Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (July 2018)

[Indy Illini Fan]

I really think that Kahlil Whitney is a smart kid and won't commit to UK on the spot. Too many uncertainties about Kentucky next year.

Every kid wants to put themselves in the best position to be able to go pro after 1 year.

He knows there is a good chance that he will not be even a top 3 option at UK next year. Especially if UK gets James Wiseman and/or Vernon Carey and with UK in the thick of it with Jalen Lecque and Keion Brooks.

I really think he walks away from UK super hyped up about them, but I think he will take a step back and see that with all the targets UK has, and then with UK already having a top 10 player in Tyrese Maxey committed and DJ Jeffries (who plays the same position as Whitney) committed, there may be a better opportunity for him elsewhere.

 

[combes]

When it came to Chicago under Lou and Jimmy Collins we were pretty close. Granted we always put the leg work in earlier and didn't swoop in late.

Tony Yates is the one who got us Levi Cobb, Eddie Johnson, George Montgomery, Efrem Winters, Kenny Norman, etc. out of Chicago.

Jimmy came after Yates. Nick Anderson, Deon Thomas, Kiwanis Garris, etc.

They were both crucial to Henson’s success in Chicago. Yates is the one who made the CPL breakthrough with Cobb. Collins came into a developed recruiting base and continued the success.

 

[Selfcon4]

Let's just hope UK does not consider Whitney a top priority. Maybe they will slow play him and/or make him a secondary target like they did Mark Smith? Barring something like that...KW is likely gone.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

If a Kofi Cockburn or a Whitney type player would commit soon, I really do feel that all the rest of roster would just come together....with the highly rated backcourt they would have to be a BIg contender at least by 2020

 

[Monte Carlo]

Tony Yates is the one who got us Levi Cobb, Eddie Johnson, George Montgomery, Efrem Winters, Kenny Norman, etc. out of Chicago.

Jimmy came after Yates. Nick Anderson, Deon Thomas, Kiwanis Garris, etc.

They were both crucial to Henson’s success in Chicago. Yates is the one who made the CPL breakthrough with Cobb. Collins came into a developed recruiting base and continued the success.

Would love to see some connection to Chicago land like we had during that era.

 

[UofIChE06]

Would love to see some connection to Chicago land like we had during that era.

You mean like Chin.....?

 

[TCTORNADO]

Good to see HCBU recovered from his knee surgery. Was watching Liddell last night in Vegas. I guess Vegas was a circus with LBJ's kid, Bronny. LeBron looks like an over the top "Little League" Dad. Some of the games had to be canceled due to security concerns.
OA in Orlando for Kofi. This stuff is about to get real. We get our OV's back starting next week.

 

[TCTORNADO]

Don't count this guy out either and it's not Bruce. This board needs some humor right now.

 

[Joel Goodson]

I really think that Kahlil Whitney is a smart kid and won't commit to UK on the spot. Too many uncertainties about Kentucky next year.

Every kid wants to put themselves in the best position to be able to go pro after 1 year.

He knows there is a good chance that he will not be even a top 3 option at UK next year. Especially if UK gets James Wiseman and/or Vernon Carey and with UK in the thick of it with Jalen Lecque and Keion Brooks.

I really think he walks away from UK super hyped up about them, but I think he will take a step back and see that with all the targets UK has, and then with UK already having a top 10 player in Tyrese Maxey committed and DJ Jeffries (who plays the same position as Whitney) committed, there may be a better opportunity for him elsewhere.

Good post. You've laid out the reason why Whitney may not commit to KY: roster concerns, playing time, chemistry, only 1 ball. Looks great on paper, but how does a team full of lead dogs operate? Maybe that will be enough to prevent a commitment while he's on his OV.

 

[IlliniinIowa]

Good post. You've laid out the reason why Whitney may not commit to KY: roster concerns, playing time, chemistry, only 1 ball. Looks great on paper, but how does a team full of lead dogs operate? Maybe that will be enough to prevent a commitment while he's on his OV.

While all of this is true, it sure hasn't stopped countless 5-star kids from committing to Kentucky since Squid arrived....

 

[Deleted member 643761]

I am not so sure about that sometimes. How many top players go to Kentucky, Duke, NC, Kansas, etc. and ride the pine behind better players. It happens quite often and yet the players keep going there knowing the competition for playing time is going to be much tougher due to the number of highly ranked recruits at that school as compared to a school like Illinois. I actually feel for youngsters in some ways, because I bet this is a tough call for them with so many people in their ear and offers of this and that and so on and so forth. I would think playing time would hold more sway than I think it really does. After all, if that was highly important, Whitney would no doubt have an easier path to PT at UI of than UK. He might be one that is good enough to play anywhere, but then again he might be like Charles Mathews.

I'm not sure I made myself clear. I agree with you. Playing time has been time and time again demonstrated to be not all that important, but it gets mentioned on our board incessantly these days. (not so much when we were recruiting Richard McBride).

While all of this is true, it sure hasn't stopped countless 5-star kids from committing to Kentucky since Squid arrived....

It's never stopped kids from going to NC or Duke or Kansas either. It keeps coming up on boards and players keep opting to go to places where playing time is tougher.

 

[Joel Goodson]

While all of this is true, it sure hasn't stopped countless 5-star kids from committing to Kentucky since Squid arrived....

Operative words: may not.

 

[Emerson Bigguns]

Good post. You've laid out the reason why Whitney may not commit to KY: roster concerns, playing time, chemistry, only 1 ball. Looks great on paper, but how does a team full of lead dogs operate? Maybe that will be enough to prevent a commitment while he's on his OV.

Unfortunately, Cal can point to the fact that he has led a "team full of lead dogs" to the Final 4. The 2014-15 Wildcats had 6 first round picks in the NBA draft the following summer. A lot of that had to do with how Cal was willing to use ALL of the teams depth and talent. I haven't abandoned all hope, because he has friends on the team and the coaches have been building this relationship for a couple years, but Cal has a NCAA Championship banner, been to 6 Final 4's, and boasts current NBA All-Star alumni. We have Brandon Paul and Meyers Leonard and a 13 year old Big Ten Championship Banner... We are selling getting back to the NCAA Tournament, he is selling winning it.
The only fortunate thing about this development is that the visit is next week, giving us plenty of time if we have to move on.

 

[Obelix]

Good post. You've laid out the reason why Whitney may not commit to KY: roster concerns, playing time, chemistry, only 1 ball. Looks great on paper, but how does a team full of lead dogs operate? Maybe that will be enough to prevent a commitment while he's on his OV.

There are always concerns about any school, but timing alone (this is speculation on my part since I have not talked yet to any coaches closer to this recruitment) suggests that UK is the clear leader. It is one thing to cut your list, schedule official visits. etc. It is another to all of a sudden schedule just one official visit out of the blue, especially when UK and Cal are in hot pursuit.

 

[t7nich]

I really think that Kahlil Whitney is a smart kid and won't commit to UK on the spot. Too many uncertainties about Kentucky next year.

Every kid wants to put themselves in the best position to be able to go pro after 1 year.

He knows there is a good chance that he will not be even a top 3 option at UK next year. Especially if UK gets James Wiseman and/or Vernon Carey and with UK in the thick of it with Jalen Lecque and Keion Brooks.

I really think he walks away from UK super hyped up about them, but I think he will take a step back and see that with all the targets UK has, and then with UK already having a top 10 player in Tyrese Maxey committed and DJ Jeffries (who plays the same position as Whitney) committed, there may be a better opportunity for him elsewhere.

Good story. I appreciate your optimism

 

[Obelix]

There is no pact and there never was. Is the MIF in our corner? Yes. Is there a dyed-in-the-wool agreement that they are going to deliver their top guys to us? Heck no.

While we now have a very close relationship with MIF, it is not to MIF's best interest to send all of their best players to UI, so they will continue to send some of their top recruits to Duke, UNC, UK, KU, etc. in addition to UI having a better chance. This is true with Whitney and will be true for Adam Miller, who I love as a player.

BTW... I think Terrence Shannon will end up at Illinois.

 

[Deleted member 649710]

I really think that Kahlil Whitney is a smart kid and won't commit to UK on the spot. Too many uncertainties about Kentucky next year.

Every kid wants to put themselves in the best position to be able to go pro after 1 year.

He knows there is a good chance that he will not be even a top 3 option at UK next year. Especially if UK gets James Wiseman and/or Vernon Carey and with UK in the thick of it with Jalen Lecque and Keion Brooks.

I really think he walks away from UK super hyped up about them, but I think he will take a step back and see that with all the targets UK has, and then with UK already having a top 10 player in Tyrese Maxey committed and DJ Jeffries (who plays the same position as Whitney) committed, there may be a better opportunity for him elsewhere.

I really think that Kahlil Whitney is a smart kid who WILL commit to UK. Choose a rebuild over the premier program in CBB? Uhh ... no.

 

[EJ33]

While we now have a very close relationship with MIF, it is not to MIF's best interest to send all of their best players to UI, so they will continue to send some of their top recruits to Duke, UNC, UK, KU, etc. in addition to UI having a better chance. This is true with Whitney and will be true for Adam Miller, who I love as a player.

BTW... I think Terrence Shannon will end up at Illinois.

Can somebody who believes that MIF "sends" players to schools point out all the cases where the player chose a school that was not the best thing for him?

If Whitney goes to UK it will be because he thinks UK is the best choice for winning in college and becoming a pro. It has nothing to do with being "sent" somewhere.

I think the interests of MIF and the players are more or less aligned -- the best thing for both is when the player becomes wildly successful in the NBA and signs a huge contract.

 

[IlliniDent]

I really think that Kahlil Whitney is a smart kid who WILL commit to UK. Choose a rebuild over the premier program in CBB? Uhh ... no.

I disagree it is THE premier program anymore and there have even been a few articles lately about how squid has borderline disappointed with the amount of talent he has had. That being said, I think it’ll take a miracle for us to get Whitney at this point, and I wouldn’t blame him at all if he chose UK.

 

[ChiefIllini]

Can somebody who believes that MIF "sends" players to schools point out all the cases where the player chose a school that was not the best thing for him?

If Whitney goes to UK it will be because he thinks UK is the best choice for winning in college and becoming a pro. It has nothing to do with being "sent" somewhere.

I think the interests of MIF and the players are more or less aligned -- the best thing for both is when the player becomes wildly successful in the NBA and signs a huge contract.

Eliminating illegal monetary gain, I doubt any organization has enough pull to force a kid to go to any school. In some (maybe even most) cases, even parents/relatives probably don't have enough sway to completely shift opinion about a school, one way or the other.

What I think most people believe is the case here is that those associated with MIF will help our case compared to being neutral/negative by reinforcing UIUC as a solid place for a recruit to go. Recruiting is a lot more than people just whispering in your ear, but it doesn't hurt to have an organization like MIF on your side. They wont send recruits here, but the hope is that they will do some free(?) recruiting for us.

 

[Obelix]

Can somebody who believes that MIF "sends" players to schools point out all the cases where the player chose a school that was not the best thing for him?

AAU programs/coaches are huge influencers in a basketball player's decision to attend college, there is no doubt about that. That is the meaning of "send." You are asking a different question, whether AAU programs/coaches are "forcing" players to commit to schools beyond their will or best interest. That rarely happens. There are cases where people could make an argument (not just MIF) that a player could have been better at a different school, but it is hardly the case where players have a strong argument or dislike for AAU coaches and their decisions. That is the whole meaning of an "influencer," the level of trust, belief, respect players have in their coaches as a primary guide in the recruiting process.

One could make an argument that a player like Ayo could have been better served at a different school, especially at our current state. It is not that Illinois is the only choice or the only correct choice. But without the "influence" of his AAU coaches, he would have likely ended up at different school. That does not mean that Illinois is a bad choice either.

 

[ILL in IA]

MIF will never guarantee us any player. But it seems like they have at least given us a reserved seat at the table. Up to BU and staff to take it after that.

 

[Greensboro]

There are always concerns about any school, but timing alone (this is speculation on my part since I have not talked yet to any coaches closer to this recruitment) suggests that UK is the clear leader. It is one thing to cut your list, schedule official visits. etc. It is another to all of a sudden schedule just one official visit out of the blue, especially when UK and Cal are in hot pursuit.

I agree on the timing & KY being the leader...but it seems like much of the trending KY vibe is just Cal's rep and being the only official visit scheduled...assuming he makes it out of KY & I think there is a good chance he does, I just have a feeling this won't be the last turn on this roller coaster.

 

[TCTORNADO]

We offered 4 or 5 players with MIF background in 2018 and none took the offer. Oh wait maybe all of the offers were not commitable.
P.S. How could I forget Ayo did take one of the offers.

 

[EJ33]

AAU programs/coaches are huge influencers in a basketball player's decision to attend college, there is no doubt about that. That is the meaning of "send." You are asking a different question, whether AAU programs/coaches are "forcing" players to commit to schools beyond their will or best interest. That rarely happens. There are cases where people could make an argument (not just MIF) that a player could have been better at a different school, but it is hardly the case where players have a strong argument or dislike for AAU coaches and their decisions. That is the whole meaning of an "influencer," the level of trust, belief, respect players have in their coaches as a primary guide in the recruiting process.

One could make an argument that a player like Ayo could have been better served at a different school, especially at our current state. It is not that Illinois is the only choice or the only correct choice. But without the "influence" of his AAU coaches, he would have likely ended up at different school. That does not mean that Illinois is a bad choice either.

Ummm, "influence" is not the same as "send." "Send" is stronger and suggests that MIF is making the decision (with an implication in many cases that MIF puts it's interest ahead of the player's interest). If "influence" is what you mean then use "influence." The point that MIF has influence is obvious and not disputed.

My main point is that whatever MIF is doing generally seems to be in the best interest of the player. Please point out all the cases where it's obvious the decision was to the benefit of MIF vs. the player.

In the case of Ayo I think it's clear that his family liked Illinois and that MIF, unlike other recruitments, was not an obstacle. That's a lot different than pushing him to Illinois. There were several interviews with Irvin at the time that make that fairly clear.