Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (July-August 2016)

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#4,476      
We would have 3 upperclassmen wings Finke's freshman year, and two his sophomore year (maybe 3 depending on how the 2017 class shapes up). This is more about fit than anything else. If we have some roster attrition, then Finke becomes a more likely get, but with the current roster, it wouldn't make sense for either side. Until then, Finke and Illinois have nothing to lose to keep their current relationship as is.

If Finke wasn't a top 100 guy, I would feel better about him wanting to play for his hometown team and with his brother for a year. But Finke is good enough that he can be a bit more selfish about his future and do what's in his best interest. For now, it seems like Illinois can swing for the fences with their 2018 scholarships and that makes it even more unlikely that Finke commits, IMO.

He won't arrive on a college campus for another two years. An awful lot can happen in that time.
 
#4,477      
I'm in the camp that would not want to go to Illinois if I grew up in Champaign. Champaign is great, but I wanted a change of scenery in college, not something familiar.

That was me. Born and raised in Champaign. Virtually all my high school buddies stayed home and went to UI or UI-via-Parkland, but the thought of not moving away for college made my stomach turn. My one-liner whenever anyone asked about it was "I at least want to have to learn new street names".

That said, I am a weirdo who is a diehard fan of a school I did not attend and I hope Tim feels differently!
 
#4,478      
For me, there would be a difference between going to my hometown school as a regular student and getting to play for the team that I grew up rooting for.

In the first scenario, I could see wanting to go away from home.

In the second, I could not pass up playing for the Illini.
 
#4,479      
I get what you're sayin' jonny, but at the same time, Tim is just taking advantage of being around a major college program in his home town. Right now, the choice is essentially, hang out with the Illini and play hoops on campus OR do not. It's not like he can be picky right now. I'm sure he's enjoying the elevated competition and facilities; however, when he does have the choice to go away and play at college, his opportunities expand exponentially.

He'll still have the UI relationships and maybe they'll be strong enough, but he may want to go out and make his own way. In the meantime, he's not going to turn down playing hoops at a B1G university as a high schooler, so I'm not sure the fact that he plays at Ubben all of the time is that significant.

I think a lot of this depends on Michael selling Tim on the coaching staff and how they've been able to develop Michael and how they'll continue to develop him. I mean Tim still has another year to see how his brother's game progresses to the next level. At the end of his career, Michael could achieve similar feats(maybe not exactly the same), to Frank Kaminsky. I mean, if he ends up being a poor man's Kaminsky or progresses to that level, that can help sell Tim on the coaching staff. If Tim doesn't want to compete for a starting job and just wants it handed to him(cough...Goodwin...cough cough), well then we can't control that.
 
#4,480      
Would you have wanted to go to college in your home town? I know that I surely didn't. Get me away from the parents please.
Depends on the kid and the family. I know a ton of people who were born and bred in Champaign-Urbana who went to Illinois when they could have gone almost anywhere.
 
#4,481      
+infinity

Any news on Ramey's visit (beyond he enjoyed it)?
What kind of news are you looking for, exactly? There is some limited privileged ($) information out there, but nothing earth shattering. He's a skilled player with good size for his position. Interest is reciprocal and Illinois is very likely to be in this one until the end.
 
#4,482      
I think it's pretty obvious that different people feel very differently when it comes to the question of whether or not it's desirable to go to college in your hometown, so we can really make no assumptions at all about what Tim Finke is probably thinking.

I'm in the camp that would not want to go to Illinois if I grew up in Champaign. Champaign is great, but I wanted a change of scenery in college, not something familiar.

It's a little different, but for the sake of illustration, I grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago and never particularly wanted to go to the state school. I followed Illini football and hoops, but as a kid I was a bigger fan of Michigan football and UCLA basketball - Illinois was probably my #3 or #4 team. I thought that staying in-state sounded incredibly boring. I wanted to get the heck away from home and explore new horizons. I was 100% positive that I would move to NYC, LA, or maybe Miami as an adult - just had no home state pride whatsoever.

Long story short, I eventually made the practical decision to go to Illinois (top academics + in-state tuition) instead of USC or Ohio State (both of which I was considerably more excited about in a lot of ways). Never regretted it for a minute after I stepped on campus; best years of my life were in Champaign. From the moment I started school, I was a diehard Illini fan and have been now for 17 years. Settled down in Chicago, etc. If I'd been a 4-star HS basketball player, though, there's about a 1% chance I'd have gone to UI. Obviously, with Tim's connection to the program there are tons of variables at play, but I wouldn't be surprised if he found the expectations suffocating at times; growing up in Champaign and being a 2x legacy could cut both ways.

I'll be fine with whatever he decides, as long as he stays out of the B1G and doesn't go anywhere near Travis Ford.
 
#4,483      
Would you have wanted to go to college in your home town? I know that I surely didn't. Get me away from the parents please.

To each their own, but this most definitely depends on the family and the kid. I never lived at home while I was in college (and was never pressured to, despite being <10 minutes away), and I'd see them once every 2 weeks to do laundry and get a nice meal. The slight downside to this was that I didn't learn how to do laundry until I was 22 :)

Graduated without any debt at one of the best engineering schools in the country (#3/4 when I applied) and got a car at graduation as a present from the parents for not going to a private school.

It sounds like the Finke's let their kids be pretty independent, so I don't think Tim's college experience would be all that different if he stays in CU. He also gets a preview based on how his parents treat Michael. Really hope the idea of playing with his brother and with the quality recruits we get in 2017 sways him in our direction. Would be a huge get.
 
#4,484      
That said, I am a weirdo who is a diehard fan of a school I did not attend and I hope Tim feels differently!
That's me.

I was raised to be a die-hard Illini fan, but stupidly chose a major that U of I does not offer (pharmacy). Tried to make the best of being a Drake Bulldog and I did luck into being on campus the year they reached #16 in the rankings. Sports just weren't the same whatsoever, though. =(

Agree that if we get Tim, we should be grateful. But if he chooses to go elsewhere for any reason besides a poor on-court product this season, we can't really blame Groce in good conscience.
 
#4,490      
#Illini pulled out of the mix for Paul Scruggs & won't host him this weekend. Trent Frazier is their guy.
https://twitter.com/DPiperScout/status/770325947371360256
http://www.indystar.com/story/sport...-official-visit-cuts-big-ten-school/89542128/

Indystar article with no mention of Xavier, did I miss something?

Also, I think that this could help in the future with recruiting, not that we were the favorite, but it is clear that we let him know that we got our guy in Frazier. Scruggs could have committed whenever he wanted. Apparently, you got to take pie as the pie is passing, as they say.
 
#4,491      
Also, I think that this could help in the future with recruiting, not that we were the favorite, but it is clear that we let him know that we got our guy in Frazier. Scruggs could have committed whenever he wanted. Apparently, you got to take pie as the pie is passing, as they say.

Totally agree. Finally we learn.
 
#4,492      
#Illini pulled out of the mix for Paul Scruggs & won't host him this weekend. Trent Frazier is their guy.
https://twitter.com/DPiperScout/status/770325947371360256
http://www.indystar.com/story/sport...-official-visit-cuts-big-ten-school/89542128/

It sounds like they were appreciative in Illinois letting them know the situation and maybe even a little disappointed that they wouldn't be visiting as it said in the article, "It was a tough conversation to have, but a good one." Having good communication and being upfront with recruits and their coaches may help with future recruits.

Wilkes has said that he and Scruggs are going to pick which schools are best for themselves. I don't think this hurts us with Wilkes, though a commitment from Scruggs would help, in my opinion. Plus, the combo guard and point guard role has already been taken in this class. Onto Kiir and Wilkes.
 
#4,494      
We would have 3 upperclassmen wings Finke's freshman year, and two his sophomore year (maybe 3 depending on how the 2017 class shapes up). This is more about fit than anything else. If we have some roster attrition, then Finke becomes a more likely get, but with the current roster, it wouldn't make sense for either side. Until then, Finke and Illinois have nothing to lose to keep their current relationship as is.

If Finke wasn't a top 100 guy, I would feel better about him wanting to play for his hometown team and with his brother for a year. But Finke is good enough that he can be a bit more selfish about his future and do what's in his best interest. For now, it seems like Illinois can swing for the fences with their 2018 scholarships and that makes it even more unlikely that Finke commits, IMO.

This is a more diplomatic than I was going to put it. I understand everyone wants him because of his family ties and location but I'm not really sure it's a good fit at this point for either side. We have limited 'ships (as of now) as is and he's not at a position of need (as of now).
 
#4,495      
Really uncharacteristic of Groce, but I'm okay with it. Staff obviously must've knew where they stood.

+1, sounds like Groce & co. are confident Scruggs wasn't happening. Timing may suggest uconn gained some major ground, perhaps?
 
#4,496      
It's a little different, but for the sake of illustration, I grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago and never particularly wanted to go to the state school. I followed Illini football and hoops, but as a kid I was a bigger fan of Michigan football and UCLA basketball - Illinois was probably my #3 or #4 team. I thought that staying in-state sounded incredibly boring. I wanted to get the heck away from home and explore new horizons. I was 100% positive that I would move to NYC, LA, or maybe Miami as an adult - just had no home state pride whatsoever.

I'm curious what drew you to UCLA given your age? Ed O'Bannon, aka EA Killer?
 
#4,497      
+1, sounds like Groce & co. are confident Scruggs wasn't happening. Timing may suggest uconn gained some major ground, perhaps?

You could easily interpret it the other way, too. I think it's more likely that they didn't think they needed so many PGs bunched together in age. So, whether they thought the odds with Scruggs were good or not, they saw no point in rolling out the red carpet, spending a bunch of money and a bunch of time, and risking looking like they are insincere on the visit if they really didn't want another PG anymore. Instead, it is face- and time-saving for all involved to have this conversation and let everyone (including Scruggs) invest their resources elsewhere.
 
#4,499      
I'm curious what drew you to UCLA given your age? Ed O'Bannon, aka EA Killer?

UCLA national title in '94-95, mostly. I thought Ed O'Bannon was going to be an NBA hall of famer and I loved watching Tyus Edney. Just happened to be pretty much the first year that I really followed sports and, like many kids, I was a shameless bandwagoner. Also, I was born in Los Angeles and moved to Illinois as a young kid, so even though I didn't remember living in California I felt a connection to it.
 
#4,500      
You could easily interpret it the other way, too. I think it's more likely that they didn't think they needed so many PGs bunched together in age. So, whether they thought the odds with Scruggs were good or not, they saw no point in rolling out the red carpet, spending a bunch of money and a bunch of time, and risking looking like they are insincere on the visit if they really didn't want another PG anymore. Instead, it is face- and time-saving for all involved to have this conversation and let everyone (including Scruggs) invest their resources elsewhere.

Also let's not forget Ayo, Garland, and Ramey are in the next class as well.
 
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