Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2017)

[rockillini]

I guess I expected to lose most or all of this class and was a bit surprised so many of you thought differently. A kid signs up to play for a coach they've grown comfortable with through time. When that coach leaves, the comfort level is thrown into chaos. Who likes chaos?

Mizzou got a sexy hire that reversed all the racist PR they suffered a few years ago. Our window for being the #1 destination for StL kids was short lived.

I'm super excited to have BU but the cost of changing coaches was predictable. I hope we keep Frazier and am glad Williams is a legacy.

No worries. A much larger plan is about to get executed.

 

[Deleted member 10676]

people keep saying this, but I think it makes Illinois look bad. Just give them their release unconditionally

Since that's all you can do anyway.

 

[IlliniCaboose]

:deadhorse:

 

[NScale]

Wait till the year after next year

All the happy talk about not worrying about losing recruits for the 2017 BB season ... at the Minnesota homecoming FB game last season, I was in Grange Grove next to the BTN broadcast stage, chatting with some Gopher fans. We were discussing coaching changes. It was mentioned that with Lovie's recruiting, we have to wait till 2018 to be decent. I held up my tickets to the game and said, "But I'm here NOW." So for FB we blew off 2016 and we have to blow off 2017. In BB we blew off 2016 and it looks like we have to blow off 2017 as well. But the whole point of being fans of athletic programs is to go to the games NOW. What are we supposed to do as an institution, mail it in next season? It looks like a little more widespread worrying is in order. Mail in those grant in aid checks yet?

 

[Ubermensch]

people keep saying this, but I think it makes Illinois look bad. Just give them their release unconditionally

It's not like it's hard to recruit when you have a reputation as being petty and vindictive toward high school kids. I hear kids, parents, HS and AAU coaches actually like those qualities in a school.

 

[Kathy]

Okay, one last time. You can't put restrictions on where kids go after releasing them from their NLI's. You can only restrict them if they transfer. You just give the kids their NLI and wish them well. I would definitely wait till Monday or Tuesday to give Orlando a chance to talk to him.

 

[dmac279]

I have intentionally sat back for the last few days to let the hysteria die down from the Tillman decommitment and now the Pickett decommitment...I have been an Illini fan for over 40 years and the best teams I have seen play consisted of players who desired to wear the orange and blue...I do not see these decommitments as a negative whatsoever… If these players really do not want to be at the University of Illinois then give them their release and wish them luck… I truly believe that coach Underwood will find players who will fit his system as he described during his press conference… These are the type of players we want as long as they want to wear the orange and blue… I have no doubt the coach Underwood and his ever-growing staff already have players in mind Who fit the system… Some of you may think that losing the above players puts us back in our recovery as a basketball program… I disagree… I believe this allows coach Underwood to not have to work around players he did not initially recruit and who do not clearly fit his system… Now he can go after players that do fit his system… I think our basketball program just got better over the last few days

Bingo

 

[muskyman99]

Players leaving? It isn't just about the head coach. Some recruits have stronger relationships with assistants. They meet their future teammates. They check out the facilities and campus. Then they commit. So now we upgrade the HC position and they leave. What is wrong with having a better coach? I just don't get it.

 

[BuddyJ]

Players leaving? It isn't just about the head coach. Some recruits have stronger relationships with assistants. They meet their future teammates. They check out the facilities and campus. Then they commit. So now we upgrade the HC position and they leave. What is wrong with having a better coach? I just don't get it.

Pickett might be worried about playtime under a headcoach that didn't recruit him. Tilmon was probably seduced by Mizzou and playing with Porter and is using the coaching change as an excuse.

 

[Calvin]

Good luck to Javon and Jeremiah in their future. I, as an illini fan, cannot blame those kids because the staff they signed up to play for is not here. At the same time I am not worried about where Illini basketball is headed. I like the staff that is being assembled and we will be in a very good place very shortly.

I also believe we are going to get some kids soon who are not even on the radar on this board and we are going to be pleasantly surprised. This staff knows what they are doing.

# wewillwin

+1

Good luck to them. I'm not worried about the short-term future, either. I do think we'll bring in a center because of the urgency, but everywhere else on the roster we have the pieces to be competitive IMO. I think our guard situation is significantly upgraded with Lucas here, and Trent and Damonte coming it --a great foundation starting with the back-court.

If nothing else, it will make the off-season more interesting

 

[MainelyIllini]

So let's restrict the NLI releases to all Div 1 schools. Luther will pay their way wherever they go.


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[Calvin]

All the happy talk about not worrying about losing recruits for the 2017 BB season ... at the Minnesota homecoming FB game last season, I was in Grange Grove next to the BTN broadcast stage, chatting with some Gopher fans. We were discussing coaching changes. It was mentioned that with Lovie's recruiting, we have to wait till 2018 to be decent. I held up my tickets to the game and said, "But I'm here NOW." So for FB we blew off 2016 and we have to blow off 2017. In BB we blew off 2016 and it looks like we have to blow off 2017 as well. But the whole point of being fans of athletic programs is to go to the games NOW. What are we supposed to do as an institution, mail it in next season? It looks like a little more widespread worrying is in order. Mail in those grant in aid checks yet?

Have to agree to disagree. I could not stomach Groce this year and missed many games because the play and outcomes had become predictably bad. Underwood has me in a completely different frame of mind. I don't expect a total turn-around out of the gate, but I've always loved watching teams that play hard and impose their will. I think Underwood will move the needle sooner rather than later, and I'm happy to be a fan now.

 

[TCTORNADO]

A new name--Jordan Brangers, former Texas Tech LOI. This stuffs about to get real.

 

[Ga65]

Still waiting for some existing players to transfer. Must be some that will not be happy with new plan and have met with BU. Actually wonder if Pickett was told they wanted him to red shirt and was not happy with that plan. Have to believe staff is not surprised by requests and have alternatives in mind.

 

[FatGreg]

Tremont Waters (#37 composite in 2017 - PG) made official visits to Kansas, Kentucky, and Indiana before committing to Georgetown. Tremont Waters' lead recruiter at Indiana? Chuck Martin.

Waters and Frazier: quickest backcourt in America?

 

[bigillinfan11]

Some names I think we may reach out to are Jordan Brangers, Tremont waters, Amauri Hardy, Clifton Moore,Lawson brothers, tucker. This is based on if we get Chuck Martin as third assistant. Him and Antigua could get us in a lot of big recruits that just opened up

 

[Obelix]

Actually wonder if Pickett was told they wanted him to red shirt and was not happy with that plan.

Seriously doubt it. We have a new staff trying to get familiar with the players, and finalize the roster, including new recruits. Still missing one assistant. It is highly doubtful they will make RS decisions before they actually see players in workouts. These decisions are reserved for much later.

 

[sdfidaho]

Pickett might be worried about playtime under a headcoach that didn't recruit him. Tilmon was probably seduced by Mizzou and playing with Porter and is using the coaching change as an excuse.

Yeppers

 

[SescIllini]

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.

Great Post and on Point. Liked the production and loyalty that Pickett displayed but that was not a position of need and there were other players we would of likely preferred in-state (M Smith, Goodwin, J Smith). With Antigua onboard, I think we are looking for instant impact players and those of position of need.

 

[PhillyIllini]

Just my opinion, but never really got the Pickett / he's the next Malcolm Hill hype. He was the lowest rated of all our 'croots, and his offer list was not very impressive. I'm very happy that Trent and Damonte are fully bought in.

#trusttheprocess

 

[OneTime3]

Hmmm not what I wanted to wake up to. Unfortunate thing is that I was mentally prepared for everyone to leave when Groce got fired, but then got false hope when we went a couple weeks with no bad news.

 

[Greensboro]

Writing seems to be on the wall....Tilmon, might not fit the system due to being a true post type/athletic, but true inside player. Pickett, 3 star with high motor, but not necessarily a high enough skill set to complete as possibly previous promised?



I would look for Antigua to pull some gems out, Walker to find a late player and Frazier to have some input on players....also 2 scholarship carry over into 2018 would not be a terrible idea actually?

Alternative facts.



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[FatGreg]

Emmitt Williams, IMG Academy - #22 composite in 2018 (ranked #7 by 247). PF - 6'8, 210. Uber athlete, dunks/blocks everything. Developing face-up game. Would be a great fit in Underwood's system.

Degrees of separation: IMG is one hour south of USF (where Antigua was coaching); Donnie Abraham coached football at IMG; Emmitt Williams played AAU with Trent Frazier on E1T1 Elite.

 

[lucasjohnsonhustle]

I would really like to see BU go hard after Bragg....he was a very highly rated recruit coming out of high school and just bc Kansas is so deep and he was buried does not mean he cant still be a star in the Big 10....at the very least another high end athlete. In my opinion that is one the list of problems Illini have...not enough elite athletes. And from what I have read and researched Pickett didn't fit that bill either. Not sure about Williams after the injury but his pops wasn't a freak athlete.....but perhaps the smoothest Illini I have ever seen play! What a talent he was!

 

[Poe's Law]

Haha... Not gonna lie I had this scene in my head last night when he got put back in the penalty box...

S&C: you have the privellages of not knowing what I know. Jamal Walker's hire set us back a nother decade.