Some were concerned when Morez wasn't playing, then wasn't starting while Ben H was. The decision seems to have been made during that time last season. Not arguing if it was the correct call by the staff one way or the other. Just that the concerns then appear to have been the reason judging by Morez's comments here. Sounds like it really pissed him and his camp off.
Illini Basketball 2025-2026
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lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Sounds like a Morez problem to me.
Ayo:
Kofi:
TJ:
They seemed to develop just fine.
League bound …
Not the case. Morez had renewed his NIL deal with Illinois just 3 weeks before entering the portal.
Yes, thanks for the reminder. I think that was reported at that time. Unfortunate, but we seemed to have been able to react and get Z and others who may end up being a better fit anyway. Morez played hard and rebounded, but just could never learn to avoid fouling. Anxious to see this year's squad game action soon!
My thoughts are he’ll be doing exactly at Michigan what he was doing at Illinois from a play style perspective.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
I’ve rooted for quite a few of our guys after they left, Melendez, Curbelo, Coleman, etc, but Morez is quickly joining the small list of guys I won’t root for, Mark Smith most notably.
Plus our first B1G game is @tOSU who is 27. We are going to learn a ton about our team before January.
Don't think any Illinois fans should wish Morez well. He signed a deal, backed out, trashed the program, and then went to a rival. I'm not even sure if he's gonna start for them anymore with how good Mara has apparently been.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Way more valuable than the pre-season B1G standings prediction. Would rather fare better here.Kenpom: 6
Torvik:7
Evan Miya: 8
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
yep. making up stuff to justify your decision is a bad look
pruman91
- interviewing new NL's daily....I really really am
The person who left and went to scUM is now a scUMmy individual who probably will leave there after this upcoming season where he won't get as many minutes as him and his handlers think they should get.........could be one of those 4 schools in 4 years or 5 in 5 if that gets passed.......
I wonder this.....does he really think he is NBA bound ?.....because I really really don't.......a smallish 6'9" foul prone player with limited shooting range and has shown to not live up to his word and signature on a contract ?...........................maybe he should start taking foreign languages classes to ease his transition after his college career........
the more you know ..............................
I wonder this.....does he really think he is NBA bound ?.....because I really really don't.......a smallish 6'9" foul prone player with limited shooting range and has shown to not live up to his word and signature on a contract ?...........................maybe he should start taking foreign languages classes to ease his transition after his college career........
the more you know ..............................
It is a bad look, and a ridiculous one too. It makes me question what the whole point it was for MJ to commit to Illinois in the first place then. Not to mention commit to Illinois AS A SOPHOMORE!!
It's one thing to commit at the last minute in high school and find out soon after that perhaps maybe that program just wasn't the right fit for you. But you didn't know this 3 freaking years before you put on the O&B dude?
B***h, please!
Keaton Wagler is the X factor. If he's somehow a 10 point per game guy, that's absolutely a ceiling raiser.
You may think he’ll go pro, but no one is definitively gone in this day and age unless your a no doubt first rounder. Tomi will undoubtedly be the massive off-season decision in 2026. It is worth noting that with all three of our previous all americans - prior to their 20+PPG seasons, they each averaged 17 the year before. That's around where I'd expect Ivisic to be this season.
Bigtex
- DFW
There were enough comments on the board regarding Johnson PT last year. For whatever reason Humrichous got the minutes and the consequence was Johnson leaving and being sour. Based on the number of comments regarding PT, it is not a surprise he left assuming his camp was concerned with fit and PT going forward. How he left and his comments after leaving are not a good look.It is a bad look, and a ridiculous one too. It makes me question what the whole point it was for MJ to commit to Illinois in the first place then. Not to mention commit to Illinois AS A SOPHOMORE!!
It's one thing to commit at the last minute in high school and find out soon after that perhaps maybe that program just wasn't the right fit for you. But you didn't know this 3 freaking years before you put on the O&B dude?
B***h, please!
Illinois 25/26 might be a better team without Johnson but I for one think he would have been a valuable contributor at the 4.
For the 2nd time in a mere handful of posts, let’s put this wild theory to bed please:
Morez was locked in to coming back to Illinois after signing an NIL contract with us 3 weeks prior to his entering the portal.
Fired up as well. Grabbed some tickets and hotel for a couple days in Chicago when we play Bama.
Unless he goes to SCUM and shoots and plays like Podz. Which I highly doubt since he was such a poor FT shooter! I don't see him shooting 3s but I hope he is given the green light vs us. I'm confident he will lay bricks from 3 if so.
Not really that wild of a theory with all due respect. There was a lot of insider talk that Morez and camp were sore during the season. Obviously, something made him bolt to Michigan. Maybe it was more money than we were willing to offer? Maybe the Michigan offer had not yet been made when he agreed to our offer? But the narrative is now he wants to shoot threes? LOL
I don't know, but to just dismiss speculation that he was upset at how he was handled here as a "wild theory" is itself kinda wild!
Why would he sign an NIL deal with Illinois if he was disgruntled about playing time all season?
That's why it's 'wild'
Insiders said he was pissed he got benched in the Kentucky game for taking an ill-advised shot (and getting torched on D, but it was the bad shot that had him sit)
Because he didn't yet have a better offer?
Would be interested if @Indy Illini Fan has any theories?
Source? You're just inventing a narrative here
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