Illini Basketball 2026-2027
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47 is our PG......right height.
Woah woah woah, AND he’s an Eastern European White guy too?! Brad you recruiting mastermind
Because they're clearly the most talented team most years. No other team has multiple top 10 guys coming off the bench - most of us recognize that. But we also recognize that doesn't necessarily produce a championship. You'd think it would happen one of these years, but as of now I think Florida is a better pick for #1.
The “true point guard” thing is probably a broader bball topic.
The days of the “floor general” who was typically smaller, and couldn’t play combo guard, are pretty much gone. First, because you need to be a scoring threat, but ironically, because if you’re too small you just get picked on defensively - offense and coaching with analytics have gotten too good.
Even the “true” PGs in the nba today are much bigger - Haliburton, Cade,
The days of the “floor general” who was typically smaller, and couldn’t play combo guard, are pretty much gone. First, because you need to be a scoring threat, but ironically, because if you’re too small you just get picked on defensively - offense and coaching with analytics have gotten too good.
Even the “true” PGs in the nba today are much bigger - Haliburton, Cade,
After reading this forum, that defender must be Petro.
This is what our offense will look like this year - we have a PG
Mirk
Mirk
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
RichardKeenesCousin
Richard Keene's Cousin
I forgot how good he is at finishing with his left.
Illinicpa14
- Chicago
I’m not concerned at “PG” to initiate the offense; what I am not sure of is when it’s a 4 point game with 45 seconds left, who is breaking the press and getting the ball out of harms way…that seems more the question.
That was the biggest pro of Boswell for last years team in crunch time. Break a press, not lose the ball, make FTs
That was the biggest pro of Boswell for last years team in crunch time. Break a press, not lose the ball, make FTs
Excellent post. Those things are very important - ideally you have 2+ guys that can do that. Boswell was excellent in the regard.
What position does this guy play? God knows he's not getting paid 45 million a year to guard the other team's PG...
Just as often they gave the ball to Mirk when pressed... No coach wants his PF trying to guard 50+ feet from the basket. Great way to give a foul.
If you throw a little guy at him, he's going to see right over him, and you'll give up a layup. We were excellent against the press last year. We are similarly talented. Coleman has been a good decision maker, even in All-Star type games, which is rare.
We are too good of a passing team to press. Going to get burnt.
Only 103 drives? That seems low.
103/34 = 3.0 drives per game.
Andrej averaged 7.5 two point shots per game.
Where’s the other big chunk of 2 point shots coming from if they aren’t drives? Mid range / floaters? We don’t like taking those.
The fact that our basketball chat board is still way louder than football, just shows how excited people are about this team.
I did state college, but I knew this would come up. You won't find a Luka's in college. If we think Vaaks is Luka, let's go for it.
At this rate of Magic and Luka comparisons, we should really start turning all players 6'7" and above into PGs. It's only rational. Maybe Andrej and Mirk can get a whirl running point too. How are their passing rates?
Last 10 Cousy winners and height:
| Year | Player | College | Listed Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Darius Acuff Jr. | Arkansas | 6'2" |
| 2025 | Braden Smith | Purdue | 6'0" |
| 2024 | Tristen Newton | UConn | 6'5" |
| 2023 | Markquis Nowell | Kansas State | 5'8" (measured 5'7" pro) |
| 2022 | Collin Gillespie | Villanova | 6'3" (measured 6'1" pro) |
| 2021 | Ayo Dosunmu | Illinois | 6'5" |
| 2020 | Payton Pritchard | Oregon | 6'2" |
| 2019 | Ja Morant | Murray State | 6'3" |
| 2018 | Jalen Brunson | Villanova | 6'3" |
| 2017 | Frank Mason III | Kansas | 5'11" |
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We're done recruiting miniature, small guards. The staff has actively worked to filter out those players from our roster, because they don't fit our philosophy.
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We turned a 6"6 Keaton / KJ / Domask into our PG.
Why can't we do the same with Vaaks?
You mean like Brad said is going to happen with Mirk?
And just big. Hard to trap when we have so much positional size and can throw over the top.
Although I disagree with you on Vaaks, you do make a good point. There seem to be a lot of posters here that just think you can put the biggest guy out there, whether it be PG, SF, or whatever, and you automatically win the game.
There's a reason there aren't many 6'7 PGs in college ball. Generally guys much smaller than that have better handles and are quicker.
But Vaaks at 6'7 looks like a PG to me (at least offensively).
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