Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2017)

[IlliniCaboose]

As with most things Illini, it's not THAT it happened, it's how. You tell us 3 months before signing day that we won't have either Snider or Cliff, you're disappointed but not shocked and outraged. You tell us before he commits to us that Gordon, and top rated Indiana kid, will play for Indiana, no one bats an eye. You say Illinois gets nailed for a slush fund, okay it was illegal, it makes sense we were punished. You lose 2/4 signees with a coaching change, okay makes sense.
But signing day happened
"Everything is fine, goodnight" happened
Your own associate AD turns you in because he's butthurt happens
ALL 4 signees reaffirm their commitment after they meet with the new staff, including one they already knew and presumably liked, and we think all is well happened.
My dad once apologized to me as an adult for raising me to be an Illinois fan.
This is not a "sky is falling" post just an "I'm really tired of stuff like this happening to us the way it always happens to us" post.
BU is an exciting coach who I can't imagine anyone who wants to put up numbers not wanting to play for, the future is very bright for Illinois Basketball. But the present is very frustrating.

 

[kuhl84]

Pickett was not going to help as a freshman. Frankly, as the roster is currently constructed, they need a couple of players that can contribute immediately in order to be competitive in the B1G next year.

I would be surprised if they forced him out, but it gives them room to get a scoring wing able to immediately help...whether a freshman or a transfer.

We have a couple of high power national recruiters with playing time to sell. I expect a very exciting couple of weeks as they scramble to put this back together.

I'm with Obelix. We need an immediate talent upgrade for us to be competitive and I expect our new staff to get it done.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ulysses Everett McGill]

Have, or will, our admissions standards lightened up recently? Reading all the possible recruits Antigua et al may be hitting on makes me wonder. Strikes me there's a decent chance that a lot of them may have trouble getting admitted? Being naive?

 

[dmac279]

Losing Pickett is not a very big deal. He was never a guy who was going to contribute early. Part of the reason we recruited him was his friendship with Tilmon and Goodwin.

Hundreds of players like Pickett, Tilmon not so much

 

[Kramer116]

I didn't want to get too pessimistic after Tilmon opted out, but man if we don't get some decent players to fill out this class we are looking at a bottom five finish in the B1G next year.

Well looking at it on the side of the coin:

* Tilmon was highly ranked and is big and athletic, but he did not dominate this past year moving back to ESTL, raised big question marks not stay at La Lu, did not win Mr Basketball nor make some all state teams, was constantly in foul trouble all year long. But he had good long term potential if he could put it all together, would have needed to play out of necessity next year.

* Pickett was a likely RS candidate, would not contribute until an upperclassmen most likely. Solid player overall, but long term kid maybe.

* Williams is coming off ACL surgery and missed almost his entire senior season of HS, is he going to be ready to play right away?

* Frazier is the one instant impact type who I think we are going to see productive minutes from, but even he needs some time in the weight room but at least he is a plus offensive player you can find ways to make you productive.

Did that "top 15" recruiting class look like an instant impact type of class? Not to me... and would have looked ten times worse if Groce was still here.

Let this play out, I think we round this out very nicely to end this year a lot of really good players opening things up again now. Worst case we have more scholarships for 2018.

 

[Applegate20]

Pickett was not going to play as a freshman. He was strong candidate to RS. Underwood and staff likely encouraged this. They certainly didn't put up a fight. So this has almost zero impact on next season


Tilmon on the other hand is completely other situation. We are very thin up front. If nothing else he was a body to take up a few minutes. I think his impact is probably overstated. Not necessarily a project, but he had lots of work to do. Certainly a loss though. But I wish people would quit saying he needs to find the best fit for him. This has NOTHING to do with him finding best fit. It has everything to do with a dad that was not involved in his life trying to get his. Capitalizing on his son's success. Nothing more. I feel bad for the family


My guess, and just a guess, is Underwood and staff have guys lined up. 5th yr guys, Juco, and possibly kids they were recruiting at their last stops. I think within the next week or so, this roster takes on a whole new look. Lots of new names will be popping up shortly.

 

[Adnarel]

Lots of new names will be popping up shortly.

I think this will turn out to be correct.

Soon here, some new commits are going to be announced, and an awful lot of us are going to be heading for Google to see what the heck they're about. After that, we'll be talking them up here all summer.

 

[Captain Bubbles]

I’m going to repeat on here what I said on my Twitter page.

Once Coach Underwood and his staff are set, Illini recruiting is gonna be fun to watch. Trust me. This isn’t over yet.

 

[Kramer116]

I’m going to repeat on here what I said on my Twitter page.

Once Coach Underwood and his staff are set, Illini recruiting is gonna be fun to watch. Trust me. This isn’t over yet.

Agree 100%

It is only starting now. Going to be a fun couple weeks.

 

[JudsonFTS]

A number of posters claim that Tilmon is not a program changing recruit. I can't really think of any player in the last 4-5 decades that changed a program long term. Coaches change/build programs. UI has their coach. If he's who I think he is, the recruits will come.

Magic Johnson?

 

[Illinois13]

I’m going to repeat on here what I said on my Twitter page.

Once Coach Underwood and his staff are set, Illini recruiting is gonna be fun to watch. Trust me. This isn’t over yet.

Agreed.

We're playing 5-3 right now and holding our own - once fully staffed, thinking we catch some momentum back in the final week leading into the signing period.

 

[JudsonFTS]

Is Tilmon not getting the tuteledge under Antigua a bigger loss to him than Tilmon's loss to Illinois is?

Don't mean to underestimate the loss, but there are other guys and other ways to climb the ladder......(too soon)?

Tilmon has to get the best development opportunity he can. Would he at Mizzpu?

 

[Kramer116]

Some names that I have seen on Twitter/internets that have opened things up in the past couple weeks:

Jordan Brangers - former Texas Tech commit

Tremont Waters - former Georgetown commit

Amauri Hardy - former OSU commit

McKinley Wright - former Dayton commit

Clifton Moore - former IU commit

Al Durham - former IU commit

Justin Smith - potentially wavering IU commit

 

[TCTORNADO]

Karem Kanter?? Brother of former UK player Enes.

 

[IlliniCaboose]

Is Tilmon not getting the tuteledge under Antigua a bigger loss to him than Tilmon's loss to Illinois is?

Don't mean to underestimate the loss, but there are other guys and other ways to climb the ladder......(too soon)?

Tilmon has to get the best development opportunity he can. Would he at Mizzpu?

 

[Obelix]

Karem Kanter?? Brother of former UK player Enes.

In the very, very... general sense of the word.

 

[ChainsawRevItUp]

In times like these, I really wish S&C were here to tell us why we are all wrong.

 

[MrOizo]

In times like these, I really wish S&C were here to tell us why we are all wrong.

Bravo!

 

[TCTORNADO]

In the very, very... general sense of the word.

Haha, just trying to point out UK connect with Antigua.

 

[Deleted member 10676]

In times like these, I really wish S&C were here to tell us why we are all wrong.

I think he'd just take another ten head shots at Jamall.

 

[Illinimobile]

Here is another story about Zach Brown http://usatodayhss.com/2016/four-star-basketball-recruit-zach-brown-arrested-on-robbery-charges apparently sort of a Blind Side story

Yeah, since that story, he committed to St Johns, got arrested again in Hollywood (for first degree petit theft and driving on suspended license and expired tag). Since he was 19 at the time and already facing the other charges, I think he is in a spot of trouble.

 

[LouAlcinder]

Some names that I have seen on Twitter/internets that have opened things up in the past couple weeks:

Jordan Brangers - former Texas Tech commit

Tremont Waters - former Georgetown commit

Amauri Hardy - former OSU commit

McKinley Wright - former Dayton commit

Clifton Moore - former IU commit

Al Durham - former IU commit

Justin Smith - potentially wavering IU commit

Are we still recruiting Shakur Juiston from Hutchinson CC?

 

[Indy Illini Fan]

I wish Justin Smith would de-commit from IU and come to UI.

Even if he does de-commit he will not come to UI.

 

[EJ33]

In times like these, I really wish S&C were here to tell us why we are all wrong.

 

[Indy Illini Fan]

Some names that I have seen on Twitter/internets that have opened things up in the past couple weeks:

Jordan Brangers - former Texas Tech commit

Tremont Waters - former Georgetown commit

Amauri Hardy - former OSU commit

McKinley Wright - former Dayton commit

Clifton Moore - former IU commit

Al Durham - former IU commit

Justin Smith - potentially wavering IU commit

Al Durham is sticking with his commitment to IU.