If we get Okoro, do we try to add one more or do we call it a day?
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I’d say best fifth year we can get regardless of position
I just...can't.....resist....
He doesn't have to be 7 foot to play at Purdue. If Purdue wants another 7 footer, they can have them then. Swanigan is 6'9" and 250. Okoro can come in and beef up in a Swanigan-like mold and be a nice contribution to the Boilermakers.
Purdue is still in the hunt. Just don't be surprised if it came down to Illinois and Purdue.
They're both traditional post players and that's just not what they want at the next level. Jahlil would have excelled in the NBA in a different decade. Small ball is in so all these undersized posts have a chance if they can space the floor. An undersized post has a better chance than undersized guard in today's game. I'm not disagreeing with you, I just felt like it was a good place to ramble.
I would love for us to be able to recruit a 5 with the abilities of Jahil or better. However the reason he isnt a stud in the NBA is not because the game has changed. He just isnt good enough. Kareem, Ewing, Akeem, Parrish, Chamberlin, Robinson, Moses Malone, Shaq,Russell, and on and on would all thrive today or in any era. They would likely be selected #1 overall. They would eat Jahils lunch.Today's players arent better as a whole. If I were making an all time team the only post 2000 player on it would be Lebron and my 5 certainly wouldn't be from today's 5s.
I'd love an NBA 5 at center but a good college 4/5 will suffice. I hope we hear good news from Okoro soon.
And back in my day we walked to school in 5 feet of snow. UPHILL BOTH WAYS!
Last report I heard was he was not impressed with Purdue's style of play.
Other than Okafor is not that good, I do not agree with the rest of your post. There were plenty of bad draft picks in the old NBA as well. And while some of the NBA legends were truly legends and deserving of the honors, comparing them to today's players is meaningless. Basketball has gotten better, strength and conditioning is much better, the physical aspects of the game are totally different.
Some of the players would still make the league and be good (e.g., Jordan) but some legends like Bob Cousy would not. Greatness is measured as deviation from the mean and rest of players at their time, as well as accomplishments (titles, etc.). But even in the era of the great Michael Jordan, or the Magic/Bird era (my personal favorite), the league did not have players like Antentokounmpo, Lebron, Kobe, Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Towns, Durant, etc. Straight comparison of players of different eras is meaningless.
I never saw Cousy play other than video. Nor did I see Russell play. I just go by what respected coaches said about each of them. I dont recall the coach that said Russel was a top 3 center just recently. I would imagine Cousy to have a similar skill set to John Stocktion based on tapes and coaches. Maybe you have seen him if so then perhaps I am incorrect in Cousy's case.There were only a few good centers in any era. It is just difficult to find the physical aspects of the position, but it is not that Russell played in the same era as Akeem and Ewing. You stick Towns and Embiid in the Russell era, or the Ewing/Akeem era and I think they would kill it.
I do not think that is true. As I gave you an example, a legend like Cousy, who had a major award named after him, would have difficulty staying with today's PGs. But what he did in his era, compared to the level of basketball and players back then, was simply nothing but amazing.
Basketball has definitely gotten better over the years. More emphasis on the athlete rather than the teams, but that is a result of commercialism rather than players not being better.
There were only a few good centers in any era. It is just difficult to find the physical aspects of the position, but it is not that Russell played in the same era as Akeem and Ewing. You stick Towns and Embiid in the Russell era, or the Ewing/Akeem era and I think they would kill it.
I do not think that is true. As I gave you an example, a legend like Cousy, who had a major award named after him, would have difficulty staying with today's PGs. But what he did in his era, compared to the level of basketball and players back then, was simply nothing but amazing.
Basketball has definitely gotten better over the years. More emphasis on the athlete rather than the teams, but that is a result of commercialism rather than players not being better.
We can disagree. No way are athletes better just due to time. Their are so many other factors the effect sport. Cell phones, video games, coaching, life choices. Parks are not full like they once were without adults around. . It's hard to let your kids grab a ball or glove and go to the park. I also disagree with your notion that athletic ability is primarily something we can create with hard work or when you are born.. It's not, its god given. Whether you use it is up to you.I think you confuse when people say that a player was one of the top in history, with actually been better than today's players. Especially when it comes to comparing totally different eras. Greatness is measured as deviation from the mean and rest of players at their time, as well as accomplishments (titles, etc.). Not necessarily competition against today's or future players.
There is evolution, in all sports. There is backward compatibility, so today's best basketball players could definitely compete in the past with success, but not necessarily forward compatibility. Just that the best could withstand the test of time longer. Could you imagine the Greek Freak back in the Cousy, Russell era? He would be absolutely dominant. At the same time, Cousy would not be able to play today and hang with today's best PGs.
There is also a difference between refereeing, rules, etc. and actual ability, skills, and physical ability. Nutrition and supplements (i.e., not illegal ones), strength and conditioning programs, training, medical care, equipment, facilities, resources, opportunities, etc., all have improved creating better athletes in all sports although the ability to differentiate compared to other athletes in your sport diminishes.
Not sure I could move something that size with a forklift. Man he moves for a big guy, though.
And back in my day we walked to school in 5 feet of snow. UPHILL BOTH WAYS!
I cannot imagine the Greek Freak in the old days without today's physical training. I saw a special on him, and he was a skinny dude. Would he have gotten to be such a physical specimen back in the day? Obviously we'll never know, but I think doubtful.
God gives athletic ability. People dont just get it through technolog, hard work, facilities, and nutrition. If that were the case our facilities and nutrition and strength program would have illinois basketball the best it's ever been. The same applies to the NBA. I think when you think about high school players I remember several large elite high schoolers from the 80s until now. That hasn't changed at all. Thomad Hamilton jr, shawn Kemp, shaq, Wayman Tisdale, Sullinger, Ewing Magic, and our own Big George and Efrem Winters. There are recent players like that still and there were guys like Okoro too. I dont recall many with thighs like Winters had, he was explosive. You can believe athletes are made by men all you want but God makes them and will continue to. Otherwise players like MJ, Lebron. Kareem. Magic, Akeem, Duncan would be produced by labs and programs everywhere.It is not just due to time. As the post says it is because "nutrition and supplements (i.e., not illegal ones), strength and conditioning programs, training, medical care, equipment, facilities, resources, opportunities, etc., all have improved, creating better athletes in all sports."
God gives athletic ability. People dont just get it through technolog, hard work, facilities, and nutrition. If that were the case our facilities and nutrition and strength program would have illinois basketball the best it's ever been. The same applies to the NBA. I think when you think about high school players I remember several large elite high schoolers from the 80s until now. That hasn't changed at all. Thomad Hamilton jr, shawn Kemp, shaq, Wayman Tisdale, Sullinger, Ewing Magic, and our own Big George and Efrem Winters. There are recent players like that still and there were guys like Okoro too. I dont recall many with thighs like Winters had, he was explosive. You can believe athletes are made by men all you want but God makes them and will continue to. Otherwise players like MJ, Lebron. Kareem. Magic, Akeem, Duncan would be produced by labs and programs everywhere.
This years big man should be specail and was described as the best since Shaq or Akeem But God made him not the university or Arizona and he will again but it won't mean those before him were not just as good or even better players. I am done beating this horse. We clearly disagree with what makes great players great and why can do the things they do. Heart and God given ability dint come in a bottle.
I hope Okoro signs soon because our program needs players like we had again back in the day. He has unique god given ability. We cant make them with just nutrition, lifting weights and great facilities. That just enhances it
So true, and take it one step farther, Okoro commits, Fletch will take him to the next level, with his regment of diet, strengthen and conditioning. God does give talent, Fletch can make it the best it can be.
Have you guys seen the video of Okoro dunking in the gym session? I don't know how much Fletch can build upon that frame, dude is ripped! Maybe add some mass, but dang, there isn't any excess body fat to be had. All that aside, of course there are improvements that Okora can make, but I think anything of a physical aspect is probably a few notches down the list of the Staff's priorities for him to work on. System, footwork, defense, are probably top 3 priorities out of the gate.