting rest on the bench.
Tacomallini
- Washington State
Imagine how grueling those practices would be with Epps, Goode, Rodgers, Dainja (if he can play the 4), Harris, and Podz busting butt to crack the rotation/starting lineup...If they ever get back to practices that are open to the public I would consider an IL visit centered just around that.
I super know how. I’m just not very good at it.
Well he was good enough to get them to Sweet 16
Are Houstan, Dickinson and Diabete for sure back? If none of those three and Kofi is back, I'd give Illinois a clear edge even just in terms of roster. If Dickinson is back I'd say pretty even considering Kofi > Dickinson. Obviously if Kofi is not back, they have a pretty big talent edge.
As long as we own him/them, it still works.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
Rajon Rondo to team up with Juwan Howard on Lakers’ coaching staff?
Steve Bulpett: Juwan Howard's name has been floated as a candidate for the Lakers' coaching job when, as is expected, Frank Vogel is let go. But an L.A. source tells http://Heavy.com that Rajon Rondo could be coming in as an assistant coach should ...
sports.yahoo.com
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
Accumulating talent is at least half a coach's job. Even with mediocre coaching, sometimes a talented team can go on a run and win a few games in the tourney.
Look at who made the FF this year. Sure a loaded Kentucky team lost in the first round, but the more talented teams almost always prevail in the end.
Last edited:
And the E8. It’s a silly narrative.
Do people want to win games or to see everyone play?
Don't take this as a personal attack, but a genuine question. Everyone gets to play in practice. Those who produce will see the court. There are several players in the portal that got significant minutes and are transferring. People transfer no matter how hard you try to keep them. All we can do is put ourselves in the best position to win. And if we can land great transfers in the portal, not sure why we wouldn't take them
hopefully the second will lead to bump UP of the first; we didn't have many open looks from 3, esp late in the year. slash and kick would remedy that
Exactly. You have injuries. You have a certain percentage of guys that just don't make the jump to the college level the way you hope. Heck, Duke and Kentucky have 5 star guys that just don't pan out and hardly get any playing time.
Go back a a year - everything thought we had this great depth. But a few injuries changed that.
The kids will compete for PT and the staff will (generally) settle on an 8-9 man rotation. And that rotation will go down to 6-7 players by Tournament time.
BMoreIllini
- Baltimore, MD
I think this is a good point. I would love for use to be able to go 12 deep and not have any drop off in play, but there's a reason that the teams that win the championship generally don't play a deep bench (even though there's likely a ton of talent on it). There's a lot to be said for chemistry and having players in the flow of the game. Playing a dozen different lineups over the course of a game where players are constantly subbing in and out doesn't allow for players to get in much of a rhythm. I'm super excited for the roster and the potential of just about everyone, but the fact is that some of them aren't going to see much game time. It's up to them if they want to continue to work and grow for a chance at playing time in their 2nd, 3rd, 4th year or if they want to transfer somewhere else for a more immediate playing situation.
The positive for us is that, in our current situation, we have had little trouble back filling those openings with players that are equal to or greater than the guys deciding to transfer out. We're finally having the problems that winning programs have.
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
I think people are really underestimating the role Harris can have on this team. Especially if we don’t get TSJ or Murray
Neither am I....but Podz can/is pretty good at it
- Status