Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2017)

[HC Illini]

.@spctexans star Jordan Brangers won't attend #TexasTech. KY product needs to be close to home, ill family member. lubbockonline.com/news/sports-re….
Man I was just hoping an explosive scoring wing JuCO transfer would ask for his release and end up at illinois. Isn't that something.

 

[Ubermensch]

John Groce got us heard and involved with plenty of highly touted kids. That's not been the problem. Antigua needs to win these battles.

Right. And I still expect us to be involved with kids we wouldn't normally expect to be involved with. Not sure how this addresses my observation.

 

[illynifan34]

I couldn't disagree more. Your John Hancock matters, but in a situation like this, we have a 17-year-old kid who signed up to play for a program and a coach. He signs on the dotted line, then the coach gets canned. It is completely reasonable to explore other options, and I completely understand it even if it makes me sad that he is going to do it.

Expecting these kids to sign up for something, then have the situation completely change and them not have second thoughts is just silly. Shoot, as an adult, I can't even live up to that standard.

Imagine you had a kid who signed up to attend Tulane university in 2005 and study mechanical engineering. Just before classes start, Hurricane Katrina rolls through, levels New Orleans, and the university dramatically scales back their engineering programs as part of the recovery, including no longer offering mechanical engineering (this actually happened, by the way). Is it fair if your kid would not be allowed to consider other options at that point?



Now this is the crazy speculation, shoot-for-the-stars ridiculousness that hiring Antigua affords us. I like it! Any chance we can go back and try to recruit Thon Maker?

Will we not be playing basketball with Coach Underwood?

 

[sacraig]

Will we not be playing basketball with Coach Underwood?

Of course, but not the same basketball. Would you be okay if your student was the one in my example and they told him "sorry, you have to either attend this school and study biology instead or else wait a year before going elsewhere"?

 

[illynifan34]

Of course, but not the same basketball. Would you be okay if your student was the one in my example and they told him "sorry, you have to either attend this school and study biology instead or else wait a year before going elsewhere"?

Biology::Mechanical Engineering != Groce Basketball::Underwood Basketball

I don't want to argue your analogy but it really isn't good. That first year of school can be used for general education or base classes that all schools require. This is what I would have told my student; howcase your skills (get good grades) and then transfer (transfer).

 

[Lafong]

Illinois is building a program

Mizzou is chasing an immediate splash.

I feel really good about where we're at.

 

[MrOizo]

My mizzou buddy is blowing me up

Figured when Walker turned down Cuonzo ... that was the end of it... this is ridiculous.

Agreed. What a slap to Walker by the Tilmon family if they go to Cuonzzou.

 

[IlliniTargetAcquired]

The only part that really bothers me is the fact that he retweeted his commitment so recently. If you thought this was a possibility, there was no reason to do that.
Oh well. Time to move on! There's plenty of reasons to be excited for why this thing is moving in the right direction

 

[afpharmdawg]

I couldn't disagree more. Your John Hancock matters, but in a situation like this, we have a 17-year-old kid who signed up to play for a program and a coach. He signs on the dotted line, then the coach gets canned. It is completely reasonable to explore other options, and I completely understand it even if it makes me sad that he is going to do it.

Expecting these kids to sign up for something, then have the situation completely change and them not have second thoughts is just silly. Shoot, as an adult, I can't even live up to that standard.

Imagine you had a kid who signed up to attend Tulane university in 2005 and study mechanical engineering. Just before classes start, Hurricane Katrina rolls through, levels New Orleans, and the university dramatically scales back their engineering programs as part of the recovery, including no longer offering mechanical engineering (this actually happened, by the way). Is it fair if your kid would not be allowed to consider other options at that point?

I expect people to live up to their agreements. This may be old fashioned of me but my word is my bond.
To say this is a 17 year old kid, still does not mean he can't live up to his word. Kid or no kid live up to it. To me that is on the parents to teach this. Now if circumstances change that is a different story. Groce got fired and this gave all players a chance to opt out of their LOI. On Monday, Tilmon retweeted his original commitment, then today he says he wants out. He waited 2 weeks or so to say he was staying then 2 days later sorry. To me that is a lack of character. I would have rather he said I want out without saying I'm in. Character matters.
On last thing, Hurricane Katrina and Tulane comparison is not even close. Asking out of an LOI was not a natural disaster occurrence, this is something that happens everyday in college bball.

 

[OldGreg]

It will be hilarious to see the backtracking if Tilmon decides to come back. Also, really got to respect Jordan Goodwin's conviction right now

 

[rcataldo]

I think it is natural for people to rationalize Tilmon's departure by calling him overrated. I don't think anyone on this board would say they don't want Tilmon or wouldn't welcome him back with open arms. We are UNDOUBTEDLY better with him than without him.

The reality is though, we have been so hungry for a big time recruit that we have elevated Tilmon to a level that he is not. He is a talented player that will need some time to be a real force at the college level. He is FAR from a one and done, and if someone is in his ear telling him that, they are doing him a disservice. He is a tier below the guys like Porter and other 5 stars. He has got by being bigger than most of his competition and while he will still have a size advantage on most, he seems to lack elite athleticism.

The bottom line is, it hurts to lose him, but he isn't a program maker or breaker. We need to implement a system, coach and develop kids, and find some diamonds in the rough. Every kid doesn't need to be a 5 star to be impactful at the college level. This years tournament should prove that while talent is key, good coaching can take a program a long way.

 

[audsssy]

Illinois is building a program

Mizzou is chasing an immediate splash.

I feel really good about where we're at.

Completely agree.

 

[Greensboro]

The info I shared was correct. Brad got played to keep Walker his job.

Wait, so he likes Walker enough to "play" a school so that he keeps his job, but not enough to actually play for him?? That doesn't seem to match up.

Plus he likes him so much that he helps him keep his job at Ill vs. joining Miznoz & actually playing for him. Not quite making sense.

 

[mattcoldagelli]

I ironically received a boatload of money to go to washu as a student and the thing that kept me going to U of I was not only did I already give my word, but I knew other people made decisions (roommates) upon my decision. I treated my decision as an adult.

Man, not to be a jerk, but deciding where you're going to go to college because of your roommates is literally one of the most non-adult reasons I can think of.

 

[zpfled]

Man, not to be a jerk, but deciding where you're going to go to college because of your roommates is literally one of the most non-adult reasons I can think of.

Lol, I had the same thought. I suppose not all adults do things in the same way, though, so maybe calling something an 'adult' decision is pretty meaningless.

 

[MrOizo]

Option 1: Keep Groce and Tilmon stays.

Option 2: Lose Tilmon but replace Groce with Underwood, while keeping Walker and adding Antigua to the staff, and keeping all the remaining commits.

I think you take option 2 every time and never look back.

This, all day.

 

[sacraig]

I expect people to live up to their agreements. This may be old fashioned of me but my word is my bond.
To say this is a 17 year old kid, still does not mean he can't live up to his word. Kid or no kid live up to it. To me that is on the parents to teach this. Now if circumstances change that is a different story. Groce got fired and this gave all players a chance to opt out of their LOI. On Monday, Tilmon retweeted his original commitment, then today he says he wants out. He waited 2 weeks or so to say he was staying then 2 days later sorry. To me that is a lack of character. I would have rather he said I want out without saying I'm in. Character matters.
On last thing, Hurricane Katrina and Tulane comparison is not even close. Asking out of an LOI was not a natural disaster occurrence, this is something that happens everyday in college bball.

Yes, I expect people to live up to their agreements, but do you not see how an NLOI is sort of a two-way agreement? A player agrees to play for a specific program and a specific coach. Now suddenly the coach is gone. In that sense, the U of I did not "live up to" its side of that agreement, and I find it completely reasonable for the other party to want to reevaluate their own commitment.

Again, I think it's truly unfortunate that he is reconsidering, but I don't think it's somehow indicative of poor character. It really isn't.

And the point of the analogy was not to equate a coaching change to a natural disaster. It was instead to equate someone choosing a place to study/play, and the situation there totally changing.

 

[Seagee]

Man, I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that first phone call between Underwood and Walker once they learned of Tilmon's request...

I don't mean that in a negative sense, that it was harsh on Walker, but rather that faced with news like this, some things likely were said that will establish the type of program we are building. Bet it was interesting.

 

[helppitch]

Tilmon throughout this whole process seems to have been unsure what he really wants. I
I do not fault him, since Groce left, for exploring other options. We knew that there was a good possibility that we could lose some recruits if Groce wasn't retained.
I hope he resigns with us, but, if not, we will move on.

 

[helppitch]

Man, I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that first phone call between Underwood and Walker once they learned of Tilmon's request...

I don't mean that in a negative sense, that it was harsh on Walker, but rather that faced with news like this, some things likely were said that will establish the type of program we are building. Bet it was interesting.

I doubt that it was that big of deal.

 

[Greensboro]

It seems many posters are trying to justify losing Tilmon but he fills a huge need and if he ends up not coming to Illinois makes finding big men a huge priority. Having Tilmon next season along with the new coach would have making the tournament much easier.

+1, we need an impact big next year, we also need a 2nd big in the system for when Finke/Black graduate. If Finke or Black should choose to spend there 5th year elsewhere, we need a couple of Bigs for 2018/19.

Hopefully we still have a chance at Tilmon.

 

[mycitymytime]

Anyways - back to the regularly scheduled programming...how do we think we will fill out the rest of the class AND how do you do that and maintain class balance?

 

[Greensboro]

Would replacing Tilmon with Kiir be a fair trade considering Kiir is a better fit with Underwoods style of play?

I thought everyone was a perfect fit for Underwood's system.

Seriously I would take either in a heartbeat.

 

[MadSeason]

Yes, I expect people to live up to their agreements, but do you not see how an NLOI is sort of a two-way agreement? A player agrees to play for a specific program and a specific coach. Now suddenly the coach is gone. In that sense, the U of I did not "live up to" its side of that agreement, and I find it completely reasonable for the other party to want to reevaluate their own commitment.

Again, I think it's truly unfortunate that he is reconsidering, but I don't think it's somehow indicative of poor character. It really isn't.

And the point of the analogy was not to equate a coaching change to a natural disaster. It was instead to equate someone choosing a place to study/play, and the situation there totally changing.

Exactly. Coaches are free to roam where they want but recruits should be bound by blood? We should really not be too judgmental in this matter since there is a chance we will accept a commitment from a player who was once committed elsewhere.

 

[PlayAZ]

I thought everyone was a perfect fit for Underwood's system.

Seriously I would take either in a heartbeat.

I liked KIIR the first go around ALOT, think he does fit better imo...also think Tilmon could progress well here under OA and BU, but only if he really thinks it is the best fit for him...

As of date, he is your typical 18 yr old and doesn't know what he wants other than to meet girls, eat and play basketball and video games probably