Illini Basketball 2023-2024
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Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Things I require in an elite PG...ranked in order.
1. Has the ball on a string regarding handle while moving.
2. Quickness that allows him to get to the rim and finish when he wants.
3. Quickness and tenacity on defense to stay in front of other quick guards and get around screens on the topside.
4. Can count on him to hit 38-45% from the arc as the clock runs down and open and 85%+ from FT line.
5. Court vision to see where to put the ball where his guys can receive it in position to score.
Though these skills are ranked in order...all are required.
If he can dunk, fine...but I could care less as it is irrelevant for that position.
Now, there are not many in any year that meet these standards, but they are a good yardstick. My two favorites that I witnessed last season were Tyger Campbell and Markquis Nowell. Campbell would make this team into a national contender for certain.
1. Has the ball on a string regarding handle while moving.
2. Quickness that allows him to get to the rim and finish when he wants.
3. Quickness and tenacity on defense to stay in front of other quick guards and get around screens on the topside.
4. Can count on him to hit 38-45% from the arc as the clock runs down and open and 85%+ from FT line.
5. Court vision to see where to put the ball where his guys can receive it in position to score.
Though these skills are ranked in order...all are required.
If he can dunk, fine...but I could care less as it is irrelevant for that position.
Now, there are not many in any year that meet these standards, but they are a good yardstick. My two favorites that I witnessed last season were Tyger Campbell and Markquis Nowell. Campbell would make this team into a national contender for certain.
What's your criteria for a serviceable (as opposed to elite) point guard? Because that's all we need
Is he really going to go the Rick Berry method of free throws? Good for him if he does. Kids today would rather look cool and shoot 40%(in Sencire's case 20%), than be different and shoot 75% and helping your team.
Are you guaranteeing us those numbers? You're speaking as if this has happened.
Kind of a random question, but when was the last time a walk on ended up playing meaningful minutes for the Illini?
Govoner Vaugn Fan
- New Orleans
I think Brian Johnson began as a walk on, then was put on scholarship. I could be wrong, though.
Brian Johnson comes to my mind.
Everybody was hyperbole. Ty is THAT GUY!
If he gets the minutes we think he will, and he gets his free throw % north of 50%, yes.
The Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.Looks like Hunter Dickinson is out at Michigan:
Michigan star Hunter Dickinson announces transfer to Kansas
The 7-foot-1 big man has averaged 17.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting 57% from the field in three seasons at Michigan.sports.yahoo.com
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
Trent Meacham. He was pretty good, too.
yep, but a bit of a different situation than Brian Johnson.
My recollection is that Weber basically said he wouldn't burn a scholarship on Meacham, even though he was worthy. He was already on scholarship at Dayton. Brian Johnson came in as a typical walk-on.
Kids in the old days didn't like it either - I think it was the Freakonomics podcast that did an episode about the underhand free throw a few years ago talking about how it's higher percentage and more repeatable but it's so uncool that no one wants to do it that way
Alex Austin, a transfer walk on, played quite a bit and started a few games one year for Groce.
Trent Meacham wasn’t a walk-on. He was a transfer from Dayton.
Nate Mast comes to mind as a walk-on who played significant minutes at a position of need.
Trent for sure walked on his first year
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
Meacham was not on scholly at Illinois, at least for his first year. Definitely a walk-on and lots of people on this board derided him as such till they actually saw him in action.
Edit: WHW beat me to it.
frozenrope9190
- Aurora, IL
He was a great walk-on for AC/DC when they needed a point guard, too.
He was not actually good enough to play in the B1G. Not even close, IMO. We were just terrible, talent-wise..
I stand corrected.
From Trent’s own website:
“After beginning as a walk-on, he became a starter and team captain for his hometown Fighting Illini.”
I guess Trent Meacham is a valid source of information about Trent Meacham .
Ok, I’m not “Actually”, lol, but Rick Barry shot 89.3% over 14 years in the NBA and ABA.
And, FWIW, now that we’re in the NIL era, maybe a kid could actually pick up more endorsement money by having the courage to stand up to the crowd and do things differently.
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I want to see at least some avg. skill in all.
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