Will Riley is going to up another 3-4 spots in the draft if he gets to 6’10” or more and that’s already looking like it in this picture..
Illini Basketball 2024-2025
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DICKnaggie
- Champaign
Ty will be the new Damonte+Trent hybrid monster, keeping #20 in the quantum realm. Gun enabled AI learning will propel him to greatness as he ascends his trajectory of decent shooter, passable point guard, defensive specialist, rebounder extraordinaire and team leader. Cool.Give us 5 clones please.
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robertgoulet
IL Board Resident Crooner
- Austin, TX
Fingertip control, backspin, follow through
Good points. One thing I noticed from several players is their focus on defense and effort. I’m guessing coach has something to do with that.
There is a big scoring drop off when this bench enters. Do you start Ty, and bring in Riley with DGL?
May just have to go multI-screen. Bears game on TV. Illini game on laptop. Did something similar during the Colgate (I think?) game last season.
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
Not player…..total class. Hard to argue against.
Bulls/Bucks and Knicks/Suns doubleheader on ESPN. Mid-week #MACtion college football on ESPN2 (and I would likely assume ESPNU).
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
You know, as much as we as a fanbase dump on Skyy Clark, and I'm as guilty as anyone, this isn't the 1st time I've seen or heard him being acknowledged by someone as being pro-Illini. There were obviously some family health issues going on which affected his play, I am as aware as anyone who's had to make choices between work/school/life when personal and family situations intervened. And I am 100% aware of how those issues can throw a monkey wrench into a persons personal and family life.
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I don’t know what the exact nature of the hold up is, but people act like this is a one-size fits all thing, which I doubt it is. Contracts (and complete ways of compensation) in each country, pro league and/or for each player could be different and have different nuances. There is no certainty by any of us that the Tomas situation is identical to his brother’s. There are similarities I’m sure but could be nuances that we don’t know about.
Should the process be quicker? One would think so. Couldn’t they just hire more people to speed up the process? Don’t think it is as simple as opening up another window at the DMV and just making sure each box on application/form is filled out. And no this just doesn’t happen to the Illini. Oregon State is still waiting for clearance on one of its players and I’m sure players for other teams are waiting too.
Boy some of these media guys aren’t very good at asking questions. I swear that one said something like “sometimes there is only one ball” when asking a question about offensive chemistry to Will. Didn’t realize that sometimes there is more than one ball.
I was happy to learn we scored more than Kansas in the scrimmage a couple years ago and even happier to witness it live last year.
I care but shouldn’t.
The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
Regarding the Tomi situation, I'm looking at it as over-under .5 games played and I'm bracing for the under. I'm not a pessimist. I try to be realistic, but I know I usually blow past it towards optimism, especially when it comes to our basketball program. Here, though, I want to keep my expectations in check. It's the NCAA. They are nothing if not a frustrating, inconsistent organization. It's impossible to say for certain how and when they'll rule.
On the plus side, since we gotta go through this song and dance, at least we have OA who has been through a similar, if not exactly the same situation, with Tomi's brother, Big Z. Along with that, we have an athletic department that is both profoundly competent and seems to do everything above board. In dealing with labyrinthian bureaucracy, experience and competence give you the best shot at getting results.
Being me, here's where I'm glass-half-full about this situation. Even if Tomi never steps foot on the court in an actual game, we have him in practice every single day and that's a massive net positive. He's big. He's strong. He's old. He's played against adults (for better and worse because that's why we are in this mess). What better way to get our stud freshman big ready for what is coming his way this season? In high school, Morez was as physically developed as anyone on the court. Here, he's not. Undoubtedly, going against Tomi every day will turbocharger Rez's development. With that, every one of our guys is going against a legit post-presence, day in and day out. We didn't have anyone this big last year. When Ty, Will, KJ, et. al make those drives to the basket in games, they will have had months of doing it with a man guarding the post. We were stymied by the Edeys and Clingans of the world last year. That won't happen again.
And here's the thing. Even if Tomi never plays for us, I love the swing. Our coaching staff had a hole and they grabbed the best possible player to fill it. Sometimes you need to take a risk and force the NCAA to rule against you. The NCAA is at its weakest. If ever there was a time to tempt fate and have the NCAA actually rule in our favor, it's now.
And if he does play, college basketball better watch out. We have a big man with size who can shoot. What he brings to the table complements this team perfectly. I hope we get to see it in action.
On the plus side, since we gotta go through this song and dance, at least we have OA who has been through a similar, if not exactly the same situation, with Tomi's brother, Big Z. Along with that, we have an athletic department that is both profoundly competent and seems to do everything above board. In dealing with labyrinthian bureaucracy, experience and competence give you the best shot at getting results.
Being me, here's where I'm glass-half-full about this situation. Even if Tomi never steps foot on the court in an actual game, we have him in practice every single day and that's a massive net positive. He's big. He's strong. He's old. He's played against adults (for better and worse because that's why we are in this mess). What better way to get our stud freshman big ready for what is coming his way this season? In high school, Morez was as physically developed as anyone on the court. Here, he's not. Undoubtedly, going against Tomi every day will turbocharger Rez's development. With that, every one of our guys is going against a legit post-presence, day in and day out. We didn't have anyone this big last year. When Ty, Will, KJ, et. al make those drives to the basket in games, they will have had months of doing it with a man guarding the post. We were stymied by the Edeys and Clingans of the world last year. That won't happen again.
And here's the thing. Even if Tomi never plays for us, I love the swing. Our coaching staff had a hole and they grabbed the best possible player to fill it. Sometimes you need to take a risk and force the NCAA to rule against you. The NCAA is at its weakest. If ever there was a time to tempt fate and have the NCAA actually rule in our favor, it's now.
And if he does play, college basketball better watch out. We have a big man with size who can shoot. What he brings to the table complements this team perfectly. I hope we get to see it in action.
Expecting the same
I dont believe the drop off is that big. Tre white is a good scorer who has averaged over 10 in his carrer. Dgl seems primed to make a jump in that department. I could also see Ty being more aggressive on the offensive end.
Which rarely if EVER goes well for the school affected.
Great post
Worth re-reading this post. We all need to keep getting better at saying "we wish him luck!" and "I just wished it would have worked here!"
We never know the full story. We should wish all ex-Illini great luck (even Goode, whom I hope has an amazing year, but just loses a lot of games!). We should start wishing them all great success, except we want them to lose to us!
I don’t disagree, but I will root for some former Illini more than others. Coleman, Goode and even Lieb have a much bigger place in my heart than guys who stayed one year or less.
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