Illini Basketball 2022-2023
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Is Fletcher John Groce's legacy at Illinois? Maybe it was worth it
RedRocksIllini
- Morrison, CO
I guess the inverse of Gretzky's (or was it Michael Scott?) postulate is not true.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Every July it looks like we have at least 4 players headed to the league. The following June tells a much different story.
Yup. It's not likely that every guy on our roster will meet the outsized expectations of posters on this board.
Don't know if this is the right place for this, but:
Not trying to make any predictions but all but Lieb seem to have the physical traits. Jaden at 6’2’ on the small side but athletic and strong. Don’t really remember any except Belo even getting mentioned last year. Also not seeing as short term possibility but could happen with development. Have talent - will coach.
Who were the 4 last July? I recall two who had a shot. The consensus was both had major flaws to overcome.
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
Dan
Admin
Officially official-
Brad Underwood announced Thursday the signing of Zacharie Perrin (pronounced puh-RAIN)
fightingillini.com
Brad Underwood announced Thursday the signing of Zacharie Perrin (pronounced puh-RAIN)
Perrin Joins Illini - University of Illinois Athletics
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood announced Thursday the signing signing of 6-10 French forward Zacharie Perrin to a national letter of intent.
fightingillini.com
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Pick 4. Off the top of my head, I remember mentions last summer of "league worthiness" or "NBA-type ceiling" of:
Belo
Kofi
Grandison
Plummer
Hutch
Hawkins
Melendez
Am I going to search for those comments to prove my point? No, so you're free to argue that that didn't really happen.
But the real point is--even in this thread, there have been mentions of players like Lieb as having "the physical traits". Every fanbase does this, and every year, most of those fanbases are flat-out wrong (Duke, Kansas, and Carolina excluded).
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Dainja looking svelte:
"headed to the league" is quite a bit different from having a high ceiling or physical traits.Pick 4. Off the top of my head, I remember mentions last summer of "league worthiness" or "NBA-type ceiling" of:
Belo
Kofi
Grandison
Plummer
Hutch
Hawkins
Melendez
Am I going to search for those comments to prove my point? No, so you're free to argue that that didn't really happen.
But the real point is--even in this thread, there have been mentions of players like Lieb as having "the physical traits". Every fanbase does this, and every year, most of those fanbases are flat-out wrong (Duke, Kansas, and Carolina excluded).
Someone just commented that "all but Lieb seem to have the physical traits." All but Lieb. Seem to.
I must have missed all the people plugging Slim Jake for the NBA. He was an undersized stretch 4 until he transferred to Duke. Now he is a standout guard and defensive whiz.
Plummer could be a three point specialist but absence of defense hurts. Had he committed to us last July?
Hutch had the athleticism and the shot release. He lacked the health and the luck.
Melendez and Hawkins definitely have pro potential. It still has to be developed.
We have discussed Kofi's assets and liabilities ad infinitum.
Curbelo was a jump shot from being headed to the league. Then a head injury happened.
Do we know what Hutch is up to? Perhaps I've missed it.
No idea. He is done with college basketball.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
My bad on the Lieb thing. Reading is FUNdamental.
The rest of your post actually supports my point--this fan base (like most others) thinks half its roster is NBA worthy, or could be "if thing x is worked on."
Funny - just like marginal HS players commit to Duke and become HS All Americans. We were dying for size at 2G last year. Plummer was too small but started because he could create his own shot and nail 3 pointers. Jacob was a nice player but he had to be wide open to get his shot off. He is too slow to play guard unless you are playing zone. He was exposed like DaMonte when he had to create his own shot.
The Big Ten is evolving into a next-level National Super Conference on the level of the new emerging SEC.
All the way from Westwood, Cali through Cornhusker Land and the Great Midwest and Rust Belt to the New York City footprint.
This can only help all Big Ten members. And this might further assist in recruiting talent out of California and the West Coast from those who don’t join up with the locals out there but who want to play on the Big National Stage somewhere. And in pursuit of other ‘Elite’ talent who just got another reason to want to be in the Big Ten as national competition for top talent (and The Portal) gets ever more intense.
The Illini Roundball and Football programs are both on the up-track at just the right time in history.
The Prairie State just got a little bit greener. And sunnier. Surf’s Up...
I am really psyched to see the Illini play UCLA in Pauley Pavilion in two years!!
Very few marginal HS players commit to Duke. Generally they go after very highly-ranked guys and they get a few of them every year. Some meet expectations and some don't (just like our recruits and every school's recruits). Not every kid turns out to be as good as the consensus thinks he'll be when he starts college ball. Of course some turn out better - Deron Williams ended up better than the #48 he was ranked coming out of H.S. But for every Deron, there's a player that disappoints - At IL, Iowa, Duke, or any other program.
Plummer only started because Curbelo was for the most part out for the year. The plan was Trent and Andre would be our starting guards and Plummer would be the "microwave" off the bench, coming in when either of the starters went out.
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