Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (March 2017)

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#1,651      

Roundball Shaman

R
Roundball Shaman
How to build a champion? Here's a trend...

"Final Four Talent A Sign Of The Times
By Dan Bernstein

(CBS) North Carolina forward Justin Jackson is the favorite to win the Final Four Most Outstanding Player, facing 7/2 odds per Bovada.lv that place him just ahead of Gonzaga’s Nigel Williams-Goss as 4/1 and teammate Joel Berry at 5/1. There are 13 other possibilities on the board, and all have something in common. It’s possible not one of them is an NBA lottery pick this year... It may just be a quirky anomaly, but it could fuel arguments about how to build successful teams — empowering those who believe it is better to build collegiate continuity with talent that hits the sweet spot, good enough to succeed at that level but not to leave early for the pros after just one year."

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/03/31/the-bernstein-brief-final-four-talent-a-sign-of-the-times/

For those who keep saying the Illini are not a Blue Blood, the above might be a good trend. If the Illini don't get the One-And-Doners, they might just be better off.
 
#1,652      

Illini B-Ball Fan

Illini B-Ball Fan
Illini B-Ball Fan
Obelix said:
There are only 4 true blue bloods right now: Duke, UNC, Kansas, and Kentucky.

UCLA and Indiana have tradition but are not in the same category as far as actual results. And programs like MSU may not have the legacy of a UCLA or Indiana but have elevated their status based on consistency of results for 20 years now.
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So, with Izzo at age 62 and having been as the MSU HC for 22 years now, how long do you think he'll milk this B1G gravy train?
 
#1,653      

Obelix

Obelix
Obelix
Illini B-Ball Fan said:
So, with Izzo at age 62 and having been as the MSU HC for 22 years now, how long do you think he'll milk this B1G gravy train?
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I think Izzo retires at MSU, so I do not think he is going anywhere (e.g., NBA). How long? I'd guess at least 5 more years. He does not look like someone who is ready to retire IMO and the truth is that he has been recruiting as good as or better lately than he has done his entire career.

Quite a long discussion about 2-3 years ago (posts still exist) that Izzo could not recruit anymore and he should be thinking about retiring or leaving for the NBA and then...
 
#1,655      

MrOizo

MrOizo
Chicago
MrOizo
Roundball Shaman said:
How to build a champion? Here's a trend...

"Final Four Talent A Sign Of The Times
By Dan Bernstein

(CBS) North Carolina forward Justin Jackson is the favorite to win the Final Four Most Outstanding Player, facing 7/2 odds per Bovada.lv that place him just ahead of Gonzaga’s Nigel Williams-Goss as 4/1 and teammate Joel Berry at 5/1. There are 13 other possibilities on the board, and all have something in common. It’s possible not one of them is an NBA lottery pick this year... It may just be a quirky anomaly, but it could fuel arguments about how to build successful teams — empowering those who believe it is better to build collegiate continuity with talent that hits the sweet spot, good enough to succeed at that level but not to leave early for the pros after just one year."

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/03/31/the-bernstein-brief-final-four-talent-a-sign-of-the-times/

For those who keep saying the Illini are not a Blue Blood, the above might be a good trend. If the Illini don't get the One-And-Doners, they might just be better off.
Click to expand...
Problem is we have been able to recruit the 3-and-done or 4-and-done players either :)
 
#1,656      

SescIllini

SescIllini
SescIllini
Gill is not a good comparison to M Smith in body type or playing style. McCamey probably best comparison followed by Deron. Going back to the 1980s, Antwon Joubert of Michigan is also a good comparison.
 
#1,657      

aluma

A
aluma
Derek Piper has felt all along that Smith was an Illinois lean and has seemed to feel that's where he would end up. However, MSU seems to be a game changer and Piper has cooled his jets on Illinois. I really think Smith will end up at MSU and be a pain in our rear end for 4 years.
 
#1,659      

Illini B-Ball Fan

Illini B-Ball Fan
Illini B-Ball Fan
Obelix said:
I think Izzo retires at MSU, so I do not think he is going anywhere (e.g., NBA). How long? I'd guess at least 5 more years. He does not look like someone who is ready to retire IMO and the truth is that he has been recruiting as good as or better lately than he has done his entire career.

Quite a long discussion about 2-3 years ago (posts still exist) that Izzo could not recruit anymore and he should be thinking about retiring or leaving for the NBA and then...
Click to expand...

Izzo has it all going for himself for sure - one of the highest paid coaches in the country, able to recruit well, consistency year after year, numerous NCAA appearances & a championship, well-liked and respected by players, most fans, and other coaches, longest coach currently in the B1G, etc. Awaiting to apply for that social security check at a later age is definitely not going to be a problem for him. :D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Izzo
 
#1,660      

The Galloping Ghost 77

T
Wheaton, IL
The Galloping Ghost 77
sacraig said:
There are dozens of us! Dozens!

I didn't have her as a PE teacher, though. I am pretty sure she didn't even work at the school when I was there (which wasn't that long ago).
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Remember her being a PE teacher at CHS but I had the other Mrs. Smith. The Mrs.Smith who made us do burpees at every opportunity and who actually made us work during PE while every other class got to play games. Still bitter about it..
 
#1,661      

Ubermensch

Ubermensch
BOOM! Feed my ego.
Ubermensch
aluma said:
Derek Piper has felt all along that Smith was an Illinois lean and has seemed to feel that's where he would end up. However, MSU seems to be a game changer and Piper has cooled his jets on Illinois. I really think Smith will end up at MSU and be a pain in our rear end for 4 years.
Click to expand...

What's Izzo's guard situation? I have to imagine he's going to be at least as deep as this:

Coleman-Lands
Jordan
Lucas
Frazier
Pickett

I hesitate to throw Kipper in there, though I'm not sure he doesn't belong. I think he's more 3 than 2, though. JCL is going to get his minutes. TJL, too. Frazier is going to get PT as well. I don't expect many minutes from AJ or Pickett. DJW either, for that matter. Between 1-2-3 there's 120 minutes to be spread out amongst JCL, TJL, Frazier and Kipper. Seems like there'd be plenty of tick available for Smith. This is why I'm bullish on the 2017-18 Illini, especially with a legitimate coach at the helm. He's got a lot to work with.
 
#1,662      

SescIllini

SescIllini
SescIllini
Illinois has fared well against MSU in the past. I think Walker/Whitman laid a foundation that will win in the end.
 
#1,663      

sacraig

sacraig
The desert
sacraig
The Galloping Ghost 77 said:
Remember her being a PE teacher at CHS but I had the other Mrs. Smith. The Mrs.Smith who made us do burpees at every opportunity and who actually made us work during PE while every other class got to play games. Still bitter about it..
Click to expand...

Mine was Blaha for one of the years. I don't remember who it was for the other year. I think my other year was Thomas, who has since retired. We certainly did a lot of goofing off in both classes.
 
#1,666      

MrOizo

MrOizo
Chicago
MrOizo
If we could get a commit from Mark Smith... We will finally best our opponents at the 1 and 2 guard spots for the first time since...? Those spots are so important and our rotation at those spots will be stellar. Weaknesses will be the 3 (Nichols likely starting), 4 (Black and Finke), and 5 (Tilmon). I think on most nights we would be able to match our opponents at 2 of those 3 spots. Depth aside, that's a good supporting cast for our potentially dominant guards. And then if we play smaller, we are able to use the best of our tweeners in a 3 guard lineup or with Nichols/DJ at the 4 perhaps. I just love the possibilities.

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk
 
#1,667      

Centennial Illini

C
Centennial Illini
This really dates me but when I was at CHS, I had Virgil Fletcher. In 4 years we also lost only 11 basketball games and didn't have a home floor loss for 7 years.
 
#1,668      

FrankDavis

F
FrankDavis
Evan flood on twitter

Talen Horton-Tucker has been a warrior for @TheMacIrvinFire. Very physical game. He's making his presence felt. #ny2lasnd2k17

I wonder if BU will go after this kid, I think he fits the system
 
#1,669      

Liesse1997

L
Liesse1997
Ubermensch said:
What's Izzo's guard situation? I have to imagine he's going to be at least as deep as this:

Coleman-Lands
Jordan
Lucas
Frazier
Pickett

I hesitate to throw Kipper in there, though I'm not sure he doesn't belong. I think he's more 3 than 2, though. JCL is going to get his minutes. TJL, too. Frazier is going to get PT as well. I don't expect many minutes from AJ or Pickett. DJW either, for that matter. Between 1-2-3 there's 120 minutes to be spread out amongst JCL, TJL, Frazier and Kipper. Seems like there'd be plenty of tick available for Smith. This is why I'm bullish on the 2017-18 Illini, especially with a legitimate coach at the helm. He's got a lot to work with.
Click to expand...

Am I the only person on this forum that views Kipper more of a 6"6 forward/4 man kind of like how Roger Powell was instead of a 3? Especially if Smith comes and we have that depth at guard.
 
#1,670      

MrOizo

MrOizo
Chicago
MrOizo
Liesse1997 said:
Am I the only person on this forum that views Kipper more of a 6"6 forward/4 man kind of like how Roger Powell was instead of a 3? Especially if Smith comes and we have that depth at guard.
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Powell is exactly what I think of with Kipper. Now, Powell was good enough to get the best of the mismatch. Not sure Kipper will live up to that lofty standard, but it helps clear space for the guards and helps cover the shortage at forward. All we need is for someone else to really step up and take over at the 3... Ideally we'd have 1-2 of Jordan, DJW, Pickett, and DWill step up and demand minutes there.
 
#1,672      

bombayIllini

B
bombayIllini
aluma said:
Derek Piper has felt all along that Smith was an Illinois lean and has seemed to feel that's where he would end up. However, MSU seems to be a game changer and Piper has cooled his jets on Illinois. I really think Smith will end up at MSU and be a pain in our rear end for 4 years.
Click to expand...

I guess the Groce and Weber effect still remains. :eek::eek:
 
#1,675      

PlayAZ

P
PlayAZ
miketherevelator said:
Talen? I'll bet you a beach house on that. He's already got offers from Northwestern, Arizona State, Iowa State and Missouri. He's improved dramatically from that video. Here's one from January which features him and Ayo and their co-horts from Simeon and MP.
[YOUTUBE]NGzDVHrzsuw[/YOUTUBE]
Click to expand...

Watched that one also....doesn't seem like a B1G player to me, difference of opinion I guess.
 
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