Jeez, some of you guys are out of your gourds. Michigan State is a prestigious program and Izzo is an iconic HOF coach. They've been one of the 7-8 best teams in the country for the better part of the last 30 years. In terms of status, they're in the same range as Louisville, way ahead of us given our decade of futility. Eleven years ago our programs were on the same footing; now, MSU is in a different stratosphere. Don't kid yourselves.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (March 2017)
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Underwood's big sell right now is......
come be a part of the recruiting class / team that brings Illinois back to the level of the 1989 / 2005 teams. That, along with his style of play, should be attractive to some kids. If you are successful, you will be legends at UI.....much like Gill, Bardo, Anderson, Battle, Dee, Deron, etc.
Smith is a UI fan.....hopefully, he finds that appealing. Hopefully, we can find other kids that would find that appealing. Be a part of the turnaround! Be a legend in the state.
After Underwood is established, and we are winning, we can sell winning, NCAA tournament appearances and getting kids drafted in the NBA. Right now, we need to sell what we have.
come be a part of the recruiting class / team that brings Illinois back to the level of the 1989 / 2005 teams. That, along with his style of play, should be attractive to some kids. If you are successful, you will be legends at UI.....much like Gill, Bardo, Anderson, Battle, Dee, Deron, etc.
Smith is a UI fan.....hopefully, he finds that appealing. Hopefully, we can find other kids that would find that appealing. Be a part of the turnaround! Be a legend in the state.
After Underwood is established, and we are winning, we can sell winning, NCAA tournament appearances and getting kids drafted in the NBA. Right now, we need to sell what we have.
I wouldn't blame anyone for choosing Tom Izzo and Michigan State right now and that's not an insult at all to Brad Underwood and Illinois.
Deleted member 500209
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With all do respect, none of the guys we are recruiting will get to play for a past team of Tom Izzo. Nor will they have to play for a past Illini team. I choose to believe our recent past does not predict our future. With new leadership and a great recruiting class coming in, the future looks bright and that is reason enough for any young man that is an Illini fan to jump aboard what is going to be a turnaround that will be talked for years (if we land another quality big). This recruiting class can disrupt the trend. Why not be part of it?
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
And that's it right there. I think people underestimate how powerful this can be. Remember all those guys who committed to Matta? Or the original guys who committed to Izzo in the '90s? Heck, the guys who committed to US in the '90s?! Players generally love the idea of 1) being the guys who "brought them back" (think of a more flattering notion than this school was in deep trouble until my classmates and I got there) and 2) being absolute stars. These kids aren't simpletons, they have seen the highlight videos, they know that Dee and Deron and co. were treated like idols in C-U, and they know the next guys who bring Illinois back to that level - whomever they may be - will be treated the same. In fact, as we saw in 2005 and 2006, if you're not selling kids on a vision of the FUTURE (ya know, when they'll actually be there), all the winning in the world that you're doing currently doesn't mean anything other than it's easier to get in the door to give your pitch about the future ... still gotta have a pitch, and it sounds like BU does.
IllFanInMi
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#winthiscentury MSU
Seriously stop! MSU needs no defense on what Izzo has done over the last umpteen years. Conference titles, NC2A appearances, Final Fours, etc... I am an Illini fan, but very close to the MSU program, and this year was an anomaly, mainly because Deyontae Davis made a bad decision leaving after 1 year, and Gavin Schilling and Ben Carter sitting out all year, which essentially decimated their frontcourt. Izzo went on record saying he has to revisit his recruiting philosophies as he was clearly surprised Davis left early. With that group on the floor, MSU is likely still playing. The testament to MSU is losing all those guys and still doing what they did in large part due to a stellar freshman class!
Enough on MSU, Illinois is trending up, and we all hope the meter continues to rise with our commits all arriving on campus this summer. BU has provided a large amount of the momentum and I believe he will continue to do good things. Smith would be a great add, but he sees what we all see with the 1's, 2's and 3's stacked up on this roster, why would he not look at the programs who are showing him love?
Seriously stop! MSU needs no defense on what Izzo has done over the last umpteen years. Conference titles, NC2A appearances, Final Fours, etc... I am an Illini fan, but very close to the MSU program, and this year was an anomaly, mainly because Deyontae Davis made a bad decision leaving after 1 year, and Gavin Schilling and Ben Carter sitting out all year, which essentially decimated their frontcourt. Izzo went on record saying he has to revisit his recruiting philosophies as he was clearly surprised Davis left early. With that group on the floor, MSU is likely still playing. The testament to MSU is losing all those guys and still doing what they did in large part due to a stellar freshman class!
Enough on MSU, Illinois is trending up, and we all hope the meter continues to rise with our commits all arriving on campus this summer. BU has provided a large amount of the momentum and I believe he will continue to do good things. Smith would be a great add, but he sees what we all see with the 1's, 2's and 3's stacked up on this roster, why would he not look at the programs who are showing him love?
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I agree with what you said but why did you say NC2A instead of NCAA? They are the same length and NC2A is actually harder to type.
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IllFanInMi
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MSU will be loaded next year 1-9, if Bridges leaves that will be a huge dent. If Bridges stays they will have all four freshman who essentially played starter minutes all year, plus McQuaid, Schilling as a 5th year R.S., and assuming Carter as a 6th year R.S. like Thorne. Add in a MCDAA in Jackson from Lalu, and a beast of a 4 in Xavier Tillman out of Michigan. If they added Bowen, who is actually Jason Richardsons nephew, I am not sure how that sounds average to the average person.
He's being fitted for jackets from other Big 10 schools to be photographed wearing so he can post to social media to get Illini fans everywhere completely unhinged.
IllFanInMi
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Deleted member 14522
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No. He basically had an official visit when he went to the Minnesota game except he and his family paid for their meal. Sounded like it went well. I don't think we will get one of his remaining official visits. It wouldn't make any sense because he has met the team and been on campus multiple times.
No. Several visits, all unofficials.
:thumb:
In recent years, embedded State pride was the best thing the Illini had going for it for recriting. That's not the case anymore. This is a program that's on course to shatter the artificial glass ceiling that held it down. A new, dynamic coach. An exciting style of play. Good/great young players coming in. Renewed interest from local and national media. An AD that will provide as much as he can to advance the program. There's a lot to like about the Illini right now. If local talent sees outside opportunities as a better fit for them, so be it. The Illini will be supplementing the talent pool with studs from Texas, Florida, and elsewhere. Were already getting decent outside talent from Wisconsin, Ohio, etc. The New Train of Excellence is starting its journey. We'll see who wants to ride.
Deleted member 10676
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Smith has taken official visits to Northern Illinois, SIU-Edwardsville and Wright State. This article also contains a good timeline for those on here who wonder why we didn't offer last year or who believe we offered him late this year.
https://www.landof10.com/illinois/w...n-basketball-recruiting-might-just-mark-smith
https://www.landof10.com/illinois/w...n-basketball-recruiting-might-just-mark-smith
Watching this LaLu game. Brian Bowen? Yes please. If for no other reason than we can pair his hair up with Frazier's.
Watching this LaLu game. Brian Bowen? Yes please. If for no other reason than we can pair his hair up with Frazier's.
If BU puts LaLu's head coach on staff, then Bowen becomes a real possibility.
Interesting to see that MSU is actively recruiting Mark Smith, and Blake Harris for the same position. If Harris goes to MSU, which with all the CB's going their way today, and the fact that he set up an official visit to MSU, I think that there is a very good chance he ends up there. I just don't see Mark Smith going there if Harris is there.
Watching this LaLu game. Brian Bowen? Yes please. If for no other reason than we can pair his hair up with Frazier's.
Definitely some talent in this game...a lot of uncontrolled offense but hey their kids on TV...off to the State Farm Slam Dunk/3 Pt contest....
, reppin my Orange ILLINI baseball jersey!LarryGotFouled
- Plano, TX
Man - pulling off a baller move like that would be about the most "un-Illinois" move ever. If that goes down, I'm going to start believing Whitman is secretly a priest and performed an exorcism on UI before taking the job.
And throw in 2018 commit PG Foster Loyer and you get a real head scratcher as to how many PG's do you need.
hooraybeer
- Pittsburgh, PA
agreed, we are not capable of making moves like that to advance the program. carry on
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