3 minutes is huge. Heck I tell my wife that 1 minute is a long time
Illini Basketball 2026-2027
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I don't think it's that absurd.
He listed 10 guys for them who are either: 1) are returning rotation players from a year ago 2) are transfers capable of being rotational big ten players 3) top 50 recruits.
Illinois has 8 that satisfy those requirements. By definition Michigan State is deeper.
How much that matters as far as best team is a different debate.
If you lined up the two teams today, MSU has the best player, but Illinois probably has the 3 next best players (or 5 of the next 6 depending on how we see Coen Carr).
And if you consider the shape of Mirk's body last year, compared to some of the recent pictures...and his competitive mentality...it's certainly in play. I can't imagine he's going to be raising his hand for a sub very often...
Really the minutes distribution will likely have more to do with how the guys behind him come along, and the game scores. If like, Boozer, 85% of his best is better than the next guy on the bench, he's going to get those extra few minutes in close games.
Here's our minutes per game amongst rotation players added up in last 3 seasons:
2026: 8 guys - Keaton, Kylan, Andrej, Mirk, Tomi, Ben, Jake, Z combined for 204.5
2025: 9 guys - Kasparas, Will, Kylan, Ben, Tomi, Tre, Morez, DGL, Jake combined for 206.5 (yes, Jake counts)
2024: 9 guys - TSJ, Domask, Hawkins, Quincy, Ty, Dainja, Harmon, Goode, DGL combined for 203.7 (yes, DGL counts)
My guess would be that number inflates the more the team has injuries and players miss games? Anyways, let's say for next season the number is 204.
Vaaks - 32
Andrej - 32
Mirk - 31
Coleman - 28
Tomi - 26
Jake - 20
Z - 19
Morillo - 16
would be where I see it.
2026: 8 guys - Keaton, Kylan, Andrej, Mirk, Tomi, Ben, Jake, Z combined for 204.5
2025: 9 guys - Kasparas, Will, Kylan, Ben, Tomi, Tre, Morez, DGL, Jake combined for 206.5 (yes, Jake counts)
2024: 9 guys - TSJ, Domask, Hawkins, Quincy, Ty, Dainja, Harmon, Goode, DGL combined for 203.7 (yes, DGL counts)
My guess would be that number inflates the more the team has injuries and players miss games? Anyways, let's say for next season the number is 204.
Vaaks - 32
Andrej - 32
Mirk - 31
Coleman - 28
Tomi - 26
Jake - 20
Z - 19
Morillo - 16
would be where I see it.
Coleman was +114 across his five TEAM USA games (highest on the team).
I am a fan of Mirk’s body recomposition,this really shows his work ethic and commitment to getting better.
Except it isn't subjective because "impossible" is black-and-white, geezus...
I do not think it has a low likelihood at all (though 'impossible' was the word I saw and latched on to), given:
1. He averaged 30 last year
2. Looks much more physically fit already
3. Ben Humrichous no longer exists on our roster
I like to suffer through the moronic takes LIKE A REAL MAN lol
Not sure I follow. You're saying the national champ played their 8th guy 6 minutes, which is less than 10, so that's 7 guys at 10+, whereas UConn played 9 at 10+?
Both those teams were considered pretty deep but the championship game both only went 7 deep. Box score
That’s preposterous, the whole country couldn’t possibly train with Fletch in the Summer. Even the legendary Fletch could not pull that off. Just how big do they think Ubben is anyway?
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The hill I'll stand on until proven otherwise... is that our assist leader will lead the team in minutes. It's literally happened every season Brad's been here.
My bet as of today would be Vaaks.
I do hope Andrej gets more minutes. 13.5 points in 26.3 minutes -- along with 31.2 points per 100 poss -- is terrific scoring production. Almost certain he would've averaged 16/game last year if he played 32min a night. He's also our best defender, and improving 24% from 3 would go long ways. Could reasonably the best two way player in the B10.
Zvonimir's minutes also fascinate me. If he can clinch the majority of non-Mirk minutes at the 4, there's a real chance for him to get to 20+ minutes. Could split something like 14 at Center / 6 at PF.
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So far, pretty close to the POTD. ; )
MLT pod with the FO68:
I think this guy has to be trolling at this point.
The "averaged 13/game at Eastern Kentucky" is pretty funny, but the notion that they "have more depth, and it's not even close" is nuts.
I watched most of the FIBA U18 Americup and haven't seen Morillo play yet, but I would still take Coleman and Morillo over Jervis and Taylor any day. Taylor did not look great against 17-year-olds, and from watching him, I seriously doubt he'll be serviceable in the B1G.
At least Jaxon Kohler could shoot, but he and Carson Cooper are being replaced by a non-shooting Freshman big and a guy from Charlotte who shot 38 threes last year at 34%. They have an elite backcourt but IMO the lack of spacing in the frontcourt is going to give the backcourt serious problems.
I don't know what I'm missing here but I simply don't see the hype with MSU because of how much of a step back their frontcourt is taking. I also don't see how they have better depth than us, how a Teng, a guy from EKU, and two (frankly unimpressive) Freshman are better than Jake Davis, Z, Morillo, and whoever else produces from our Freshman class is beyond me.
We're playing them at home this year, give me Illinois by 20.
I keep getting baited by it. I don't know how I keep falling for it.
Finding some way to play Z and Tomi together more this year is one of my biggest hopes. If Z makes a big jump this year, I don't think we can keep him under 20-22 minutes per game and Tomi will still be in the mid-to-upper 20s.
Which that is the antithesis to the Mirkovic 33 minutes per game argument. I actually want him to play less than 33, and I want the reason to be because Z (and Tomi too) are more effective players and can be on the floor at the same time more often.
IL Big Ten Opponents
Home & Away: Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin
Home only: Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, UCLA, USC
Away only: Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Rutgers, Washington
Considering a favorable schedule giving us MSU, UCLA, and USC at home, we've got to be a runaway favorite in the B1G at this point. MSU is listed in second and they have to play Michigan, UCLA, and USC on the road. Not winning the league this year considering the favorable schedule would be disappointing, and I could see us winning by 3-4 games easily. What an opportunity we have in front of us.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Let’s use Torvik as unbiased source.
I’ll remove Illinois’ top 3 players and MSU’s top 3 players. That would turn the 6th, 7th, and 8th men into starters and the 9th, 10, and 11th men into key rotational players. Should do a decent job of comparing team depth.
Illinois before: 5
Illinois after: 32
MSU before: 7
MSU after: 52
For fun, here’s USC too:
USC before: 31
USC after: 56
According to Torvik, we’re the deepest of the 3. MSU’s the most top heavy of the 3 (the biggest drop off from their starters to their bench).
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
I just hope that the bench players see the opportunity next year. I have a feeling that we will be losing 5-7 players to graduation and the draft.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
If that happens, we likely won’t build the team around the current freshman. We’ll go get transfers and euros to build an upperclassman team again.
Calling Taylor and Jervis 5-stars is just straight up lying man.
15:45. His perspective on Vaaks and "point gaurd" is so perfect.
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
- Status