I agree with most except Tomi would kill Hawk in the post. Rim defense was that teams weakness.
Illini Basketball 2026-2027
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My brain tells me last years team overall would dominate the glass. But the rebounding of the TSJ team was actually really good too - so idk
Q.C: Does #11 mean 1 and done!?
While we enjoyed Keaton's shows from December, we might see Q.C. show from day 1.
While we enjoyed Keaton's shows from December, we might see Q.C. show from day 1.
Coleman is a long, athletic, dead eye shooter with some secondary playmaking and can defend multiple backcourt spots (based on scouting, obviously we have to see it)
He’s about as built in the lab as you can be for today’s NBA outside of being 3 inches taller
The 24 team was not a good rebounding team either. The 26 team would score at will against the 24 team due to offensive rebounding. It would be a fun one to watch though. Shannon was a monster.
Stock up on our #9thMan:
15:35 —
Sounds like he’s on pace to being the #8thMan actually. Which now begs the question, if our anticipated #8thMan is good enough to be our #9thMan?
15:35 —
Sounds like he’s on pace to being the #8thMan actually. Which now begs the question, if our anticipated #8thMan is good enough to be our #9thMan?
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Not much said on Andrej, hopefully we see end of year/NCAA Dre from the get go. His 3pt shoot be much improved, his form is good.
I love Mirk but Coleman was just such a versatile player and shot the ball really well that year.
He could put the ball on the floor and do a lot facilitating just like Mirk but then was capable of switching 1-5 defensively(which that is really the problem that the 26 team has with 24, is that the 24 team effectively limita what the 24 team does by being able to switch every screen if they wanted).
I think Mirk ends up being a better player but I'm taking Senior year Coleman over freshman Mirk.
I definitely agree that Tomi would have the ability to score inside. However, he also has a penchant for sometimes being soft around the rim and the offense all didn't really feed him in the post and give him many opportunities to score in the post.
If you look at the elite 8 game against Iowa, it took until late in the 2nd half until they finally gave Tomi a few post touches(which turned that game around), and Iowa didn't have a big as good as Coleman(probably not even as good as Dainja).
Tomi just isn't really a banger like Clingan, who gave Coleman issues, and the 26 offense didn't really utilize low post touches. So while I agree that the size of the twins would be their best advantage against the 24 team I just think it would force them to a play a style that they weren't necessarily comfortable playing or had much experience doing so.
Tomi won't be able to cross 25 min/game at. 280 pounds. He'll be even slower.
Haven’t heard much about Landon Davis. Any info is appreciated.Stock up on our #9thMan:
15:35 —
Sounds like he’s on pace to being the #8thMan actually. Which now begs the question, if our anticipated #8thMan is good enough to be our #9thMan?
Highly unlikely he's anywhere close to a rotation player. Likely behind Jakstys.
Have seen enough Illini teams to know that the #1 guy in August doesn't mean he is the #1 guy in January-April. But we may have several 1a,1b,1c, 1d guys on the team. Think we will have a loaded team in which multiple guys will have big games, it might be David/Tomi or Dre/Stephan, Q/Davis....but we have a team of guys that can be multiple things that it won't be necessarily an off night for one of these guys. Big Z will likely have several games in which he get 2 blocks and scores 4-8 points but impacts the game by shutting down the middle and getting key rebounds.
Good thing we have a twin 7 footer so we don't need Tomi to cross 25 mins a game.
If Tomi can bang in the paint and score inside he becomes a huge matchup problem for basically every team in the country because of how skilled of a passer he is.
Florida would really be the only frontcourt that could matchup with him and Mirk at that point.
I think that’s kinda silly anyway, who says he wouldn’t be in good shape at 280? Literally endless examples of guys over the years in the NBA playing 35-40 minutes per game at that weight and more. Same thing when guards average 34-36 minutes and people act like they can’t handle it or something.
Brook López is 7’1”, 280. He has played a whole lot of minutes…
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Jake said he’s bigger/stronger, but also in better shape than he was last year.
Of course… that’s why they’re in the NBA.
Tomi has struggled with the conditioning aspect and being able to play major minutes, without being gassed. Now that he’s put on even more weight, that’ll only become more apparent.
It further solidifies Z’s significance to our roster.
Yes, but he’s a starting center in the NBA. Its a different level of basketball.
The proof is in the putting with Tomislav. It was already a weakness; it just became an even bigger weakness.
The bigger issue is the foot-speed. It’s a big issue when it comes to our frontcourt.
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First, let's take everything with a grain of salt. Who knows what his actual weight was last year vs this year. Maybe last year he was 274. Maybe he's only 276 this year and they are rounding up.
Also, if he can do 25 mins, I think we're good. 20 mins maybe a little too low, but 25 would be just fine. Z can do 20 easily.
Ha, yep. Guys like Oliver Miller and Eddy Curry who played full seasons at 33-35 minutes per game while well over 300lbs were in the NBA because of their supreme athletic ability.
Go look at college players then. Or international players, doesn't matter. Like I was saying, there are literally countless examples.
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But the difference is with Tomi, it was already a pre-existing weakness. From that standpoint, it’s not going to get any better, and probably likelier to become an even greater weakness.
But the minutes aren’t where I’m concerned (unless Z gets injured).
He’ll be even slower than he was previously, and footspeed is going to be a problem with our frontcourt as a whole.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Jake Davis, who’s actually played with Tomi in practice, has said he’s in better shape than last year.
Coach David Williams, who’s been to a summer practice, said Tomi’s moving better than last year:
Illinois Basketball Update: The Illini Could Be LOADED This Season
I on the Illini · Episode
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