Illini Basketball 2025-2026

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#126      
RollChief
21ChampaignSt said:
Just for reference, averaging 6 assists would put him among the best single seasons for assists ever at Illinois. This is the list he'd be joining:

Demetri McCamey
Deron Williams
Tony Wysinger (why don't I know this guy? Before my time but still... I'm pretty well versed in my Illini history but dont know a thing about him besides he was apparently a prolific passer his senior year.)
Bruce Douglass
Dee Brown


Think those are the only guys to average 6 assists in a season.

If MP can join that list I think it's going to be a very good year.
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Based on what’s publicly available, there’s a strong case that Petrovic has the potential to be on that list IMO. His professional resume is already better than Demetri McCamey's by comparison, and Petrovic will be playing with a much better scoring group around him. Illinois really hasn't had many high-level true point guards since 2005; KJ showed flashes and I think he could have averaged 6 points per game if he wasn't putting up 3.7 turnovers per game post-injury.

Petrovic was an MVP candidate in the ABA, the same league (and team) that produced Nikola Jokic. I'm not in Ubben so what do I know, but I think there's enough evidence to support Petrovic going for 6 assists as there is for any of the other stats I listed.
 
#127      
Brosky
No Stoyakovic? I expect him to be the leading scorer. Whatever injury he may have had, it doesn't prevent him from scrimmaging with the team.
 
#128      
SescIllini
21ChampaignSt said:
Couple interesting takeaways:

- MLT thinks BH could be the starting 4 with Z primarily backing up T and playing about 20 minutes a game. A smart, funny, and dare I say, very handsome and humble poster on this board has said the same.

- Said KW could be a one and done level player. That sentiment was shared on here within the last couple weeks and I was kind of skeptical but multiple sources are now saying the same thing so it may be legit.
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Great to hear Keaton Wagler is impressive but we must not fall into this hyperbole again. Melendez was on draft boards his second year. KW was not a top 100 HS player, not recruited by Kansas his homestate. Not even sure where he falls on the depth chart.
 
#130      
Chase321
SescIllini said:
Great to hear Keaton Wagler is impressive but we must not fall into this hyperbole again. Melendez was on draft boards his second year. KW was not a top 100 HS player, not recruited by Kansas his homestate. Not even sure where he falls on the depth chart.
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Right. Doing it in practice and doing it in B1G games are entirely different things. How many times have we had reports of greatness in practice that don’t translate into games? How many times have players excelled in non-conference games only to disappear during conference play? A lot. The answer to both is a lot.
 
#131      
21ChampaignSt
RollChief said:
Based on what’s publicly available, there’s a strong case that Petrovic has the potential to be on that list IMO. His professional resume is already better than Demetri McCamey's by comparison, and Petrovic will be playing with a much better scoring group around him. Illinois really hasn't had many high-level true point guards since 2005; KJ showed flashes and I think he could have averaged 6 points per game if he wasn't putting up 3.7 turnovers per game post-injury.

Petrovic was an MVP candidate in the ABA, the same league (and team) that produced Nikola Jokic. I'm not in Ubben so what do I know, but I think there's enough evidence to support Petrovic going for 6 assists as there is for any of the other stats I listed.
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I'm not saying definitively that he can't. Just pointing out that in the NCAA, 6 assists per game is a rare feat.
 
#132      
Combo
SescIllini said:
Great to hear Keaton Wagler is impressive but we must not fall into this hyperbole again. Melendez was on draft boards his second year. KW was not a top 100 HS player, not recruited by Kansas his homestate. Not even sure where he falls on the depth chart.
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I agree. I don't doubt that he's much better than his ranking would indicate. He wouldn't be the first kid that the recruiting "experts" missed. But at the same time talking about 1 and done seems far-fetched. This seems like typical hyperbole from the commentators to get fans excited. Anyone remember that Hutcherson (sp?) kid?
 
#133      
InDaAZ
Scoregasm said:
Mike Latulip raves about Keaton Wagler here:
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This seals it:
My ticket to the Keaton Wagler Hype Train is officially punched! 👊
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#145      
EyeoftheIllini
Guest said:
Yeah, and Isaac Trotter on the Illini Inquirer podcast said that he does not see Big Z and Tomi playing together much, like maybe 5 minutes.
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Given that Z and Tomi are our only centers, it makes sense. Certainly don’t want Ben playing the 5.
 
#146      
Calvin
Chase321 said:
Right. Doing it in practice and doing it in B1G games are entirely different things. How many times have we had reports of greatness in practice that don’t translate into games? How many times have players excelled in non-conference games only to disappear during conference play? A lot. The answer to both is a lot.
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Meh, this side of it is overblown as well. I don't think they're entirely different --you see a guy do it in practice first or non-conf games before they can handle it in conference. Sometimes that means rarely against higher competition, sometimes it precedes those, and sometimes it's a mixed bag of getting better with inconsistencies, or showing out in flashes. We've had a lot of guys develop into beasts. Fans understandably get ahead of the development curve, especially in the offseason.

You're right that plenty of posts don't age well, but the offseason is about hyping the season. Some reports are hype. Some are measured reports from knowledgeable people that keep it in perspective. To me, MLT is a good example of someone with bias and optimism that also has knowledge and perspective.
 
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