GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
Illini Basketball 2023-2024
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DB11Headband
- Chicago Burbs
Already on it
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
All Big Ten First Team --- just speculation (first 4 s/b locks):
Edey - Purdue
Shannon - Illinois (I'm assuming TSJ will receive votes and not be blacklisted)
Buie - Northwestern
Young, J. - Maryland
I think #5 will be determined over the final 3 weeks of the regular season. Those in contention = Garcia (MIN), Domask (ILL), Walker (MSU), Storr (WIS), and even 2-3 others.
Edey - Purdue
Shannon - Illinois (I'm assuming TSJ will receive votes and not be blacklisted)
Buie - Northwestern
Young, J. - Maryland
I think #5 will be determined over the final 3 weeks of the regular season. Those in contention = Garcia (MIN), Domask (ILL), Walker (MSU), Storr (WIS), and even 2-3 others.
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Why would we care what the National media thinks?
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
tough question better answered after the season is over........Special results in the tourney might affect actual decisions made NOW.................
Hearing from a friend about possible wing. Me likey.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Easy question to answer now, with the remaining season having the ability to complicate the picture.
Shannon has as many NCAA tournament victories at Illinois as Malcolm Hill, who surpasses him in every statistical category and was the heart and soul of the team for a longer period.
Shannon isn't a top 10 Illini of this century yet. But make something special happen in March and that can change, uncomfortable subtext notwithstanding.
Illinicpa14
- Chicago
If Purdue wins the conference outright Braden Smith averaging 13/6/7 on 44% from 3 would be hard to leave off by how media typically votes, regardless if you think he’s actually the 5th best guy in the conference.
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I think we get a couple of both
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Now, I only go back to the late 90's remember.
For a talent at Illinois I've gotta go with Frank Williams, but for the best player, both ends of the floor, scale of their career, what they meant to the program, I feel like it has become too common for people to say something other than Dee Brown.
The biggest talent to play against Illinois in that time is Greg Oden, in terms of the best player, I feel like people have forgotten a bit about what an absurdly good college basketball player Trey Burke was.
It’s hard for me not to go with Magic Johnson. He didn’t score like Mount or Robinson, but he didn’t shoot anywhere near that volume. The guy was probably a top 10 player all-time, and won the national championship.
Isiah Thomas should also be mentioned. A 6 foot pg who shot 55% from the field & won a championship.
Doesn’t hurt that they both went in to have legendary NBA careers. To me that just proves their excellence.
Isiah Thomas should also be mentioned. A 6 foot pg who shot 55% from the field & won a championship.
Doesn’t hurt that they both went in to have legendary NBA careers. To me that just proves their excellence.
I've thought this exact thing recently.
Deron's pro success has clouded and diminished people's memories of Dee. Sure, a fair argument could be made that Deron was the best player on that team. But it has gotten to the point where such an opinion is accepted as an indisputable fact. For me, Dee was the better college player for the reasons you listed.
His senior year is often looked at as a disappointment and proof that Deron had somehow propped him up his first three years. But that 2006 team lost 3 pros and, led by Dee and Augie, still finished top 10 in KenPom. If not for Brandon Roy, that team, and I think Dee too, would've been remembered more fondly.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Deron was the perfect player to elevate us and be the orchestra conductor from when that unit exploded from mid-04 through the 2005 season. He was probably the MVP of that group (and certainly the most promising pro prospect), even if Dee was the face and the heart of it.
But then Dee was the driving force of the last Self team where Deron had a more limited role, and the alpha and omega of the 2006 team when Deron was in the NBA.
In four years Dee was the star of three different mini-eras of the program. And his on-ball defense really defined what made that whole period one in which no one could come into Assembly Hall and win. He lost two home games in four years.
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Billy? That you?
Spoon and opponent Big Dog from Purdue
I was going to say Nick Weatherspoon. In his 3 years he averaged 20.9 ppg (before the 3pt) and 11.3 rbs/gm. These are the all-time record for career per game averages for both scoring and rebounds for the Illini. His senior year was 25.0 and 12.3. For comparison, Kofi's career numbers were 17.2 and 9.6 with his best and last year being 20.9 and 10.6.
This was during my youth , but I do remember the teams during the early 1970s were frustrating to watch (and not just because the TV was in black and white and it looked like they were playing in a snowstorm) with Weatherspoon being almost the entire show. Since Weatherspoon's teams had marginal records, he would have probably been more revered if we had been more competitive during that time. Of course he may not have had those numbers on a better team.
Is there any chance that Hawkins comes back? I see he being projected around 45 to 55 and thats not as high as TSJ who came back. With the NIL money thats a sure thing wouldn't he consider it? I know Kofi left but likely could have made more here. That could really have an impact on who we are looking to add and any potential transfers coming in or that could leave for that matter. What kind of NIL could Hawkins make if he returned next season, the old bird in hand would be hard to turn down unless he shoots up boards over the next few weeks.
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
WRT to next season, gotta assume we're going to press for an early decision on Domask's waiver. Don't want to be stuck in a holding pattern while the NCAA is deciding. Football found out virtually immediately after the seasons ended that DeVito's and Daxon's waivers were denied. I'd imagine that the paperwork has been assembled and will be submitted soon.
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
no idea, but he'd be in line for a monster season. and he's been a eye witness for how it's worked out for TSJ
And although I'm sure Kofi isn't hurting. Could he have made more with another year ir two in CU? Just saying if your contracts not guaranteed it would be tough to turn down a top NIL deal, which ut seems Hawkins could get a even better, very very good one in 24-25
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Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
hard for one year guys to leave a lasting mark, especially bench guys. but Harmon's doing it. total team guy and baller. shades of Feliz
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
I remember Spoon getting into the lane and shooting and hitting a lot of 10-15 foot buckets.....
I remember he shot a lot of times with his legs spread apart farther than anyone else......
Hope my memory is still working correctly....
DICKnaggie
- Champaign
Would be so lucky to have him back but everything I've read says he is ready to be done with college and move on. Marcus seems to (potentially) be another story.
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