He'd be great to pair with RJ on the wing. Not sure how that's even a doubt? Skyy and RJ can penetrate. Jake can camp in the corner. I personally would love to have him back, even though it does not seem likely.
Illini Basketball 2022-2023
- Status
How do we feel about Jones 3pt shooting? Looks like he shot it at 29% last year. Just curious if we would have enough shooters in the lineup. 3 would be very good and 4 would be ideal IMO. I’m a big fan of having shooters galore.
He does look very talented in other regards though.
Sounds like the rotation as of right now is going to be:
1 - Clark
2 - Epps/Transfer
3 - RJ
4 - Hawkins
5 - Dainja
With Goode, Verdonk, Rodgers, Harris off the bench, and Lieb getting spot minutes as necessary. Seems a bit thin at PG and big men, so I'd expect those two spots to be the focus on incoming transfers for the 2 or so spots that are left.
1 - Clark
2 - Epps/Transfer
3 - RJ
4 - Hawkins
5 - Dainja
With Goode, Verdonk, Rodgers, Harris off the bench, and Lieb getting spot minutes as necessary. Seems a bit thin at PG and big men, so I'd expect those two spots to be the focus on incoming transfers for the 2 or so spots that are left.
If Lieb has to play we are effed. Everyone forgets Ty is a really good ball handler.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
... to raise hysteria.
Despite our offense cratering when he got hurt, Grandison continues to be wildly underrated. Would love to have him back.
I don’t think that will be the case at all.
Who is going to rebound? Without Kofi we definitely need two bigs in the game or someone else who can rebound.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
My thoughts exactly. Regardless of whether KC returned I already had my feet up, hands clasped behind my head, sun on my face, and was looking forward to enjoying the seasons to come. BU & Co have primed the talent pump; am confident the flow will remain robust.
He and Freeman-Liberty were the go to guys at Depaul, which forced him to take more 3's than he should be. IMO, he isn't a volume scorer like what Depaul needed him to be. Here, he could be more selective with his shooting and be the slasher he was meant to be.
But for a team to be good without 3pt shooting, they need to play lockdown defense, clean up the boards, and push in transition to get easy buckets. That is exactly what RJ, Jones, and Hawkins can do at the 2-4. Play suffocating defense with their length, each of them should be above average rebounders for their position, and they can all immediately push the ball and excel in transition.
If that's the case, then good 3pt shooting is the icing on top.
Coleman and Dain. RJ can play at the 2 or 3 imo.
I like Nance for stretch 5.
uhhhhh what?
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I decided to compare our rosters from last year and this year to see if that talent level "on paper" was comparable:
2021-22 (247 rankings)
Usual Starters ... used "at Michigan" as my choice, given the circumstances
Trent Frazier - 4* (#109)
Alfonso Plummer - NR
Jacob Grandison - NR
Da'Monte Williams - 3* (#177)
Kofi Cockburn - 4* (#46)
Bench
Andre Curbelo - 4* (#47)
Coleman Hawkins - 3* (#168)
RJ Melendez - 4* (#94)
Luke Goode - 4* (#102)
Omar Payne - 4* (#45)
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk - NR
Brandin Podziemski - 4* (#109)
Brandon Lieb - 3* (NR)
Here is how our classes have evolved since Underwood got here (counting transfers), going into this coming season:
2017 (#30) - 1 top 100 (4* #79 Mark Smith), 1 top 150 (4* #109 Frazier), 1 top 200 (3* #177 Da'Monte), 2 unranked (3* Eboigdobin, Vesel)
2018 (#25) - 1 top 50 (4* #32 Ayo), 1 top 150 (4* #118 Tevian Jones), 1 top 200 (3* #185 Griffin), 4 unranked (3* Feliz, 3* Giorgi, 3* Kane, 3* Higgs)
2019 (#69) - 1 top 50 (4* #46 Kofi), 3 unranked (3* Kouma, Hamlin, BBV)
2020 (#17) - 2 top 50 (4* #33 Miller, 4* #47 Curbelo), 1 top 200 (3* #168 Hawkins), 3 unranked (3* Lieb, Grandison, Hutch)
2021 (#24) - 1 top 50 (4* #45 Payne), 1 top 100 (4* #94 Melendez), 2 top 150 (4* #102 Goode, 4* #109 Podz), 1 unranked (Plummer)
2022 (#7) - 1 top 50 (5* #27 Skyy Clark), 3 top 100 (4* #54 Ty Rodgers, 4* #71 Jayden Epps, 4* #91 Dain Dainja), 1 top 150 (4* #102 Sencire Harris)
Let's be ultra conservative and say we don't add a single guard (we will, I'm guessing) and get the DePaul guy (for simplicity's sake) or an equivalent talent in the transfer portal. This would be a guess at the starting lineup next year (sorry if I mess this up, I don't usually pay that close of attention to the roster matrix):
2022-23 (247 rankings)
Starters
Skyy Clark - 5* (#27)
RJ Melendez - 4* (#94)
Coleman Hawkins - 3* (#168)
Deivi Jones - 3* (#144)
Dain Dainja - 4* (#91)
Bench
Ty Rodgers - 4* (#54)
Jayden Epps - 4* (#91)
Luke Goode - 4* (#102)
Sencire Harris - 4* (#102)
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk - NR
Brandon Lieb - 3* (NR)
Obviously, rankings don't tell the whole story. Frazier significantly outplayed his ranking, and Williams provided us with stuff that can't be boiled down so easily to pen and paper. Meanwhile, Curbelo's future is yet to be written, and Payne has proven to be a bit of a letdown, to say the least. Additionally, I would argue Hawkins and Melendez look to be top 75 or top 50 talents right now who just need to mature and work on some things. However, just on paper:
2021-22: 0 top 30 players, 3 top 50 players, 4 top 100 players, 6 top 150 players; 0 five stars, 7 four stars, 3 three stars
- Of note, 2 of our top 50 players came off the bench, and one barely played (Payne).
2022-23: 1 top 30 player, 1 top 50 player, 5 top 100 players, 8 top 150 players; 1 five star, 6 four stars, 2 three stars
- Of note, again, that Melendez and Hawkins appear severely underranked not just from a production standpoint (ala 'Monte), but from a talent perspective ... JMO, of course.
BOTTOM LINE?
Once I can add in my own subjectivity, I think next year's team will simply be more talented. I love the guys we are losing, but after watching this year's Tournament ... the way to win in March is by piling up on top 100 players year after year. We are FINALLY doing that. Ayo and Kofi anchored our early classes in a way that I feel like we aren't relying on as much going forward. This year's team might lose a Marquette-type game and a Cincinnati-type beatdown early, and they might not have the consistency yet by January to repeat as Big Ten champs ... but I think our ceiling might be higher in March. If Rodgers and Epps can step into true production roles as the season progresses, that is just gravy to me.
If we can add another impact transfer, as some insiders are suggesting ... Illini Basketball is truly entering a 2001-2006 phase again.
2021-22 (247 rankings)
Usual Starters ... used "at Michigan" as my choice, given the circumstances
Trent Frazier - 4* (#109)
Alfonso Plummer - NR
Jacob Grandison - NR
Da'Monte Williams - 3* (#177)
Kofi Cockburn - 4* (#46)
Bench
Andre Curbelo - 4* (#47)
Coleman Hawkins - 3* (#168)
RJ Melendez - 4* (#94)
Luke Goode - 4* (#102)
Omar Payne - 4* (#45)
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk - NR
Brandin Podziemski - 4* (#109)
Brandon Lieb - 3* (NR)
Here is how our classes have evolved since Underwood got here (counting transfers), going into this coming season:
2017 (#30) - 1 top 100 (4* #79 Mark Smith), 1 top 150 (4* #109 Frazier), 1 top 200 (3* #177 Da'Monte), 2 unranked (3* Eboigdobin, Vesel)
2018 (#25) - 1 top 50 (4* #32 Ayo), 1 top 150 (4* #118 Tevian Jones), 1 top 200 (3* #185 Griffin), 4 unranked (3* Feliz, 3* Giorgi, 3* Kane, 3* Higgs)
2019 (#69) - 1 top 50 (4* #46 Kofi), 3 unranked (3* Kouma, Hamlin, BBV)
2020 (#17) - 2 top 50 (4* #33 Miller, 4* #47 Curbelo), 1 top 200 (3* #168 Hawkins), 3 unranked (3* Lieb, Grandison, Hutch)
2021 (#24) - 1 top 50 (4* #45 Payne), 1 top 100 (4* #94 Melendez), 2 top 150 (4* #102 Goode, 4* #109 Podz), 1 unranked (Plummer)
2022 (#7) - 1 top 50 (5* #27 Skyy Clark), 3 top 100 (4* #54 Ty Rodgers, 4* #71 Jayden Epps, 4* #91 Dain Dainja), 1 top 150 (4* #102 Sencire Harris)
Let's be ultra conservative and say we don't add a single guard (we will, I'm guessing) and get the DePaul guy (for simplicity's sake) or an equivalent talent in the transfer portal. This would be a guess at the starting lineup next year (sorry if I mess this up, I don't usually pay that close of attention to the roster matrix):
2022-23 (247 rankings)
Starters
Skyy Clark - 5* (#27)
RJ Melendez - 4* (#94)
Coleman Hawkins - 3* (#168)
Deivi Jones - 3* (#144)
Dain Dainja - 4* (#91)
Bench
Ty Rodgers - 4* (#54)
Jayden Epps - 4* (#91)
Luke Goode - 4* (#102)
Sencire Harris - 4* (#102)
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk - NR
Brandon Lieb - 3* (NR)
Obviously, rankings don't tell the whole story. Frazier significantly outplayed his ranking, and Williams provided us with stuff that can't be boiled down so easily to pen and paper. Meanwhile, Curbelo's future is yet to be written, and Payne has proven to be a bit of a letdown, to say the least. Additionally, I would argue Hawkins and Melendez look to be top 75 or top 50 talents right now who just need to mature and work on some things. However, just on paper:
2021-22: 0 top 30 players, 3 top 50 players, 4 top 100 players, 6 top 150 players; 0 five stars, 7 four stars, 3 three stars
- Of note, 2 of our top 50 players came off the bench, and one barely played (Payne).
2022-23: 1 top 30 player, 1 top 50 player, 5 top 100 players, 8 top 150 players; 1 five star, 6 four stars, 2 three stars
- Of note, again, that Melendez and Hawkins appear severely underranked not just from a production standpoint (ala 'Monte), but from a talent perspective ... JMO, of course.
BOTTOM LINE?
Once I can add in my own subjectivity, I think next year's team will simply be more talented. I love the guys we are losing, but after watching this year's Tournament ... the way to win in March is by piling up on top 100 players year after year. We are FINALLY doing that. Ayo and Kofi anchored our early classes in a way that I feel like we aren't relying on as much going forward. This year's team might lose a Marquette-type game and a Cincinnati-type beatdown early, and they might not have the consistency yet by January to repeat as Big Ten champs ... but I think our ceiling might be higher in March. If Rodgers and Epps can step into true production roles as the season progresses, that is just gravy to me.
If we can add another impact transfer, as some insiders are suggesting ... Illini Basketball is truly entering a 2001-2006 phase again.
Last edited:
This is exactly what I’ve been telling my buddy. Great synopsis.I decided to compare our rosters from last year and this year to see if that talent level "on paper" was comparable:
2021-22 (247 rankings)
Usual Starters ... used "at Michigan" as my choice, given the circumstances
Trent Frazier - 4* (#109)
Alfonso Plummer - NR
Jacob Grandison - NR
Da'Monte Williams - 3* (#177)
Kofi Cockburn - 4* (#46)
Bench
Andre Curbelo - 4* (#47)
Coleman Hawkins - 3* (#168)
RJ Melendez - 4* (#94)
Luke Goode - 4* (#102)
Omar Payne - 4* (#45)
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk - NR
Brandin Podziemski - 4* (#109)
Brandon Lieb - 3* (NR)
Here is how our classes have evolved since Underwood got here (counting transfers), going into this coming season:
2017 (#30) - 1 top 100 (4* #79 Mark Smith), 1 top 150 (4* #109 Frazier), 1 top 200 (3* #177 Da'Monte), 2 unranked (3* Eboigdobin, Vesel)
2018 (#25) - 1 top 50 (4* #32 Ayo), 1 top 150 (4* #118 Tevian Jones), 1 top 200 (3* #185 Griffin), 4 unranked (3* Feliz, 3* Giorgi, 3* Kane, 3* Higgs)
2019 (#69) - 1 top 50 (4* #46 Kofi), 3 unranked (3* Kouma, Hamlin, BBV)
2020 (#17) - 2 top 50 (4* #33 Miller, 4* #47 Curbelo), 1 top 200 (3* #168 Hawkins), 3 unranked (3* Lieb, Grandison, Hutch)
2021 (#24) - 1 top 50 (4* #45 Payne), 1 top 100 (4* #94 Melendez), 2 top 150 (4* #102 Goode, 4* #109 Podz), 1 unranked (Plummer)
2022 (#7) - 1 top 50 (5* #27 Skyy Clark), 3 top 100 (4* #54 Ty Rodgers, 4* #71 Jayden Epps, 4* #91 Dain Dainja), 1 top 150 (4* #102 Sencire Harris)
Let's be ultra conservative and say we don't add a single guard (we will, I'm guessing) and get the DePaul guy (for simplicity's sake) or an equivalent talent in the transfer portal. This would be a guess at the starting lineup next year (sorry if I mess this up, I don't usually pay that close of attention to the roster matrix):
2022-23 (247 rankings)
Starters
Skyy Clark - 5* (#27)
RJ Melendez - 4* (#94)
Coleman Hawkins - 3* (#168)
Deivi Jones - 3* (#144)
Dain Dainja - 4* (#91)
Bench
Ty Rodgers - 4* (#54)
Jayden Epps - 4* (#91)
Luke Goode - 4* (#102)
Sencire Harris - 4* (#102)
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk - NR
Brandon Lieb - 3* (NR)
Obviously, rankings don't tell the whole story. Frazier significantly outplayed his ranking, and Williams provided us with stuff that can't be boiled down so easily to pen and paper. Meanwhile, Curbelo's future is yet to be written, and Payne has proven to be a bit of a letdown, to say the least. Additionally, I would argue Hawkins and Melendez look to be top 75 or top 50 talents right now who just need to mature and work on some things. However, just on paper:
2021-22: 0 top 30 players, 3 top 50 players, 4 top 100 players, 6 top 150 players; 0 five stars, 7 four stars, 3 three stars
- Of note, 2 of our top 50 players came off the bench, and one barely played (Payne).
2022-23: 1 top 30 player, 1 top 50 player, 5 top 100 players, 8 top 150 players
- Of note, again, that Melendez and Hawkins appear severely underranked not just from a production standpoint (ala 'Monte), but from a talent perspective ... JMO, of course.
BOTTOM LINE?
Once I can add in my own subjectivity, I think next year's team will simply be more talented. I love the guys we are losing, but after watching this year's Tournament ... the way to win in March is by piling up on top 100 players year after year. We are FINALLY doing that. Ayo and Kofi anchored our early classes in a way that I feel like we aren't relying on as much going forward. This year's team might lose a Marquette-type game and a Cincinnati-type beatdown early, and they might not have the consistency yet by January to repeat as Big Ten champs ... but I think our ceiling might be higher in March. If Rodgers and Epps can step into true production roles as the season progresses, that is just gravy to me.
If we can add another impact transfer, as some insiders are suggesting ... Illini Basketball is truly entering a 2001-2006 phase again.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
As @skyldub noted, the best part of following BU's teams is watching them develop over the season. The injuries last season deprived us of that, and yet they still won a share of the BT title.I decided to compare our rosters from last year and this year to see if that talent level "on paper" was comparable:
2021-22 (247 rankings)
Usual Starters ... used "at Michigan" as my choice, given the circumstances
Trent Frazier - 4* (#109)
Alfonso Plummer - NR
Jacob Grandison - NR
Da'Monte Williams - 3* (#177)
Kofi Cockburn - 4* (#46)
Bench
Andre Curbelo - 4* (#47)
Coleman Hawkins - 3* (#168)
RJ Melendez - 4* (#94)
Luke Goode - 4* (#102)
Omar Payne - 4* (#45)
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk - NR
Brandin Podziemski - 4* (#109)
Brandon Lieb - 3* (NR)
Here is how our classes have evolved since Underwood got here (counting transfers), going into this coming season:
2017 (#30) - 1 top 100 (4* #79 Mark Smith), 1 top 150 (4* #109 Frazier), 1 top 200 (3* #177 Da'Monte), 2 unranked (3* Eboigdobin, Vesel)
2018 (#25) - 1 top 50 (4* #32 Ayo), 1 top 150 (4* #118 Tevian Jones), 1 top 200 (3* #185 Griffin), 4 unranked (3* Feliz, 3* Giorgi, 3* Kane, 3* Higgs)
2019 (#69) - 1 top 50 (4* #46 Kofi), 3 unranked (3* Kouma, Hamlin, BBV)
2020 (#17) - 2 top 50 (4* #33 Miller, 4* #47 Curbelo), 1 top 200 (3* #168 Hawkins), 3 unranked (3* Lieb, Grandison, Hutch)
2021 (#24) - 1 top 50 (4* #45 Payne), 1 top 100 (4* #94 Melendez), 2 top 150 (4* #102 Goode, 4* #109 Podz), 1 unranked (Plummer)
2022 (#7) - 1 top 50 (5* #27 Skyy Clark), 3 top 100 (4* #54 Ty Rodgers, 4* #71 Jayden Epps, 4* #91 Dain Dainja), 1 top 150 (4* #102 Sencire Harris)
Let's be ultra conservative and say we don't add a single guard (we will, I'm guessing) and get the DePaul guy (for simplicity's sake) or an equivalent talent in the transfer portal. This would be a guess at the starting lineup next year (sorry if I mess this up, I don't usually pay that close of attention to the roster matrix):
2022-23 (247 rankings)
Starters
Skyy Clark - 5* (#27)
RJ Melendez - 4* (#94)
Coleman Hawkins - 3* (#168)
Deivi Jones - 3* (#144)
Dain Dainja - 4* (#91)
Bench
Ty Rodgers - 4* (#54)
Jayden Epps - 4* (#91)
Luke Goode - 4* (#102)
Sencire Harris - 4* (#102)
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk - NR
Brandon Lieb - 3* (NR)
Obviously, rankings don't tell the whole story. Frazier significantly outplayed his ranking, and Williams provided us with stuff that can't be boiled down so easily to pen and paper. Meanwhile, Curbelo's future is yet to be written, and Payne has proven to be a bit of a letdown, to say the least. Additionally, I would argue Hawkins and Melendez look to be top 75 or top 50 talents right now who just need to mature and work on some things. However, just on paper:
2021-22: 0 top 30 players, 3 top 50 players, 4 top 100 players, 6 top 150 players; 0 five stars, 7 four stars, 3 three stars
- Of note, 2 of our top 50 players came off the bench, and one barely played (Payne).
2022-23: 1 top 30 player, 1 top 50 player, 5 top 100 players, 8 top 150 players
- Of note, again, that Melendez and Hawkins appear severely underranked not just from a production standpoint (ala 'Monte), but from a talent perspective ... JMO, of course.
BOTTOM LINE?
Once I can add in my own subjectivity, I think next year's team will simply be more talented. I love the guys we are losing, but after watching this year's Tournament ... the way to win in March is by piling up on top 100 players year after year. We are FINALLY doing that. Ayo and Kofi anchored our early classes in a way that I feel like we aren't relying on as much going forward. This year's team might lose a Marquette-type game and a Cincinnati-type beatdown early, and they might not have the consistency yet by January to repeat as Big Ten champs ... but I think our ceiling might be higher in March. If Rodgers and Epps can step into true production roles as the season progresses, that is just gravy to me.
If we can add another impact transfer, as some insiders are suggesting ... Illini Basketball is truly entering a 2001-2006 phase again.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Yep, I got to see last year's team twice: vs. #11 Arizona and at Northwestern. I thought the closest we had come to "jelling" was during that Arizona game and the subsequent beatdown of Missouri to take out our frustrations. We then had to deal with even MORE distractions and roadblocks, and I think by the time I thought we were really hitting our stride again (at Indiana), (1) the adversity wasn't quite done, with more injuries to come, and (2) we looked exhausted down the stretch. This team never fully put it together, and we still one our first Big Ten title in 17 years and got a top 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
I expect next year's team to follow a much more "linear" trajectory. We might get some top 25 votes depending on who we add in the portal, and we might fall out of it early due to some clunky losses. However, I expect Skyy to be a darling of Illini Nation by February, and I expect Hawkins and Melendez to be studs. We are flying under the radar for the first time since 2019-20, and that still means likely top 5 in the Big Ten? I love that.
drsmitty74
- Rochester
Technically, since OT was an international player, I think there was some sort of issues with him being able to earn NIL money. Maybe I am off base with that, but that was my recollection.
Is he interested? We probably are, right?
Who recruited hm to Depaul......
And now it’s time for the CoHawk Express to put up or shut up. My money is one him improving what needs improved (you highlighted nicely) and cleaning up what needs fixed, which would be his focus, playing within himself and trusting teammates.
You play him wherever you can squeeze him. If BU wants to “keep staying old,” Grandison could be a huge part of that. This would be his 4 season with the program. You can’t easily replace that experience, not to mention all the other gobs of production and experience we are already losing.
So our new lineup isn't going to be able to create and pass the ball to open shooters?
- Status