I would argue it was Domask and Vaaks could be a cross between him and Wagler. Dre is TSJ and Quentin is Ayo with my orange colored glasses. Although Quentin might be a better shooter than Frosh Ayo.
Illini Basketball 2026-2027
- Status
Think any of the starters could be the leading scorer in any particular game. If Tomi is healthy and improves his post game he will be difficult to stop. If a team does a Purdue defense on Vaaks he will light it up. Opposing teams will pick on the current high scorer and another will pick up the slack. All five a score and problem will be defense. Maybe the guy who got the huge raise needs to help the defense.
Givony is right.
This is basically a retread of the same pre-NIL standard that kept Enes Kanter out of NCAA basketball because he received like $30k worth of benefits playing in Turkey which was deemed on excess of "actual and necessary" expenses.
Those disagreeing with him are assuming a lot about intent which the actual wording from the NCAA contradicts.
NOT our nineth man, our fourth big....
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Nothing too substantive to add, but I honestly think us making the Final Four last year will lead to my least stressful season of watching our Illini I’ve had in years. I was so desperate for us to be relevant again until 2020, and as awesome as this run has been … there seems to have always been one more “legitimacy” checkmark left unchecked that I’ve yearned for. Winning the Big Ten, making the Second Weekend, getting back to the Final Four, etc.
Do I want to cut down the nets? Duh. However, we’ve reached a height that SO many great teams fail to reach. So much pressure is off this program, IMO, at least from my “fan perspective” or whatever. I’m so pumped to enter a season with high expectations and not feel like it’s some make-or-break chance to prove we’re “for real” … whatever doubt there was evaporated with the Final Four run.
Anyway, all that is to say I finally feel like I did as a seventh grader circa 2005 again. We’re a great program with nothing to prove to anyone, and the goal now is just to keep it rolling and achieve even more greatness! Feels great!!!!
Do I want to cut down the nets? Duh. However, we’ve reached a height that SO many great teams fail to reach. So much pressure is off this program, IMO, at least from my “fan perspective” or whatever. I’m so pumped to enter a season with high expectations and not feel like it’s some make-or-break chance to prove we’re “for real” … whatever doubt there was evaporated with the Final Four run.
Anyway, all that is to say I finally feel like I did as a seventh grader circa 2005 again. We’re a great program with nothing to prove to anyone, and the goal now is just to keep it rolling and achieve even more greatness! Feels great!!!!
I think Domask was, actually. Led team in assists (and minutes).
That's all well and good, but to think you can just calculate it all out like that is pretty naive.
Also, Coleman is our point guard, Vaaks is our shooting guard. It's indisputable.
Has anyone told Brad?
It’s indisputable and self-evident. So no need to explicitly. /s
1. Vaaks
2. Coleman
3. Andrej
4. Mirk
5. Tomi
First man off the bench is Jake.
2. Coleman
3. Andrej
4. Mirk
5. Tomi
First man off the bench is Jake.
Probably my all-time favorite Illini. He just kept improving every season.
i think matchups will determine who's hands the ball is in.
as the season progresses you might see one or the other
possess the ball coming down the court or penetrating more
than the others. Vaaks is a tremendous shooter, we might see
him spotting up or taking someone one of one late in the clock..
the offense will evolve, change depending on the match up, but
with this roster, we'll be a nightmare. we can go big, small, 5 ball
handlers. it'll be fun to watch.
my only reservation is how/who is going to defend.
Domask TJ & Ty all over 6”6 so ya
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
Looks like we've got that $4M line covered
Dr Copejam
- The Rock
I wonder when Andrej does come back if the Insiders will provide us with potential pivots that Underwood and staff had in place if he had stayed in the draft.
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That's a fun exercise
No Mirk is a no go
Bigtex
- DFW
agree - It doesn't feel like we are going to have to wait 15 years for another F4 with 1) coaches firmly locked in. Hopefully the coaching stability in turn leads to sustained program success. Look at the other trips to the F4 and it was always surrounded by significant changes. My orange colored glasses are blocking out this Texas sun.
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