Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2017)

[Whitman2020]

However, four months of recruiting compared to a couple of weeks by others, makes it seem like years.

Let's be real, 4 months isn't accurate. This restarted when Underwood got here. Losing Smith to UK or MSU at this point is reasonable.

 

[FlyingIllini]

Maybe this explains what really happened with Tilmon.
Part of an article today in the Post Dispatch. Sounds like a little darker shade of grey to me!!!

[FONT=&quot]Mizzou now has Tilmon’s ear !— with full support of the father — and the family split is such that Tilmon is reportedly no longer residing with his mother. Tilmon mentioned Walker’s name in his request for a release from Illinois, a gesture of friendship. But barring another reversal, his deal with Missouri is completed.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]If you question what might be happening outside NCAA rules, consider that this back-and-forth movement occurred during an impermissible contact week called the “dead period.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Look, I know what happened. You know what happened. That’s college basketball in 2017.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Illini, fast becoming a habitual loser in these dealings, is on the verge of being snookered out of the best-ever trio to emerge from Metro East in a single season.[/FONT]
http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/...rival-new-basketball-coaches-has-put-fight-ba

 

[Lmac66]

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

 

[Deleted member 8213]

View attachment 2957

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

You forgot the bag.

 

[Lmac66]

You forgot the bag.

Bag man was not pictured

 

[HC Illini]

All of our faces, really.

WORD

 

[EfremWinters84]

So in summary, lots of rumors (this is a recruiting thread, after all), nothing known, a few posters battling about who's an insider, a few folks are still upset with the Tilmon decommit, and as expected, we're getting more nervous about Smith.

Is there anything new? Personally, I'm more concerned about whether we get someone who plays center, but I suppose I'm a little numb to the last few days, and just looking at the roster...

Nice summary. I think that summarizes where we are.

I kind of miss the old insiders from the D. Jackson and C. Alexander days. I'm not sure how accurate they ultimately turned out to be, but things were always fun and interesting in the months/weeks leading up to signing day.

Bottom-line, I'm a bit bearish on our upcoming season. National pundits already had us picked 11th or 12th (and that was with Tilmon). Now we have a head coach that most fans/recruits did not know until they googled his name --- an Asst. Coach with academic fraud during his tenure as a head coach --- and another Asst. Coach who has not been able to successfully pull in the top Chicago recruits.

I have to admit --- I was more optimistic in Groce's first year when he was running the boot camp during the summer. We need players.......

Go Illini!

 

[westcoastillini]

Maybe this explains what really happened with Tilmon.
Part of an article today in the Post Dispatch. Sounds like a little darker shade of grey to me!!!

[FONT=&quot]Mizzou now has Tilmon’s ear !— with full support of the father — and the family split is such that Tilmon is reportedly no longer residing with his mother. Tilmon mentioned Walker’s name in his request for a release from Illinois, a gesture of friendship. But barring another reversal, his deal with Missouri is completed.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]If you question what might be happening outside NCAA rules, consider that this back-and-forth movement occurred during an impermissible contact week called the “dead period.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Look, I know what happened. You know what happened. That’s college basketball in 2017.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Illini, fast becoming a habitual loser in these dealings, is on the verge of being snookered out of the best-ever trio to emerge from Metro East in a single season.[/FONT]
http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/...rival-new-basketball-coaches-has-put-fight-ba

These are pretty strong words from Tate

 

[Magoo222]

Maybe this explains what really happened with Tilmon.
Part of an article today in the Post Dispatch. Sounds like a little darker shade of grey to me!!!

[FONT=&quot]Mizzou now has Tilmon’s ear !— with full support of the father — and the family split is such that Tilmon is reportedly no longer residing with his mother. Tilmon mentioned Walker’s name in his request for a release from Illinois, a gesture of friendship. But barring another reversal, his deal with Missouri is completed.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]If you question what might be happening outside NCAA rules, consider that this back-and-forth movement occurred during an impermissible contact week called the “dead period.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Look, I know what happened. You know what happened. That’s college basketball in 2017.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Illini, fast becoming a habitual loser in these dealings, is on the verge of being snookered out of the best-ever trio to emerge from Metro East in a single season.[/FONT]
http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/...rival-new-basketball-coaches-has-put-fight-ba

Could someone please forward this article to the NCAA's investigative office ?

 

[Lmac66]

These are pretty strong words from Tate

So much butthurt. Dead period doesn't mean no contact (though him still having his NLI with Illinois does) it just means no face to face. Recruits can still call coaches and talk on social media.

 

[Deleted member 8213]

Bottom-line, I'm a bit bearish on our upcoming season.

Perhaps.. the system is brand new for everyone and we will be awfully thin inside. On the other hand BU engineered a quick turnaround at OSU and was successful at SFA with presumably quite a bit less talent. Either way, there's ample reason to be very bullish about the future of Illini hoops, the only question is how soon can he make it happen.

 

[ndandrid]

ndandrid, what kind of connections do you have to the STL area? In a previous post you told us you are from East Lansing and you are very in tune with the Michigan State staff. Did he call the Michigan State staff right after his meeting with BU and tell them that Illinois is out? Did this information come from the Michigan State friend staffer of yours?

I'm from Chicago, coached in the CPL in the mid 2000s, and have a very close group of friends in coaching in the Chicagoland area and the STL/downstate IL area. Now I am in East Lansing and attend private MSU practices from time to time.

 

[Liesse1997]

I wonder if Smith and Coach Cal talked at all about Coach Antigua...

 

[alexander58]

Maybe this explains what really happened with Tilmon.
Part of an article today in the Post Dispatch. Sounds like a little darker shade of grey to me!!!

[FONT=&quot]Mizzou now has Tilmon’s ear !— with full support of the father — and the family split is such that Tilmon is reportedly no longer residing with his mother. Tilmon mentioned Walker’s name in his request for a release from Illinois, a gesture of friendship. But barring another reversal, his deal with Missouri is completed.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]If you question what might be happening outside NCAA rules, consider that this back-and-forth movement occurred during an impermissible contact week called the “dead period.”[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Look, I know what happened. You know what happened. That’s college basketball in 2017.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]The Illini, fast becoming a habitual loser in these dealings, is on the verge of being snookered out of the best-ever trio to emerge from Metro East in a single season.[/FONT]
http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/...rival-new-basketball-coaches-has-put-fight-ba

Now we get the ....rest of the story. The human interaction is always the most interesting part of these things. Martin's playing of parent against parent is certainly something he can be proud of. :huh:

 

[mattcoldagelli]

Perhaps.. the system is brand new for everyone and we will be awfully thin inside. On the other hand BU engineered a quick turnaround at OSU and was successful at SFA with presumably quite a bit less talent. Either way, there's ample reason to be very bullish about the future of Illini hoops, the only question is how soon can he make it happen.

Hard to be bullish or bearish when we don't even know what our roster is going to look like next year.

 

[jmwillini]

Playing parent against parent obviously isn't Dave Bliss low, but still pretty damn low.

 

[IlliniCyborg]

So much butthurt. Dead period doesn't mean no contact (though him still having his NLI with Illinois does) it just means no face to face. Recruits can still call coaches and talk on social media.

Well it is a different perspective and would never be mentioned by your favorites like Gabe and Dave Matter. All rainbows and lollipops in the STL media.

 

[Lmac66]

Well it is a different perspective and would never be mentioned by your favorites like Gabe and Dave Matter. All rainbows and lollipops in the STL media.

I agree Gabe and Dave are very non biased fact reporters. I think the Tilmon saga has brought out the fanboy side of the Illinois media.

 

[ILLinoize92]

I think Tillmon is gone and as for Smith its like christmas for him right now but I do think he ends up at MSU..Just think if JW hired Cuonzo we would have ended up with all our recruits and added the num 1 player in the country in Porter Jr. And plus probably another 5* or 2 and that would of got us in Final 4 next year...Say what u want about Cuonzo but the guy can recruit with the best of them he might be lacking on the coaching side but talent will get you a long way heck i think Calipari isnt so great as a coach but hes the best recruiter out there

No. Just no to all of this.

 

[mattcoldagelli]

I think Tillmon is gone and as for Smith its like christmas for him right now but I do think he ends up at MSU..Just think if JW hired Cuonzo we would have ended up with all our recruits and added the num 1 player in the country in Porter Jr. And plus probably another 5* or 2 and that would of got us in Final 4 next year...Say what u want about Cuonzo but the guy can recruit with the best of them he might be lacking on the coaching side but talent will get you a long way heck i think Calipari isnt so great as a coach but hes the best recruiter out there

Just 2 posts in and this guy is already crushing it. Can't believe we threw away the 2018 Final Four. Makes you think.

 

[jbutts718]

He had a ton of talent.......

I think Tillmon is gone and as for Smith its like christmas for him right now but I do think he ends up at MSU..Just think if JW hired Cuonzo we would have ended up with all our recruits and added the num 1 player in the country in Porter Jr. And plus probably another 5* or 2 and that would of got us in Final 4 next year...Say what u want about Cuonzo but the guy can recruit with the best of them he might be lacking on the coaching side but talent will get you a long way heck i think Calipari isnt so great as a coach but hes the best recruiter out there

come into Cal and did nothing with it. Recruiting is obviously important.....but you still need to develop players and be able to coach in games. Martin is 1/3. And, if he continues his current recruiting practices, will end up with Missouri on probation.

Why don't we let Underwood fill his staff.....fill his roster......and see what happens.

 

[Bubba Eder]

come into Cal and did nothing with it. Recruiting is obviously important.....but you still need to develop players and be able to coach in games. Martin is 1/3. And, if he continues his current recruiting practices, will end up with Missouri on probation.

Why don't we let Underwood fill his staff.....fill his roster......and see what happens.

Agree 100%

 

[UofI08]

I think Tillmon is gone and as for Smith its like christmas for him right now but I do think he ends up at MSU..Just think if JW hired Cuonzo we would have ended up with all our recruits and added the num 1 player in the country in Porter Jr. And plus probably another 5* or 2 and that would of got us in Final 4 next year...Say what u want about Cuonzo but the guy can recruit with the best of them he might be lacking on the coaching side but talent will get you a long way heck i think Calipari isnt so great as a coach but hes the best recruiter out there

Well the 1st sentence makes sense. The rest, not so much.

 

[NEIlliniFan]

I think Tillmon is gone and as for Smith its like christmas for him right now but I do think he ends up at MSU..Just think if JW hired Cuonzo we would have ended up with all our recruits and added the num 1 player in the country in Porter Jr. And plus probably another 5* or 2 and that would of got us in Final 4 next year...Say what u want about Cuonzo but the guy can recruit with the best of them he might be lacking on the coaching side but talent will get you a long way heck i think Calipari isnt so great as a coach but hes the best recruiter out there

You are assuming that Cuonzo and the Porter package would happen where ever CM was hired. There has been a very extensive back-and-forth on this very assumption. Let's just say that it's very much an assumption and nowhere near a fact.

 

[skyIdub]

This is all so very.......meh.