Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (August 2018)
- Status
I’m not saying won’t commit to UK. But there are many factors that go into these decisions. The fact that Cal has only shown interest for 2 weeks and UIUC has been pursuing him for years makes a difference. I don’t think it is nearly as clear cut as all the crystal balls are saying. The people making predictions on crystal balls are sheep. Whatever Meyer does, everyone follows.
The statement that you may not take any more visits after visiting your dream school, but are ready to decide in a couple weeks, says it all. When he didn't have a UK visit lined up, I thought we had a decent shot (25%+). When he had the UK visit for early August, I thought our odds went down a lot, and after that statement, I'd be shocked if he wound up here. Not saying the fat lady has sung, but his recruitment looks very close to wrapping up for UK. When it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck....
Deleted member 643761
D
Guest
Well, quacking like a duck would be committing in the next week. Anything after that would not be. So the "weeks" part of his statement is what might give some hope. Btw, I presume KY has plenty of other offers out there that might cause Whitney's to go away.
As I noted above, it was probably recruitspeak.
Whitney has been to campus several times unofficially. So the fact that we won’t get an official is not a huge deal in my opinion. I still believe Ayo could be a factor also. I will stick with my source on this one until I hear differently.
Would be interesting if Whitney holds true to his word, and lets it play out a couple more weeks and takes an OV to Champaign with Shannon wouldn't it??
Deleted member 631370
D
Guest
Really?
Him not taking an official visit to Illinois is "not a huge deal"?
Of course it's a huge deal. The kid has 5 official visits to play with. There are circumstances in which a kid is seriously considering more than 5 schools, and winds up picking a school to which he visited unofficially. But If he commits to a school without using all 5 of his visits, then it's pretty obvious that any school that didn't get an official won't be getting a commitment.
There are exceptions, but they are indeed exceptions and far, far from the rule.
Now, all of this could be moot if Whitney does indeed take additional visits. But if he doesn't? It's UK.
If Whitney is going to accept the UK offer, I hope he has the courtesy to take an unofficial to UIUC to tell BU. We are too short on officials, to use one up on a courtesy decline.
Remember when Ayo was choosing between us and Wake Forest...and all of our insiders as well as national experts were picking Ayo to Illinois.
Then Wake Forest posters came over here and started trying to explain away very obvious signs while holding true to their hopeful, yet loose, narrative that Ayo might still choose them?
This feels like that. Except we are WF.
(But I’ll always hold out hope!)
Then Wake Forest posters came over here and started trying to explain away very obvious signs while holding true to their hopeful, yet loose, narrative that Ayo might still choose them?
This feels like that. Except we are WF.
(But I’ll always hold out hope!)
Kentucky is surely the leader but him not committing on the visit gives us a chance. The high from the visit will go away in a couple of days and we get a chance to make some ground with a home visit. It might not win him over but it's worth the effort.
I’m hearing KW is going with UK. Sounds like Cal put a little more personal effort in the Whitney recruitment. He’s super high on his abilities.
Can’t blame the kid, apparently he’s been enamored with UK for a long time.
Can’t blame the kid, apparently he’s been enamored with UK for a long time.
Deleted member 643761
D
Guest
The fact that he might decide soon is certainly a positive in terms of going after the next plan. If this gets past next weekend, I think we're in it. If it's Kentucky, I don't expect it will go past this Friday.
I don't disagree with the conclusion you've drawn, but how could the quoted possibly be true?
Yet he still got him, lol
I have to admit, my first reaction was that the Big12 is "weak sister conference", and your note highlighted that's not necessarily the case. I went back and looked at the P5 conference records using the same methodology (final AP (week 17), 2005-2017 - I didn't include the Big12 as you've covered it already). Big 12 is decidedly middle of the pack, and not as weak as I originally thought. But they are certainly not on a par with the ACC or even the B1G, which I think confirms the bias felt by many on this board as
Apologies for the mis-sized graphics, it's easier to screen shoot an Excel sheet than to try and import the data . . .
Awesome work!
I would point out a couple things though:
1. I didn't go all the way down to #25, I think I only went down to the teens, so there are more lower-ranked teams in there
2. There are a ton of top 5, even #1 teams missing from my Big XII list - Kansas themselves!
My post wasn't to claim that the Big XII was the strongest conference in the country during that period (that's the old Big East), I was just reacting to a poster treating Kansas' conference title streak as if it was equivalent to, say, Gonzaga's similar domination of the WCC, which is a preposterous way to frame it.
I also don't feel we have much of a chance now but if we did get him just because he may not take an official before he decides does not mean he can't take one after. We have had other players take them after commiting but at a time when was best for them or more happening at the University
What has hurt Illinois is not so much losing the "one and dones" but losing on a great option B player who will stick around for 3-4 years. If Shannon is as good as the recent reports he might be our best option at the SG/Wing position for 2019. Just look at the great college players we lost out on pursuing Cliff Alexander and PGs that we didn't land. I'm not saying not to go after the McAA players in our backyard, just have that realistic "cut bait" timeline to pursue the Malcolm Hills, Damonte Williams, Trent Frazier top players.
Just to update for those who haven't read, Donovan Williams (TX) cut list to five and Illinois didn't make the list. Not entirely surprised since offer came late after his national exposure peaked.
The Whitney talk here has reached hyperbole in my opinion. Most recruits have not committed yet, it's more than ok that Illinois has 0 commits so far. If Whitney doesn't come it stinks, but WE WILL BE OK.
Recruiting is the lifeblood of programs, but cannot be viewed in a vacuum. This is year two of a tough position BU inherited, and in 2019 so far Illinois is in the running for so many great players.
By no means am I excusing losing or having a participation trophy mind-set, but let BU keep on building, the elite players are already interested and even more so will in the future.
I don't think anyone would complain of a class made up of Shannon, Timme, or Cockburn.
Patience and perspective people, patience and perspective.
The Whitney talk here has reached hyperbole in my opinion. Most recruits have not committed yet, it's more than ok that Illinois has 0 commits so far. If Whitney doesn't come it stinks, but WE WILL BE OK.
Recruiting is the lifeblood of programs, but cannot be viewed in a vacuum. This is year two of a tough position BU inherited, and in 2019 so far Illinois is in the running for so many great players.
By no means am I excusing losing or having a participation trophy mind-set, but let BU keep on building, the elite players are already interested and even more so will in the future.
I don't think anyone would complain of a class made up of Shannon, Timme, or Cockburn.
Patience and perspective people, patience and perspective.
- Status