Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (January-February 2018)

[Johnny Lawrence]

I truly don't understand why this continues to come up. UCLA and Indiana are 100% Blue Blood programs.

What's even more mind-boggling is how UCONN is constantly overlooked despite four national championships in the last 18 tournaments.

 

[oldman]

It would a breath of fresh air to know BU is free and clear of any of this discussion, as well. The thing is with investigations, it could take a long time to determine the outcome. In the meantime, UI unfortunately remains potentially contaminated and at a disadvantage with recruiting, thus the mind-boggling feeling on the many missed on as to why they won't commit to us.

Unless someone is running for president or is the star in a Paul Newman movie, the FBI does not issue statements that they have determined that an individual is not going to be charged, or has been “cleared.”

 

[ChiefIllini]

What's even more mind-boggling is how UCONN is constantly overlooked despite four national championships in the last 18 tournaments.

Because that was Jim Calhoun, not UConn. Blue Bloods are brands, not a coach (though coach K has been the exception, he's pretty much the exception to everything though).

Calhoun was probably one of the best coaches ever in NCAAB. He took a mediocre program and turned them into a powerhouse. Then he left. Ollie won a championship riding Calhoun's guys (sound mildly familiar to anyone)and hot hands, then have soundly fallen off the face of the earth. I forsee a similar thing happening at Syracuse, but they even have a better tradition than UConn.

 

[Ga65]

I truly don't understand why this continues to come up. UCLA and Indiana are 100% Blue Blood programs.

UConn has done a lot more in recent history. No Knight, no IU.

 

[BlindLoyalty]

Arizona offer for Tevian Jones.

*From July 2016*

There are two dream schools for Tevian Jones and he's discussing going to one of the two of them as a package deal along with one of his Cal Supreme teammates. "Me and Shareef O'Neal are talking about going to the same school, either UCLA or Arizona. That's who I want to be recruited by and I'm getting recruited by UCLA right now," Jones said.
https://247sports.com/college/ucla/...-deal-for-No-66-2018-SF-Tevian-Jones-74979296

 

[tpbradley]

In my view, in order:

Blue Bloods (this group is pretty clear, IMO)

Kentucky
Duke
North Carolina
Kansas

"Elite" programs that aren't necessarily blue bloods (though UCLA can probably still claim it)

UCLA
Michigan State
Louisville
Indiana
Arizona

Power programs (and the ordering of this group is very debatable)

Syracuse
UConn
Villanova
Ohio State
Florida
Illinois
Georgetown
Michigan
Oklahoma
Etc.

Does Louisville get taken down a notch in light of the strippers and shoe scandals?

 

[Illini B-Ball Fan]

Unless someone is running for president or is the star in a Paul Newman movie, the FBI does not issue statements that they have determined that an individual is not going to be charged, or has been “cleared.”

Bottom line is to all of this, we are and will remain at a recruiting disadvantage until some kind of resolve occurs.

 

[Kathy]

I truly don't understand why this continues to come up. UCLA and Indiana are 100% Blue Blood programs.

No way in the world Indiana is a blue blood. They are a good team in a power conference, but they have fallen from the blue blood status.

 

[ratdawg]

Unless someone is running for president or is the star in a Paul Newman movie, the FBI does not issue statements that they have determined that an individual is not going to be charged, or has been “cleared.”

I might also add, I cruise a lot of our competitors sites. When NCAA/ FBI investigation is mentioned rarely if ever Is BU name brought up. (except in the case of AD/ Wake board) And I believe they got most of their fodder from tidbits on our sites. We have a few of our own posters keeping this going more than our rivals.

 

[PlayAZ]

No way in the world Indiana is a blue blood. They are a good team in a power conference, but they have fallen from the blue blood status.

Agreed, outside of Kentucky, Duke, Arizona, North Carolina, and I think an argument could be made for Michigan State, I don't think any recruit would name any other school if you asked him who a "blue blood" would be to recruit him.

UCLA, Indiana, Michigan, UCONN, Notre Dame, Florida, Syracuse, and pretty much any other P-5 Conference team and their status (whatever if was perceived to be before) have fallen from that kind of recognition if they ever actually had it to begin with in some instances.

As much as I bleed and love my ILLINI they have not ever belonged in that lofty conversation with the exceptions of the actual years 1989 and 2005 when they were the flavor of choice in the NCAA tourneys for the most part.

 

[Bailey]

What's even more mind-boggling is how UCONN is constantly overlooked despite four national championships in the last 18 tournaments.

The fact somebody just slotted us in the same grouping as them is adorable, really.

 

[PlayAZ]

Wonder why we haven't been mentioned with Romeo Langford and pursuit more? Top uncommitted player as of now, from Indiana, Kansas, Vandy top mentions. Would seem to be a player that would come right in and play and help in a big way?

EJ Montgomery is still uncommitted and many of his schools have had others commit already, not a project at his ranking? UCLA got Moses Brown?

Jordan Brown, California kid...uncommitted and Arizona UCLA both got bigs....

Why not make late pushes, selling PT, up-tempo-NBA style of play...maybe they are?

 

[pruman91]

Does Louisville get taken down a notch in light of the strippers and shoe scandals?

$$ Louisville is a green blood $$

 

[imjustsooffended]

No way in the world Indiana is a blue blood. They are a good team in a power conference, but they have fallen from the blue blood status.

Dictionary definition of blue blood: "membership in a noble or socially prominent family"

Short of something crazy happening, you don't lose blue blood status. Even then, August Busch IV has done some WILD s***. Doesn't mean the Busch family isn't royalty in St. Louis.

Indiana won the Big 10 in 2016. The uniforms, the tradition, the championships, the campus, the biggest sports team in the state, the legendary arena. That all ties into your status and Indiana has lost none of that.

 

[SescIllini]

It would a breath of fresh air to know BU is free and clear of any of this discussion, as well. The thing is with investigations, it could take a long time to determine the outcome. In the meantime, UI unfortunately remains potentially contaminated and at a disadvantage with recruiting, thus the mind-boggling feeling on the many missed on as to why they won't commit to us.

Your reach is far beyond your grasp of the facts.

 

[Deleted member 631370]

The fact somebody just slotted us in the same grouping as them is adorable, really.

That last category probably has ~20 programs......I just listed 7 or 8 of them.

One could argue that UConn belongs in that same group as Michigan State, Louisville, Arizona, etc, but I don't think that's the case. If you're only looking at the past 20 years, then yes, they are certainly elite. But as a program, they are defined by the Calhoun run and little else.

They are #16 on the all-time AP Top 100. For context, Illinois is #11. I'm not saying we're a better program, but the all-time top-100 does a good job capturing a school's standing over the course of its entire AP-era history.

The true test of UConn's "elite" status will be their ability to get a big name coach after they inevitably fire Kevin Ollie. I think it'll be more difficult for them than what many assume.

 

[SescIllini]

Dictionary definition of blue blood: "membership in a noble or socially prominent family"

Short of something crazy happening, you don't lose blue blood status. Even then, August Busch IV has done some WILD s***. Doesn't mean the Busch family isn't royalty in St. Louis.

Indiana won the Big 10 in 2016. The uniforms, the tradition, the championships, the campus, the biggest sports team in the state, the legendary arena. That all ties into your status and Indiana has lost none of that.

Your right. The only thing they lost the last 15 years are coaches, games, and instate recruits.

 

[TCTORNADO]

Dictionary definition of blue blood: "membership in a noble or socially prominent family"

Short of something crazy happening, you don't lose blue blood status. Even then, August Busch IV has done some WILD s***. Doesn't mean the Busch family isn't royalty in St. Louis.

Indiana won the Big 10 in 2016. The uniforms, the tradition, the championships, the campus, the biggest sports team in the state, the legendary arena. That all ties into your status and Indiana has lost none of that.

Noble or socially prominent family that has made the dance more than 4 times in the last 10 years, has a better BIG record than 77-98 over the last 10 years, or has not lost Mr BB 6 straight years. Give it up, it has been over for 30 years. Burn your candy stripe pants.

 

[Deleted member 631370]

Noble or socially prominent family that has made the dance more than 4 times in the last 10 years, has a better BIG record than 77-98 over the last 10 years, or has not lost Mr BB 6 straight years. Give it up, it has been over for 30 years. Burn your candy stripe pants.

IU basketball is the equivalent of Nebraska football. Certainly the tradition is there. They are still relevant (though not this year). And they have the potential to become contenders again. But the glory days are 20+ years behind them, and they've been passed up by several other programs.

UCLA basketball = Notre Dame football. The same thing applies. Fantastic tradition, but the brand doesn't mean as much to a 17-year-old kid as Alabama football or Ohio State football or Duke basketball.

And that's why I mention the program's status......recruiting. We can debate all day long where Indiana or UConn or UCLA fit. But how much of that history influences recruits? There's no question that Indiana has greater tradition than Arizona or Villanova or Florida. But do you think recruits see Indiana as more attractive than those other schools?

 

[pruman91]

IU basketball is the equivalent of Nebraska football. Certainly the tradition is there. They are still relevant (though not this year). And they have the potential to become contenders again. But the glory days are 20+ years behind them, and they've been passed up by several other programs.

UCLA basketball = Notre Dame football. The same thing applies. Fantastic tradition, but the brand doesn't mean as much to a 17-year-old kid as Alabama football or Ohio State football or Duke basketball.

And that's why I mention the program's status......recruiting. We can debate all day long where Indiana or UConn or UCLA fit. But how much of that history influences recruits? There's no question that Indiana has greater tradition than Arizona or Villanova or Florida. But do you think recruits see Indiana as more attractive than those other schools?

+ 1

 

[Foggy Notion]

IU basketball is the equivalent of Nebraska football. Certainly the tradition is there. They are still relevant (though not this year). And they have the potential to become contenders again. But the glory days are 20+ years behind them, and they've been passed up by several other programs.

UCLA basketball = Notre Dame football. The same thing applies. Fantastic tradition, but the brand doesn't mean as much to a 17-year-old kid as Alabama football or Ohio State football or Duke basketball.

And that's why I mention the program's status......recruiting. We can debate all day long where Indiana or UConn or UCLA fit. But how much of that history influences recruits? There's no question that Indiana has greater tradition than Arizona or Villanova or Florida. But do you think recruits see Indiana as more attractive than those other schools?

No way to tell what influences a recruit's decision, but UCLA consistently attracts top talent and sends a lot of players to the NBA.

 

[GortTheRobot]

So Ariz. is a blue blood now even though Miller has never gotten them to the Final 4?

Well, I don't consider them a true Blue Blood at this point, which is why I said "in that conference." But they are a better program than UCLA right now, regardless of Miller's actual coaching ability and/or success.

 

[coryfor3]

So much talk about who is a blue blood program and who is not.
But the real question is if Joe Flacco is elite.

 

[PlayAZ]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article199090659.html

 

[PlayAZ]

Mehkel Harvey?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHiEmNUuSY0

Jamal Gaines?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qB1K8lskqQ

Gotta be someone that can be a diamond in the rough for next year?