When Bill Self was at Illinois, a top 60 player out of Milwaukee committed to Illinois. Problem was that Self either didn't make an offer or the offer was not commitable. I believe the player ended up at Marquette.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April-June 2016)
- Status
J.R. Morris. Illinois was recruiting him, but he did not have a commitable offer, mainly due to academic hurdles. He jumped the gun and verbally announced for Illinois, but obviously Illinois did not accept his verbal. Ended up at Seton Hall.
It depends on the coach. Some coaches prefer to allow athletes to pursue all of their options to make sure the school they choose is right for them (believe it or not that actually exists). While others may pressure athletes to commit to a scholarship before others commit to them. Depends on the level as well. I was offered a couple NAIA offers that I was told were "valid for one month". If I didn't commit within that month I had to sit down with the coach and talk about the offer again. I was not at the level of being recruited by a B1G school, but I have seen similar offers from kids that I have coached (also not B1G level guys). I would assume the big time recruiters wouldn't make that kind of pitch to one of their top guys, but at the lower levels this is seen pretty often.
Same thing happened to me and I was forced to do that to recruits when I was coaching in college. The head coach told me tell the kid he has 3 days to make a decision. They do that so that kids don't take many more visits. Usually only happens when you know you are leading for a kid and you just want him to make it official so the process ends. Completely backfired on us and the kid torched us as a freshman.
Yes it was JR Morris, a 6-5 SG if I remember correctly. Fanbase was a bit puzzled but him being a top 60 (if I remember correctly) not many complained. Have also heard of players wanting to commit but offer was not commitable (some of these players have haunted us) or they didn't have the grades.
I didn't commit to that school either as I felt more comfortable with the coach that allowed me time to make the decision that was best for me and my family. Unless you are Coach K or Cal I think this strategy is bound to backfire. There are more subtle ways of telling kids they need to pull the trigger. The one I committed to just constantly reminded me that "I was his PG, and he would stop recruiting all other PG's from my class if I were to commit." He kept his word and everything went smoothly. More subtle approach but doesn't force a kid to make an uninformed decision.
The real way to do it is reminding the kids it is first come first serve when you think you are in the driver's seat then letting them know there won't be any more recruiting for that position after someone signs up. That is if you want to push the recruit at all. If you can wait you never bring up a time table to have them make a decision. Its to pushy and you seem desperate at that point.
Not sure if you guys remember when Coach Collins Sr. slammed Lou Henson and Illinois for calling his kid late in the evening and asking him to commit on the spot or the scholly offer was going away. Collins Sr. claims they broke off ties with Illinois at that point. Illinois got the other MCAA SG in the class, at then end of the day I believe they had comparable college careers. Collins Jr. got to go to Duke and use Coach K ties to help his career.
I doubt the validity of this story if it came from Doug & Dougy
Illinois had been Collins` No. 1 choice up until two weeks ago, when Illini coach Lou Henson offered Collins a scholarship. But Henson, who has only two scholarships to give for next season, wanted Collins to make an immediate decision-something Collins wasn`t ready to do.
Henson then offered the scholarship to 6-8 forward Chris Gandy of Bradley-Bourbonnais, who committed to the Illini.
According to the source, Doug Collins and his wife Kathy were prepared to move to Bloomington, Ill., so they could be closer to Champaign to watch the younger Collins play. Doug played his college basketball at Illinois State, located in Bloomington. -Chicago Tribune
At the end of the day we got Richard Keene, another instate MCAA who was better suited (6'6 with handles) for the SG position. Solid shooter (not great) and good passer and assist man.
Deleted member 10676
D
Guest
link to the article mentioned above.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...etball-illini-coach-lou-henson-illinois-state
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...etball-illini-coach-lou-henson-illinois-state
We have to consider the circumstances back then. It was pretty well known in Illinois that Keene and Collins were not going to play together in college. Both were considered CG's, but were really more of SG types. Both recruited by Illinois and Duke. At the same time, Illinois had been shut out in recruiting due to the effect of probation, a contrast to the late 80's when getting McD AAs was an annual expected outcome.
Lou Henson could not afford to get shut out in the recruitment of Collins/Keene. It would had been a devastating outcome. He could not wait, could not risk. He needed one of the two, and it was well known that getting both was not going to happen. Very similar players who would not end up in college together.
It was such big news getting a commitment from a top Illinois player (projected McD AA) back then, the first McD AA since probation, that local Champaign TV stations run a ticker at the bottom of the screen during prime time programming announcing Richard Keene's verbal to Illinois.
@JonRothstein
2016 point guard Charlie Moore will visit LSU on Wednesday, source told @CBSSports. Best PG remaining in class.
2016 point guard Charlie Moore will visit LSU on Wednesday, source told @CBSSports. Best PG remaining in class.
ChiCityHoops34
- DeKalb IL
I don't understand. LSU did literally one of the worst coaching jobs I have ever seen this past year. You have to try to miss the tourney with Ben Simmons what a joke.
TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
Their 2015 recruiting class last season was astonishingly good. To do so little with it in the SEC was shambolic. Regardless of how they might have acquired such a good recruiting class (*clears throat*), they've shown the ability to attract good players. They're got pretty good facilities and plenty of money rolling in from football.
Not sure what the connection is for Charlie, but this is certainly not great news from our perspective. I'm sure he wants to get this wrapped up soon, so a commitment while on a visit would make sense.
UIHoopsRecruits Retweeted
VT Academy Hoops @VTAcademyHoops 23m23 minutes ago
Top 100 Player in the country Christian David '17 (@cdavid0619) will set 1 or 2 official visits in next week or two.
VT Academy Hoops @VTAcademyHoops 23m23 minutes ago
Top 100 Player in the country Christian David '17 (@cdavid0619) will set 1 or 2 official visits in next week or two.
Jeremy Werner Retweeted
Brian Snow @BSnowScout 1h1 hour ago
Highlights of five-star Meanstreets wing Brian Bowen http://www.scout.com/college/basketball/recruiting/story/1667459-eybl-highlights-brian-bowen …
Brian Snow @BSnowScout 1h1 hour ago
Highlights of five-star Meanstreets wing Brian Bowen http://www.scout.com/college/basketball/recruiting/story/1667459-eybl-highlights-brian-bowen …
He's probably going to use all of his remaining visits. I wouldn't be surprised if visits Illinois unofficially so he doesn't waste his officials. He has plenty of time to make a decision since most the schools don't have many other 2016 or transfer targets this late.
Jeff Borzello @jeffborzello 14h14 hours ago
2017 forward Jericho Sims added an offer from Florida. Plays for @adidasD1MN.
2017 forward Jericho Sims added an offer from Florida. Plays for @adidasD1MN.
TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
Maybe technically, but the kid is a month from graduation. Surely he's keen to get this sorted out.
Eric Bossi @ebosshoops 57m57 minutes ago
Top 40 junior Malik Williams @leek_willi34 isn't your typical near seven-footer http://rvls.co/1W7rrqe
Top 40 junior Malik Williams @leek_willi34 isn't your typical near seven-footer http://rvls.co/1W7rrqe
Doug Bucshon@IllinoisRivalsMay 2
http://OrangeandBlueNews.com - Summer visit in the works for 3-star point guard http://rvls.co/McKinleyWright #Illini
http://OrangeandBlueNews.com - Summer visit in the works for 3-star point guard http://rvls.co/McKinleyWright #Illini
Kedric Prince @KedPrince4May 3
http://www.qconline.com/sports/college_sports/sometimes-recruits-aren-t-what-you-think-they-were/article_9bb6f604-c360-5753-9ee9-ff96f983c76a.html…
One thing I’ve learned over the years with high-school athletes, you have to see them three to four times before you can assume this kid is right or worthy of his ranking. Early spring saw the state’s best junior, Jordan Goodwin, play in Springfield, missed three dunks, could not make a free throw and his 3-point shot looked as though he was shooting “just because.”
But then, like Superman, when the lights were on, and it was game time at the IHSA state tournament, Goodwin put on a show and showed why he is the best player in his class and why Illinois is pursuing him so hard. Illinois coach John Groce went to visit the junior last week at school. If fans would have seen the Springfield performance vs. Peoria, you would not think it was the same kid.
http://www.qconline.com/sports/college_sports/sometimes-recruits-aren-t-what-you-think-they-were/article_9bb6f604-c360-5753-9ee9-ff96f983c76a.html…
One thing I’ve learned over the years with high-school athletes, you have to see them three to four times before you can assume this kid is right or worthy of his ranking. Early spring saw the state’s best junior, Jordan Goodwin, play in Springfield, missed three dunks, could not make a free throw and his 3-point shot looked as though he was shooting “just because.”
But then, like Superman, when the lights were on, and it was game time at the IHSA state tournament, Goodwin put on a show and showed why he is the best player in his class and why Illinois is pursuing him so hard. Illinois coach John Groce went to visit the junior last week at school. If fans would have seen the Springfield performance vs. Peoria, you would not think it was the same kid.
UIHoopsRecruits Retweeted
Kedric Prince @KedPrince4 50m50 minutes ago
#Illini rec Alonzo Verge said: Kansas & DePaul are now interested, mom wants him closer to home, but academics will be very important.
Kedric Prince @KedPrince4 50m50 minutes ago
#Illini rec Alonzo Verge said: Kansas & DePaul are now interested, mom wants him closer to home, but academics will be very important.
- Status