I want them both....they seem to have complimentary skillsets.
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Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2018)
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haasi
- New York
We should be thrilled to get either. I’d give us a <20% of landing either. One thing I have to say is very positive for BU’s staff is their willingness to disregard geography entirely. We weren’t getting it done being overly reliant on Chicago, Downstate, St. Louis, so they expanded to look for players anywhere. If we start achieving great success with players we get from anywhere, we’ll be more appealing to the local studs. But recruiting is now national/global and location wasn’t nearly enough by itself. We couldn’t get KBD, let alone all the studs out of Chicago, and little reason to think we’re the favorite for Okoro or Liddell. It may be a little unintuitive, but given our local recruiting failings, we need to work backward, recruiting talent from anywhere/everywhere in order to be good enough to get the elite talent in our own backyard.
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That aint happening.....wish it was... but they will not be on the same college team
Yeah...agree on counterintuitive on recruiting. i.e. getting mostly out of state recruits delivering success and turning heads for future in-state recruits. All you can do is build relationships with coaches and players and compete in the market.You would love to lead on the in state recruiting battles, but a nationwide pipeline is best for long term.
I do believe we are in the infant stage of a resurgence of our program and the players who are part of that, wherever they are from,.... I believe will be very glad that got on board.
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Ill take Okoro over other bigs we are recruiting all day and every day. Okoro is an elite athlete and can really rebound.
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Okoro down to Purdue/Illinois. Probably to reclassify. Whitney looking like Illinois, Miller my prediction to Illinois. EJ is still possible. A lot going to depend on summer performance, which no doubt will be strong. Posts stating we fell behind on okoro/ej are accurate, focused on other wings/guards. Which is just what it is, needed those too. Ok that’s my one yearly post to be dismantled!! 
Okoro down to Purdue/Illinois. Probably to reclassify. Whitney looking like Illinois, Miller my prediction to Illinois. EJ is still possible. A lot going to depend on summer performance, which no doubt will be strong. Posts stating we fell behind on okoro/ej are accurate, focused on other wings/guards. Which is just what it is, needed those too. Ok that’s my one yearly post to be dismantled!!
WOW....that is some bold predictions. Can't wait to see all the posts berating you.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Okoro down to Purdue/Illinois. Probably to reclassify. Whitney looking like Illinois, Miller my prediction to Illinois. EJ is still possible. A lot going to depend on summer performance, which no doubt will be strong. Posts stating we fell behind on okoro/ej are accurate, focused on other wings/guards. Which is just what it is, needed those too. Ok that’s my one yearly post to be dismantled!!
Thanks for your input and going out on a limb. Certainly hope you're right. Needless to say, Illini hoops will be back in a big way if recruiting breaks the right way.
Is this just a guess on Okoro or do you know someone?Okoro down to Purdue/Illinois. Probably to reclassify. Whitney looking like Illinois, Miller my prediction to Illinois. EJ is still possible. A lot going to depend on summer performance, which no doubt will be strong. Posts stating we fell behind on okoro/ej are accurate, focused on other wings/guards. Which is just what it is, needed those too. Ok that’s my one yearly post to be dismantled!!
Also, if he is reclassifying wouldn't he commit before summer. I would think attending summer school would be ideal to get started asap for all our incoming freshman and transfers.
ILLINI IN NE
- Omaha,Ne.
I think stuemke5 is privy to information that most of us are not. His posts are more than guesses in my opinion.
I like the optimistic tone of this one. Okoro would be a beast on the boards for us and an awesome pickup this late in the 18 recruiting year.
Adding players like Whitney and Miller to what we have would make us very competitive in the BIG again.
He doesn't sound as positive on Liddel.
Just my opinion, but I think losing Tilmon and Smith hurt Illinois with Liddel
I was there and I totally agree.
Really? Ricky Rubio has improved, but couldn't shoot a lick coming into the NBA.
Ben Simmons still can't shoot from distance. Lonzo Ball???
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It’s tough to compare NBA to college. The games are so different. Almost every player in the pro game demands respect , so gaps exist. In college, pack line defenses don’t allow those gaps, unless every player is a threat.
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Ricky Rubio was drafted almost a decade ago, pre-Warriors, and regardless was a preternatural distributor of the ball.
Simmons is a big man and is on a whole other talent plane from Ayo and basically all but a handful of living human beings.
Ball shot over 41% from 3 at UCLA.
I love to have both Liddell and Okoro, they play different positions and fill different need so not going into who is better or who I rather get. But I think the SF is easier to fill than a true PF/C.
Liddell reminds me a bit of Antoine Walker years ago when he was a Mount Carmel. I don't know how his game translates into college. I think if he is committed to a 3 year plan he can play high level pro somewhere. His game has grown tremendously over the last 2-3 years and that arc will take him to either high level college player with a chance at NBA. Yes I think he can be a solid 4 in BU system sooner than later.
Okoro's impact I feel will be more of a defense and rebounding. I think he needs more developing to have that mid range game and post up.
Liddell reminds me a bit of Antoine Walker years ago when he was a Mount Carmel. I don't know how his game translates into college. I think if he is committed to a 3 year plan he can play high level pro somewhere. His game has grown tremendously over the last 2-3 years and that arc will take him to either high level college player with a chance at NBA. Yes I think he can be a solid 4 in BU system sooner than later.
Okoro's impact I feel will be more of a defense and rebounding. I think he needs more developing to have that mid range game and post up.
Okoro down to Purdue/Illinois. Probably to reclassify. Whitney looking like Illinois, Miller my prediction to Illinois. EJ is still possible. A lot going to depend on summer performance, which no doubt will be strong. Posts stating we fell behind on okoro/ej are accurate, focused on other wings/guards. Which is just what it is, needed those too. Ok that’s my one yearly post to be dismantled!!
Nothing outrageous in this post.
Wouldn't our incoming freshmen and transfers go to summer school to get a head start both in class and working out?
Okoro down to Purdue/Illinois. Probably to reclassify. Whitney looking like Illinois, Miller my prediction to Illinois. EJ is still possible. A lot going to depend on summer performance, which no doubt will be strong. Posts stating we fell behind on okoro/ej are accurate, focused on other wings/guards. Which is just what it is, needed those too. Ok that’s my one yearly post to be dismantled!!
Walker has been all over him for 2 years. It's not like we ever backed off. But new interest is always more exciting than the one who's always been there. Hopefully with BU taking the point for the home stretch of his recruitment, we can reel him back in
they should come in June.
On okoro...once he gets ACT, wonder if he has to wait out 3 months on NCAA eligibility clearing house bureaucracy?
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TheFameProtector
- Champaign
I'm pretty sold on Liddell. Think he plays with tenacity that counts for a lot (certainly counts for a lot of blocked shots) and has a prototypical NBA 3 body with possibly some small-ball 4 potential. The question will really be whether his three point shot can develop enough to get him there. The form looks OK and his percentages aren't awful, so there's certainly hope. Unless you goes to Mizzou, then there's no hope whatsoever
illini80
- Forgottonia
From what I've read/heard, Okoro would need summer school classes to graduate and be eligible to reclassify. He couldn't enroll here until fall.
Walker was pretty instrumental in helping keep last year's class together. Who knows who else would have transferred out without Walker staying on as well. Maybe Trent doesn't stay. Maybe Kipper also transfers. Can't put a value on that.
And then there's what he does as an actual basketball coach. Illinois strung together a couple good games under him in the NIT. He knows what he's doing.
We all know Cuonzo would have scooped Walker up right away had Underwood not retained him.
illini80
- Forgottonia
Didn't Walker get Tilmon to sign?
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