Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2017)

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#3,726      

Illini B-Ball Fan

Illini B-Ball Fan
Illini B-Ball Fan
Good offer made by the staff for Toppin, hopefully soon should be able to move him and some of the others to committed on the scholarship grid.
 
#3,728      

Obelix

Obelix
Obelix
skyIdub said:
The quotes really show why Mrs. Smith was so fond of Groce too. It's pretty clear to me now why they are taking this time. This staff has to show that family aspect of the program is going to continue. Another good reason for Jamal remaining on staff IMO
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Nothing on those quotes is very telling or pro Illinois. Certainly MSU has a family aspect as does UK. Now, the "very competitive kids" comments, MSU and UK overall have more competitive kids, but these are general statements most parents would make.
 
#3,729      

skyIdub

skyIdub
Winged Warrior
skyIdub
Obelix said:
Nothing on those quotes is very telling or pro Illinois. Certainly MSU has a family aspect as does UK. Now, the "very competitive kids" comments, MSU and UK overall have more competitive kids, but these are general statements most parents would make.
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It's telling to me. Maybe not "very" telling, but it makes sense to me. IMO it was Groce's main appeal. Especially to a mom hoping her boy is surrounded by positive role models. I'm not insinuating at all that the other programs lack the same aspects.
 
#3,730      

IlliniKat91

IlliniKat91
Chicago, IL
IlliniKat91
skyIdub said:
It's telling to me. Maybe not "very" telling, but it makes sense to me. IMO it was Groce's main appeal. Especially to a mom hoping her boy is surrounded by positive role models. I'm not insinuating at all that the other programs lack the same aspects.
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Considering the arrest record we had with Groce in the driver's seat, I don't agree with your assessment. Two older players who were accused of beating their girlfriends and another who was caught with a weapon are not the kinds of positive role models I'd want for my son if I were Mrs. Smith.

That being said, that just sounds like recruit parent talk. I'm sure it's part of what they want, but won't be the absolute deciding factor.
 
#3,731      

1m4tr

1m4tr
Cliffmas
1m4tr
Obelix said:
Nothing on those quotes is very telling or pro Illinois. Certainly MSU has a family aspect as does UK. Now, the "very competitive kids" comments, MSU and UK overall have more competitive kids, but these are general statements most parents would make.
Click to expand...

UK has a foster family feel to it. Run a bunch of kids in for 8 months and then a new crop comes in.
 
#3,732      

Deleted member 10676

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Deleted member 10676
Ayo dominating going to the hoop and Talen just hit a loooong 3 but went down with a cramp (I hope). Fire up 69-63 with 90 seconds to go. If they had any effective bigs they would be a top 5 EYBL team. Ayo, Talen and Demarius Jacobs are a great perimeter trio.
 
#3,733      

MrOizo

MrOizo
Chicago
MrOizo
All I gotta say on Mark Smith: Crystal Balls on 24/7 sports:
3/29: 1 for MSU
4/9: 1 for MSU
4/10: 1 for MSU
4/11: 1 for MSU
4/20: 6 for ILL (including Jerry Meyer, Sean Scherer, SpartanTailgate)

Interesting. I don't want to overstate, but that's a lot of positive crystal ball mojo. :cool: :chief: :shield:
 
#3,734      

MrOizo

MrOizo
Chicago
MrOizo
miketherevelator said:
Ayo dominating going to the hoop and Talen just hit a loooong 3 but went down with a cramp (I hope). Fire up 69-63 with 90 seconds to go. If they had any effective bigs they would be a top 5 EYBL team. Ayo, Talen and Demarius Jacobs are a great perimeter trio.
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Thanks for sharing these!
 
#3,735      

Deleted member 10676

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Deleted member 10676
[FONT=&quot]Garrett Tucker‏ @GTuckerHoops 38m38 minutes ago [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I'm a big fan of 2018 Mac Irvin Fire wing Talen Horton. Does just a tad of everything on the floor. Supreme playmaker & positionless[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Corey Evans‏ @coreyevans_10 6m6 minutes ago [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Talen Horton-Tucker one of the more unique propsect in the 2018 class. Not a great athlete but polished at every facet.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Mac Irvin Fire‏ @TheMacIrvinFire 4m4 minutes ago [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Damn!!! Talen Horton Tucker down with a injury[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Mac Irvin Fire‏ @TheMacIrvinFire 3m3 minutes ago[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]#MacIrvinFire 69- Playground 63 1:32 remaining.. Talen Up and walking. Good news for #MacIrvinFire[/FONT]
 
#3,736      

OneTime3

O
OneTime3
Maybe we can call up Groce and ask him to put in a good word for us to Mrs. Smith
 
#3,737      

Obelix

Obelix
Obelix
skyIdub said:
It's telling to me. Maybe not "very" telling, but it makes sense to me. IMO it was Groce's main appeal. Especially to a mom hoping her boy is surrounded by positive role models. I'm not insinuating at all that the other programs lack the same aspects.
Click to expand...

I do not think the general perspective would be that Groce is more of a role model than Izzo, and Illinois had many off court problems under Groce, even involving some members still on the team. That is certainly not a differentiating aspect of Illinos vs. MSU, and the "very competitive kids" is probably even less in our favor. The quotes are definitely not "telling" in favor of Illinois, although Mark Smith may still end up at Illinois.

Personally, I think Mark and his family are taking a very steady and consistent approach to his decision/recruitment. IMO some of the writers close to the Illini had jumped the gun insinuating a possible verbal on his visit, and then looked for scapegoats (e.g., his dad) on why their faulty insinuations did not happen.
 
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#3,738      

Deleted member 10676

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Fire wins 73-66. And after some stretching, Talen was on the court for the final 45 seconds and got a rebound and an assist even though he was hobbling a bit.
 
#3,739      

Obelix

Obelix
Obelix
1m4tr said:
UK has a foster family feel to it. Run a bunch of kids in for 8 months and then a new crop comes in.
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While many of the old crop move to the NBA, continue to come back to UK and make very public statements on Calipari caring being a differentiating factor, and ESPN makes documentaries for the whole basketball world to see.
 
#3,740      

MrOizo

MrOizo
Chicago
MrOizo
Obelix said:
I do not think the general perspective would be that Groce is more of a role model than Izzo, and Illinois had many off court problems under Groce, even involving some members still on the team. That is certainly not a differentiating aspect of Illinos vs. MSU, and the "very competitive kids" is probably even less in our favor. The quotes are definitely not "telling" in favor of Illinois, although Mark Smith may still end up at Illinois.

Personally, I think Mark and his family are taking a very steady and consistent approach to his decision/recruitment. IMO some of the writers close to the Illini had jumped the gun insinuating a possible verbal on his visit, and then looked for some scapegoats (e.g., his dad) on why their faulty insinuations did not happen.
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Agree - To me, it's all about
a) How important is first year playing time?
b) How important is playing point?
c) How important is the talent around him?
d) How important is the NBA pedigree of the staff?
e) Does Illinois have an advantage in terms of comfort level?

I think a. and b. are locked up for us vs. MSU/etc. c. and d. are bad for us. e. is an X factor.

Comfort level with Coach Walker, how much he's been able to bond with a couple members of the current team and with the recruits (Da'Monte and Frazier), and then how convincing Brad's pitch has been. If he feels "better" about the comfort level at Illinois than elsewhere, we have a solid advantage. If not, it will be tough to overcome the lack of advantage at c., d. and e.
 
#3,741      

BananaShampoo

B
Captain 'Paign
Phoenix, AZ
BananaShampoo
MrOizo said:
Agree - To me, it's all about
a) How important is first year playing time?
b) How important is playing point?
c) How important is the talent around him?
d) How important is the NBA pedigree of the staff?
e) Does Illinois have an advantage in terms of comfort level?

I think a. and b. are locked up for us vs. MSU/etc. c. and d. are bad for us. e. is an X factor.

Comfort level with Coach Walker, how much he's been able to bond with a couple members of the current team and with the recruits (Da'Monte and Frazier), and then how convincing Brad's pitch has been. If he feels "better" about the comfort level at Illinois than elsewhere, we have a solid advantage. If not, it will be tough to overcome the lack of advantage at c., d. and e.
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F. How important is proximity?

We have that one on the others, too, and if he is comfortable enough with the rest it might help outweigh some of the others.
 
#3,743      

skyIdub

skyIdub
Winged Warrior
skyIdub
Obelix said:
I do not think the general perspective would be that Groce is more of a role model than Izzo, and Illinois had many off court problems under Groce, even involving some members still on the team. That is certainly not a differentiating aspect of Illinos vs. MSU, and the "very competitive kids" is probably even less in our favor. The quotes are definitely not "telling" in favor of Illinois, although Mark Smith may still end up at Illinois.

Personally, I think Mark and his family are taking a very steady and consistent approach to his decision/recruitment. IMO some of the writers close to the Illini had jumped the gun insinuating a possible verbal on his visit, and then looked for some scapegoats (e.g., his dad) on why their faulty insinuations did not happen.
Click to expand...

I didn't say that it was telling in "favor of Illinois", I meant telling (to me) that his mom was attracted to Groce because of his commitment to the family atmosphere. I didn't say that Groce had the program at some special level of conduct and family atmosphere. I'm not saying that Groce was doing it right, or better than Izzo. I'm not saying that it put Illinois at some distinct advantage. I simply meant that her comments told me that it made sense why Groce appealed to her as a coach and a program.
 
#3,744      

MrOizo

MrOizo
Chicago
MrOizo
BananaShampoo said:
F. How important is proximity?

We have that one on the others, too, and if he is comfortable enough with the rest it might help outweigh some of the others.
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Absolutely, good call!

f. Proximity
g. Already an Illinois fan
h. Edwardsville -> Illini history

I can only hope some of that matters but we just don't know how much it does.
 
#3,745      

rockillini

R
rockillini
MrOizo said:
Absolutely, good call!

f. Proximity
g. Already an Illinois fan
h. Edwardsville -> Illini history

I can only hope some of that matters but we just don't know how much it does.
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i. Mannie Jackson
 

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#3,746      

illinifan87

I
The Windy City
illinifan87
@TheMacIrvinFire: Coach Brad Underwood and Illinois just offered 6'5 PG Ayo Dosunmu #BigTen #Illini #MacIrvinFire

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk
 
#3,748      

Obelix

Obelix
Obelix
MrOizo said:
Comfort level with Coach Walker, how much he's been able to bond with a couple members of the current team and with the recruits (Da'Monte and Frazier), and then how convincing Brad's pitch has been. If he feels "better" about the comfort level at Illinois than elsewhere, we have a solid advantage. If not, it will be tough to overcome the lack of advantage at c., d. and e.
Click to expand...

I agree, and I'd add that probably growing up in Illinois as a fan is also a factor in our favor. But as you mentioned, both MSU and UK also have some very distinct advantages over us. I do not expect a verbal to any school while Smith is on campus (e.g., tOSU). Based on his recruitment so far, I think when all his visits conclude (which may also include future visits to other schools, e.g., Duke or UK), Mark Smith and family will sit down and make an announcement.
 
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