Ugh I’m just so jealous of the powerhouse of USC. Why are they just so lucky! /s
Illini Basketball 2026-2027
Collins is ranked there for his long term upside. Extremely raw. Coleman is better now.
Seems like you're lost and posting on the wrong forum, here you go: https://www.uscbasketball.com/men
The problem with that team wasn't point guard.
It was not having a shot blocker / true 5 man. We were so low resistance on the interior, with Coleman just left on an island. Reason our defense was bad most of the year.
Dainja was unreliable/unplayable against good teams, couldn't shoot, and was not a shot blocker. Someone like Tomislav Ivisic or Zvonimir Ivisic would've done wonders for that team (much more than RayJ Dennis).
The point guard thing is just an example of dumb narratives being pushed by national pundits. It was never an issue. Domask averaged 4 assists per game, was a great initatior, and we had the number 3 offense.
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I think it was a little bit of an issue early on. Domask didnt really start playing point until late December and then to his credit he improved immensely over the next few months. Don't know if I've ever seen a player so clearly grow as much as he did that season. For example, early on it seemed like he was a bit late to identify and pass when doubled but then he was shredding them by Feb/March.
Not having a legitimate 7 footer and rim protector was definitely a match up problem against UConn and Purdue but I think they were just as badly missing a sharpshooter.
Take a say Andrew Funk from Penn State and put him on that roster and I think the impact of not having a true center is minimized because opposing centers wouldn't be able to guard Illinois on the perimeter of they were running out a lineup of Domask, Shannon, Funk, Guerrier, and Coleman.
Sidenote: I also think Mayer would have actually been a monster on that years team if he was asked to play more off ball and defend like Guerrier.
Watching Frank Williams while I was at U of I (1999-2003) and in throwback highlight reels was and is like watching basketball in a dream... no way does someone make those plays in real life...
Also, how old I've become is just more evident by the day
Don't actually think he's biased against us (he's a big Purdue homer but that's not what's going on here). Think he just doesn't know ball.
FWIW, he said he grew up an Illinois fan and loved our ‘05 team.
IMO, he just loves making hot takes and saying things most people will find ridiculous.
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
You know what’s crazy? I just took a visit to the various USC message board, and not one thread has any discussion about Illinois’ lineup. Weird, right???
Even crazier, there’s hardly any discussion about basketball at all!! Perhaps we can sneak up and surprise the Trojans and their far superior 6th through 10th man lineup this coming season.
PizzaHutParkingLot
- Vodice, Croatia
Seen on FB — Davis and Vaaks are yuuuge
Andrej measured 6 5.5 at the combine without shoes
I was at this game
I could watch that all day every day, one of my favs of all time. A true magician with the rock and fun to listen to Dicky V. call it in his prime.
This is cool. Thanks for posting it.
I feel like this is a fair point and an irrelevant point at the same time.
Vaaks's assist rate last year: 18.1
…..
If you ask those same FO68 guys, or any other "Illinois doesn't have a point guard" outspoken... who FLORIDA'S point guard is?
The answer you'll get is Boogie Fland, almost assuredly.
Boogie Fland assist rate last year: 18.2.
But – Vaaks is 6"7 while Boogie is 6"2.
......
If you ask who Texas's point guard is, the answer you'll get is Isiah Johnson.
Johnson's assist rate: 18.6.
But – Vaaks is 6”7 while Johnson is 6”1.
…..
If you ask who Louisville’s point guard is, the answer you'll get is Jackson Shelstad.
Shelstad assist rate last time he played a legitimate season: 15.5
But – Shelstad is 6”1 while Vaaks is 6”7.
…..
If you ask who UCLA's point guard is, the answer you'll get is either Jaylen Petty or Trent Perry.
Perry assist rate last year: 16.8
Petty assist rate: 12.3
But – Petty is 6”1, Perry is 6”4, Vaaks is 6”7.
…..
If Vaaks was 6”2, no one would be having that conversation, ever.
I’ll start building this giant horse structure as a piece offering to the Trojans. But don’t worry, it’ll be hollow inside so we can all jump in, and they’ll allow us in that way. That’s how we’ll sneak in!
Someone may write a story about it one day!