Yeh. It's all about clicks. I remember 5 or 6 weeks ago they said that we had done enough and were a tournament team. That's before we got Big T. Seems like they keep changing the narrative. They are drunk on Purdue. We will see about that.
Illini Basketball
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We WILL prove them wrong!
Boswell definitely the biggest get and name of the portal. He's probably even being underrated by the fanbase. I would also say that Humrichous is also someone that was pretty sought after and I think most people consider a good player. The other guys are more under "talented projects" label. Though that talent is borderline NBA level for White and Booth.
I did a quick google search & can’t find evidence that there is anything official with Vandy and Sanderson at this point. Saw some twitter smoke. I really don’t know
Bigtex
- DFW
I also think that only having 2 returning players impacts perceptions. A great portal and freshman class still needs the puzzle pieces to fit together
This coming year has with very high probability always been a team-building year. I don't mean just recruiting although that is the single biggest factor. I also most certainly don't mean that the coaching staff will be shooting for good-but-not-great results in the coming season as the price for reaching a much higher level in the following season. All coaches at this level try to win as much as they possibly can every single year: winning culture is founded on that.
My point is that in listening to players at the NBA and collegiate level talk about how long it takes to build a team (Nicola Jokic is compelling in crediting even former team mates, for example) -- which involves adding a guy here, developing a guy there, carving out durable roles that hold up through the wicked onslaught of bad-luck in shooting (each game matters so much at the NCAA level) and matchups and reffing and off-the-courts issues -- is a task that usually take seasons and not merely months.
Guys learning to read each other on the floor, leaders understanding what leading actually involves, guys coming to be proud of the role they have carved out for themselves on the team, coaches developing confidence in their guys which makes players thrive, that all grows from repetition in practice and games and end-of-game situations and in losing situations. Talent and god-given physical gifts are not going to alone overcome the time factor though it can be shortened some for sure.
What's the point I am making? I suspect Coach Underwood will have the goal of winning the B1G championship this year and to make a serious run in the NCAA tournament. I would be stunned if he backed off from that mindset at any point in the coming season short of something like catastrophic injuries. But in the back of his mind, he knows if this current roster -- which needs to be molded into a team by him, his staff and the guys themselves -- tastes success this year and largely stays together, then the following season will be the when the big payoff will arrive.
That's my read.
My point is that in listening to players at the NBA and collegiate level talk about how long it takes to build a team (Nicola Jokic is compelling in crediting even former team mates, for example) -- which involves adding a guy here, developing a guy there, carving out durable roles that hold up through the wicked onslaught of bad-luck in shooting (each game matters so much at the NCAA level) and matchups and reffing and off-the-courts issues -- is a task that usually take seasons and not merely months.
Guys learning to read each other on the floor, leaders understanding what leading actually involves, guys coming to be proud of the role they have carved out for themselves on the team, coaches developing confidence in their guys which makes players thrive, that all grows from repetition in practice and games and end-of-game situations and in losing situations. Talent and god-given physical gifts are not going to alone overcome the time factor though it can be shortened some for sure.
What's the point I am making? I suspect Coach Underwood will have the goal of winning the B1G championship this year and to make a serious run in the NCAA tournament. I would be stunned if he backed off from that mindset at any point in the coming season short of something like catastrophic injuries. But in the back of his mind, he knows if this current roster -- which needs to be molded into a team by him, his staff and the guys themselves -- tastes success this year and largely stays together, then the following season will be the when the big payoff will arrive.
That's my read.
So do you think the players we've recruited and picked up in the portal this year are giving BU and staff indications they'll stay beyond the 24-25 season?? Or will we be faced with replacing 8-9 players again this time next year???
No idea what indications might be given at this early stage. The team isn't even together in CU yet, as I understand it. And there is one more very important spot to fill at the wing: possibly the leading scorer on the team has yet to be added.
I think this is a huge challenge for Coach Underwood, I doubt it scares him at all, but no one really knows how adding 9 new players to a team in one year win not one single star or team leader returning will work. And when I say "will work" I mean THIS time. Next season's outcome is not prescriptive for all future high-turnover teams.
Finally: like several others have alluded to long before I have, it appears that Coach Underwood has as a plan returning a substantial number of guys from the upcoming season on into the following one. Makes sense to me.
I think this is a huge challenge for Coach Underwood, I doubt it scares him at all, but no one really knows how adding 9 new players to a team in one year win not one single star or team leader returning will work. And when I say "will work" I mean THIS time. Next season's outcome is not prescriptive for all future high-turnover teams.
Finally: like several others have alluded to long before I have, it appears that Coach Underwood has as a plan returning a substantial number of guys from the upcoming season on into the following one. Makes sense to me.
I'm sure they've all indicated multiple seasons. But the NIL portal environment means you get no guarantees.
The bitter irony is that the better we develop our talent the more difficult it might be to keep them.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
"Both" is a distinct possibility.
I think the goal is absolutely to not have to replace 8-9 players every year.
This thing looks built to be really good when Fears comes and Morez is a sophomore.
Seems to be right now.
Last year we inked three final year players. If you swapped out Guerrier from last year's team for a Booth like player I'm not sure the results would be different but our current year prospects would be better.
Except when we like them
Just wondering how NIL negotiations go for most schools and players …I assume most players have someone (agent) or handler that represents them…who represents the school?? Brad ?? One of the other coaches?? Someone (business person) who’s supplying the NIL $$..Or does school have a designated negotiator??… do most agreements consummate a one year deal $$ only…. With maybe performance goals that could earn them a 2nd year with a considerable bump in compensation??…maybe a 2 year deal with guarantees if certain goals are met… I realize this is uncharted territory for most schools (at least openly) but just curious how most schools are navigating this process??
I just don't see any agent ever agreeing to anything more than 1 year. University will have to up their NIL $ to keep you if you blow up like Domask. Even if you don't blow up, it is the wild west and people are throwing around stupid numbers already. No reason not to put your name in the portal every year if NIL $ is the student athlete's priority.
Except of course agents agree every chance they get to more years at the NBA or MLB (wrong sport, sigh) or whatever pro-level. It will happen. The nutty charade of NCAA D1 athletes being precious "amateurs" has been fading for a decade and much more.
Don't get me wrong: I wish the dream of ILL guys who will hold accept no other could, somehow, be realized. Thing is, it can't. It's a tooth fairy dream that one shares with 3-year olds everywhere. And those tots are NOT wrong. They are just beautifully hopeful, something like the masses of fans in O&B. (And other trim for Schools dreamt of by others across the land.)
I’m super late on this and only quoting you cause it’s the most recent post on it, but I actually like the timing of this game. Getting our a guys a different look than a Big Ten game closer to the tournament gives the group a reminder of what they’ll see in March. It will force them to play a big ten game, adapt to a non big ten game, and readapt back to a big ten game. 3 different styles in a row just like the tournament could be.
My gut says it will be very rare. Three things jump to mind:
1) There are uncontrolled aspects of college pay and player movement that are controlled in the pros. Those pro rules and the revenue model give franchises more certainty around rosters so they can take risks, make trades, etc.
2) Older more developed players won't swing quite as wildly in year to year value.
3) If a player develops more than anticipated, it may be challenging to keep them happy enough to honor the initial deal in the spirit it was negotiated. Unhappy players can do a lot of damage. Just like kids easily get out of LOI, I think the same general principles apply. Not saying it can't happy, but I think there are major differences to the pro league model that make it unlikely.
One other thing to note about the Illini projection is it doesn't factor in any international transfers and obviously there are pieces of the roster missing. I did a proxy test and added Zvonimir Ivisic and Watkins to the existing roster, and it improves the projection from 61 to 20.
I'm not a betting man but if I can get some action on whether illinois will finish above 16th on the conference (or anywhere above the teens at least) I'm gonna have to get on on that.
Like I said above, the projection currently doesn't include Ivisic and projects AJ Redd as getting meaningful minutes, and if you actually fill out the roster with a quality big and wing, it jumps to about 20th overall, which is top 5 in the B1G.
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