Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (January-March 2016)

[Deleted member 8632]

Trump on the Illni "The Illini don't win anymore, they don't win on the court, they don't win off the court. If I'm your coach we are going to WIN, WIN, WIN. You guys are going to get tired of winning. I'm going to
build a wall around our players so they don't get arrested. If they
do get in trouble I will pay their legal fees."

Trump as our head coach.....that would be HUUUUUGE!

 

[riffraff]

Interesting to reflect on the big names Illinois was involved with the last year +.

Alexander - Poor year at Kansas, leaves team, doesn't get drafted in NBA when he was projected #2 before freshman year started.

Snider - Playing well his sophomore year, but no NCAA due to team's self-imposed ban. More sanctions could be coming.

Evans - Great freshman year, gets hurt and misses end of season. Team is poor, coach gets fired.

E. Thomas - Non-Factor on a good A&M team, quits team.

LoVett - ineligible for St. John's, worst team in Big East.

Brunson - Very good season on Top 10 team.


Mixed results, both in individual and team performances. Kind of a downer overall, though. Brunson the only one who's contributed to an NCAA contender (non-sanctioned).

...and if they had become Illini so many on this board would have lauded Groce for landing them and then turned around and blamed Groce if this had been the result.

 

[combes]

Williams is still recovering from illness. Still under the weather. Probably had something to do with his lack of energy.

 

[illiniguy25]

In other words a way to get a high major offer so other high majors will take notice and in turn get more high major offers where I will pick someone other than Illinois.

Isn't he already a five star recruit? Pretty sure he doesn't need an offer from the Illini to get high major looks.

 

[Larry Rose]

If Talen Horton-Tucker can grow a couple of inches he is going to be something special at Simeon, really like his game.

 

[Larry Rose]

Williams is still recovering from illness. Still under the weather. Probably had something to do with his lack of energy.

Yea he didn't look right.

 

[Deleted member 10676]

wow - Benet beats Simeon 49-48. High School craziness.

 

[AuroraIllini]

wow - Benet beats Simeon 49-48. High School craziness.

Zach Norvell: "A couple of the guys probably looked over this game and to the state title. There wasn’t a lot of talk about Benet."

 

[Larry Rose]

Zach Norvell: "A couple of the guys probably looked over this game and to the state title. There wasn’t a lot of talk about Benet."

Thought Norvell went into hero ball mode late in the 4th.

 

[sacraig]

Am I wrong for thinking that I don't really want a commitment from a 2019 guy? That's so young you never know if he would maintain his dominance or if he is peaking early.

 

[Deleted member 10676]

Am I wrong for thinking that I don't really want a commitment from a 2019 guy? That's so young you never know if he would maintain his dominance or if he is peaking early.

I get that. But Ping has a pretty good eye for point guards. I'd be willing to take a chance on a freshman from St. Joe's who he's got starting at pg. Most other places, probably not.

 

[Illest]

[FONT=&quot]Derek Piper ‏@DPiperScout 7m7 minutes ago [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]#Illini commit Da'Monte Williams on Illinois program's off-court issues in Champaign: "It's a little bit concerning." More on that coming.[/FONT]

I would be concerned to recruit any player who didn't find the arrests concerning.

 

[Crow]

Please help: I just watched a highlight reel for the Chastain kid from Leroy, and I don't understand why we aren't involved/recruiting him. I know it's just a highlight reel, but he looks very athletic, nice shot, plays hard...really looks like a player to me. What am I missing?

Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

https://youtu.be/jVmINqbwbDY

 

[Monte Carlo]

There will always be concern when a kid is from such a small school. He is extremely talented, no doubt about it, and a very good athlete, as well. Could be good enough to be a Big Ten solid player. I certainly think so. There are, however, only so many scholarships to give, and with only one scholarship next year, and maybe none if Thorne were to get another season, not really a spot for him.

 

[illini8507]

Please help: I just watched a highlight reel for the Chastain kid from Leroy, and I don't understand why we aren't involved/recruiting him. I know it's just a highlight reel, but he looks very athletic, nice shot, plays hard...really looks like a player to me. What am I missing?

Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

https://youtu.be/jVmINqbwbDY

Dang, I wasn't expecting to be that impressed with his athleticism. Some of those dunks...

 

[Captain Bubbles]

There will always be concern when a kid is from such a small school. He is extremely talented, no doubt about it, and a very good athlete, as well. Could be good enough to be a Big Ten solid player. I certainly think so. There are, however, only so many scholarships to give, and with only one scholarship next year, and maybe none if Thorne were to get another season, not really a spot for him.

Are you including the number to oversign, or excluding it?

 

[Captain Bubbles]

Please help: I just watched a highlight reel for the Chastain kid from Leroy, and I don't understand why we aren't involved/recruiting him. I know it's just a highlight reel, but he looks very athletic, nice shot, plays hard...really looks like a player to me. What am I missing?

Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

https://youtu.be/jVmINqbwbDY

I would like to see Illinois recruit him. His athleticism and slashing ability looks solid. I think whoever gets him, will get a big steal.

Could redshirt him and have him for all four years. Has the potential to be a beast.

 

[SycIllini]

Anyone looking at the Joiner kid from Curie? He looked pretty good in their semi game yesterday.

 

[Illinifanatic4ever]

As good as Jordan Goodwin is just think if he hits his free throws yesterday instead of 25 he would have had around 35 points in the game.

 

[Illinifanatic4ever]

Here is a question I have no answer to but maybe one of you do? Can a coach take a player with him on a home visit my example being Malcolm Hill with Coach Groce to Jordan Goodwins parents home? Since he is from the area and always has seemed like a standup guy maybe that would help convince his parents to take a chance on the program. I know this is probably not happening just didn't know if it was within the NCAA rules.

 

[WesterveltVictoryCigar]

Here is a question I have no answer to but maybe one of you do? Can a coach take a player with him on a home visit my example being Malcolm Hill with Coach Groce to Jordan Goodwins parents home? Since he is from the area and always has seemed like a standup guy maybe that would help convince his parents to take a chance on the program. I know this is probably not happening just didn't know if it was within the NCAA rules.

I'm pretty sure coaches are the only ones allowed to do off campus recruiting. Players can be involved when recruits are on campus during a visit.

 

[drwillini]

I would like to see Illinois recruit him. His athleticism and slashing ability looks solid. I think whoever gets him, will get a big steal.

Could redshirt him and have him for all four years. Has the potential to be a beast.

C'mon Man, Everybody knows that when a kid is from a small high school and the opposition designs the entire defense to stop you, stats can be inflated.

Leroy is too close to Champaign, sort of like Tolono. A small school kid from those places will just be too intimidated by the BIG atmosphere in Champaign. West Lafayette is a lot better place for a small school kid.

Besides that, Chastain wants to go pre-law. We ask too much of our basketball players to have them concerned about getting a real degree. We expect them to be focused on basketball all the time. The kid is not our type.

 

[dak117]

I get that. But Ping has a pretty good eye for point guards. I'd be willing to take a chance on a freshman from St. Joe's who he's got starting at pg. Most other places, probably not.

He missed on Arthur Agee.

 

[Il4ever ken]

There will always be concern when a kid is from such a small school. He is extremely talented, no doubt about it, and a very good athlete, as well. Could be good enough to be a Big Ten solid player. I certainly think so. There are, however, only so many scholarships to give, and with only one scholarship next year, and maybe none if Thorne were to get another season, not really a spot for him.

You are forgetting that we have 3 guys on indefinite suspension right now. Who knows, maybe 1 or 2 may not be back.

 

[Joel Goodson]

C'mon Man, Everybody knows that when a kid is from a small high school and the opposition designs the entire defense to stop you, stats can be inflated.

Leroy is too close to Champaign, sort of like Tolono. A small school kid from those places will just be too intimidated by the BIG atmosphere in Champaign. West Lafayette is a lot better place for a small school kid.

Besides that, Chastain wants to go pre-law. We ask too much of our basketball players to have them concerned about getting a real degree. We expect them to be focused on basketball all the time. The kid is not our type.

Pretty witty retort, if a bit heavy on the sarcasm.

Is the kid on the same plane (or higher) than DJW and KN? Do you take a flyer on him at the expense of bigger needs?

I agree that Chastain is a very interesting prospect.