Definitely. We finally have a pg. Add in DMW and we have pg depth?! Things are looking good.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (January-March 2016)
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Definitely. We finally have a pg. Add in DMW and we have pg depth?! Things are looking good.
I have always thought that Abrams would start next year. However, Lucas was more impressive in person than in those highlights. IMO. Until he was cheapshotted by a Champaign player, that is.
Going off of just highlight videos isnt the best way to evaluate our players. I'm not sure how 6'1 is very undersized for a pg, but he does need some more muscle. Could be said for most 17 year olds though.
I don't think it's a stretch to anticipate the 24 year old former top 100 recruit that was a 3 year starter beat our the unranked 17 year old how's a year younger than typical freshman early in his career.
Hopefully Abrams is healthy enough to still be able to beat guys off the bounce and keep them in front of him on defense.
Illini_1979
- Oregon
That was a sweet move. I wish I could do that once in my lifetime, but its too late
It's NEVER too late!
I have heard that said about the Leo kid a couple of times and I believe you are wrong that he isn't a D1 player. In fact, from what Steve Kelly said on WDWS one day discussing this exact thing was the kid from Leo had several lower level D1 offers and interest. Here is what Peoria Journal-Star lists: has received offers from Chicago State and Triton College. He’s also garnered interest from DePaul, Texas-El Paso, Loyola, Missouri-Kansas City and Illinois-Chicago.
If he's 6'1" then I'm Shaquille O'Neal
He was taller than Dee Brown when I saw him, Shaq.
If Dee is 6'1", I'm Shawn Bradley
Dee Brown was measured at 6 ft in shoes in 2005. Didn't say that Dee Brown was 6'1", but that Lucas was taller than him when I saw him in person. I would think that would be more accutate than guessing height from a highlight video.. but hey, that's just my opinion.
IllinoisFan733
- Chicago
He's still only 17... maybe his growth plates are still open?
Ok, perhaps I misunderstood. It still shows that Chastain has not been exposed to the caliber of athlete he would face in the BT. Again, how would he look against Goodwin? I'd like to see that.
I would not be unhappy if we took Chastain. He has potential. I rooted for him. My daughter teaches at Leroy.
I'm sure you took detailed height measurements when you saw them.
Whether it's just the affect of shortish arms and below-average athleticism rather than his height, whatever, but you can clearly see from all of his videos that he plays as a smallish, among-the-trees leverage-based guard in Wisconsin HS basketball.
So you're being critical of my guess while giving little to evidence to suggest he's shorter than 6'1".. You're not only suggesting that he's not 6'1" but that he's significantly shorter than that, without any decent evidence. It's easier to just admit that you could be wrong.
mattcoldagelli
- The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
Well, that's kind of the rub, isn't it?
I took a picture with Dee Brown when he was with the JAZZ, I'm 6 feet tall with shoes. I had a couple of inches on Dee, I would say Dee Brown is 5-10 barefoot.
"Chastain passes the eye test against 1A competition. How would he do with Goodwin guarding him? Chastain said that the kid on Leo was the best player he had ever played against. That kid is not a D-1 player. I think Chastain is skilled but he is not a sure thing at the next level until we see him against real competition."
The unathletic kid from Lincoln Way posted up on Goodwin and scored. Chastain would score on Goodwin, the issue would be Goodwin's other D-1 teammates.
The unathletic kid from Lincoln Way posted up on Goodwin and scored. Chastain would score on Goodwin, the issue would be Goodwin's other D-1 teammates.
Chastain would still be a solid player even against 4A, but he would have some issues adjusting to the speed and athleticism from defenders. I'm warming up to him but not to the point of offering a scholarship. Still see him being a Missouri Valley kid.
Dee was measured at 5'11" even at the 2005 Draft combine.
Lucas is listed at 5'11" on Rivals.
And while I haven't met Lucas, I assume we are far from the only two on this board who have met Dee. He is less than 6 feet tall, as that combine measurement confirms.
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I don't think I have heard one person say TJL is a program changing recruit. The consensus is he will be a solid PG who can hit the 3, dish, and penetrate. Basically do the things we have been lacking the last two years. The following year you have Damonte coming in who can possibly give you additional minutes at the point and eventually become a starting PG.
I agree that remaining spots have to go to legitimate bigs. We have gotten thin at that position due to departures and recruiting misses.
I agree that remaining spots have to go to legitimate bigs. We have gotten thin at that position due to departures and recruiting misses.
That link says he was measured at 6 ft with shoes, which is what I was saying. I don't trust high school measurements, those are worthless. You'll see outdated measurements or ones that are just self-reported. He's been listed anywhere between 5'11" to 6'2". A couple of the 5'11" reports are over a year old, when he was 15-16.
We'll know for sure in a few months. At the very shortest, I would say that he's 6 ft with shoes. Hardly undersized for his position in college, which was my original point.
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Captain Bubbles
- Fairfield, IL
The 2015-16 AP Boys Basketball All-State Teams has been released from 1A-4A. Lots of good players mentioned in the list.
http://www.ihsa.org/IHSAState/IHSAStateArticles/tabid/768/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/912/categoryId/18/2015-16-Associated-Press-Boys-Basketball-All-State-Teams.aspx
http://www.ihsa.org/IHSAState/IHSAStateArticles/tabid/768/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/912/categoryId/18/2015-16-Associated-Press-Boys-Basketball-All-State-Teams.aspx
Tend to agree with your assessment. Maybe he has elite court awareness but tough to tell. Someone earlier said Kiwane Garris, which is a pretty good comparison imo. Kiwane was much stronger physically, but TJL looks like he could add strength without hurting his game because speed and athleticism doesn't seem to be what he relies on
ILL in IA
- Iowa City
Ill say this for TJL but it goes for TA next year as well. This team does not need Chris Paul to walk through the door to get a huge upgrade at pg. IF Tracy can fill good minutes anywhere close to the still flawed pg he was a few years ago we just got a lot better at pg. If TJL can adjust his game and learn to start the year, and start to come on later he can be a huge upgrade to what we have had at pg the past 2 years as well. I don't think its unrealistic to see that out of TJL either. We have seen a lot of freshmen develop well under Groce during the second half of the year.
I sure hope so, I think you could make a reasonable argument Kiwane is one of the 10 best players to wear the Illini uniform since the flying Illini left campus.
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