Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (May-June 2018)

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#1,326      
IanKEvans2
sacraig said:
Sam McLaurin was a straight up decent or better player in his time here and would be, honestly, a huge boon to this year's team if we had him again.
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Not to mention McLaurin's commitment to Illinois was quite memorable. He was a favorite of mine during his year at UI.
 
#1,327      
Obelix
sacraig said:
Mike Thorne is a terrible example, though. He was actually pretty great until he got hurt and just never fully recovered. Sam McLaurin was a straight up decent or better player in his time here and would be, honestly, a huge boon to this year's team if we had him again.
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Yet, all of our 5th years were still role players, the difference is that some of those role players played their role pretty well and were critical supplementary elements (e.g. Sam McLaurin). Chances that we are able to attract the true difference makers non-role players in the 5th year market are pretty slim given the current state of the program.

Fifth year players, as well as "projects", should be opportunistic additions. If you depend on attracting the 5th year difference maker or multiple "projects" overachieving, that means your regular/primary recruiting has not worked.
 
#1,328      
Bailey
Role players ≠ bad players
Role players ≠ useless players

Every team needs role players. Seems like many on this board expect 5th year transfers to come in and lead the team in scoring ie Alstork last year.

Outside of maybe Starks, I think every single 5th year listed above brought value to their team. Alstork was frustrating, but Frazier is quoted citing about his veteran presence and influence being key to his development. Thorne was *really* good before injuries ate him up.

If a 5th year is brought in, eats up some rotation minutes, and does nothing more out there than allow your defense to switch on the perimeter against a P&R - guess what - that's worth having.
 
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#1,329      
infamous
So no idea who is possibly next? Would be nice to get a 19’ signing ( any news on that) ?
 
#1,330      
FC Illiniman
BRucks said:
and Caroline is a legacy. Reason enough to make an exception.
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Hope Caroline is now dropped from discussion, going anywhere but Nevada for him, didn't make sense. Still don't think BU is keen on 5th yr guy, but holding a schollie would work too. As far as Alstork goes, his attitude, IMO, could have been a big downfall to the team last year. Body language spoke loudly. Maybe we could find a good 5th yr, but few there worth even looking at.
Braun commits, if we find a solid guy for the 1schollie good. If not roll it, we have to consider what we have coming up, another body could be more than does us any good.;):illinois:
 
#1,331      
Kathy
Desert Illini said:
He said it, not going to waste the time looking for the video. That aside. Saying you would like to not have to take a 5th year, is not the same as saying you WON'T take a 5th year.



It's a silly argument, in the right situation, with the right player, there isn't a D1 coach that would not take a 5th year player.
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Are you sure he said it? I can't believe he'd say it either, I know you don't want to take time to look it up, but it's hard to give you much credence if you won't link the article or where you heard it.
 
#1,334      
FC Illiniman
Kathy said:
Are you sure he said it? I can't believe he'd say it either, I know you don't want to take time to look it up, but it's hard to give you much credence if you won't link the article or where you heard it.
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Interview at end season, can't find it ATM, believed he said he would take best player available to fill roster but would prefer 4year scholarship player. Doesn't say he doesn't want them, or won't take, just had preference, which we all do. 5* with great size and ball skills, not finding many of them, but ATM, think Parker Braun would work just fine.
Seems BU still busy during holiday offering to 2020 guys, that is committed to the job!;):illinois:

Think interview was when we recruited Felix, more about Juco at the time.
 
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#1,335      
TCTORNADO
In years 2 and 3 for CBU at SFA, he took a total of 6 JUCO's and zero 5th years.
 
#1,337      
FeelYourPaign
On the fifth year transferring question, here is what he told topper back on April 15

Yes, we have to have talent. But I want to lay a foundation this program can sustain for years not just be an up-and-down roller coaster because we’re taking fifth-year guys. Would we take one? Yeah. But at this point we’re in a great place to really build this.”

Seems to support any view you like, in hindsight

See http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/co...cle_204fdec2-85f6-5cb9-9fe0-20a124373b05.html for full article
 
#1,338      
Ol Dirty Gamer
You’ll never hear a coach flat out say they’ll NEVER take a certain grade player, but he did say he’d rather build a foundation with freshman than take a 5th year.
Makes more sense in the long run.
 
#1,339      
mhuml32
FC Illiniman said:
Hope Caroline is now dropped from discussion, going anywhere but Nevada for him, didn't make sense.
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+1.


I know we all would want Caroline to spend his final year at Illinois, but put yourself in his situation: why would you leave Nevada and go to Illinois for your final year? He's going to have a better individual- and team-related year at Nevada than he'd have coming to Illinois. If this was 2006, it would be a no-brainer for him to transfer to Illinois, but its not. Underwood is going to have to significantly improve the team in order to convince someone as good as Caroline to spend their final year at Illinois instead of their home school.
 
#1,340      
SergioKittner
FeelYourPaign said:
On the fifth year transferring question, here is what he told topper back on April 15

Yes, we have to have talent. But I want to lay a foundation this program can sustain for years not just be an up-and-down roller coaster because we’re taking fifth-year guys. Would we take one? Yeah. But at this point we’re in a great place to really build this.”

Seems to support any view you like, in hindsight

See http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/co...cle_204fdec2-85f6-5cb9-9fe0-20a124373b05.html for full article
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This is what I was referencing. I took his comment to mean he doesn’t really like to take 5th years. He calls it a roller-coaster which I don’t think has a positive connotation.

As I tried to explain in my post, there will always be some exceptions to the rule.

Whoever said McLaurin and Thorne were good - I vehemently disagree.
 
#1,341      
Obelix
Ol Dirty Gamer said:
You’ll never hear a coach flat out say they’ll NEVER take a certain grade player, but he did say he’d rather build a foundation with freshman than take a 5th year.
Makes more sense in the long run.
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Meh, If Underwood (or any coach in his situation) had a chance to get Caroline and Cunningham, he would gladly take both. As someone mentioned, he would seriously hurt someone to get both, it is a no brainer.

People make it sound that we are intentionally turning down high quality 5th year players in favor of low ranked freshmen as part of an elaborate strategic plan. We currently have no chance at high impact 5th year players. If we did, we would gladly take them, no doubt about it.

It is the same as saying that BU prefers balance rather than taking multiple 5* players in the same class. Like we really have a good chance at that happening and it is a matter of strategic choice. :D
 
#1,342      
Ol Dirty Gamer
Obelix said:
Meh, If Underwood (or any coach in his situation) had a chance to get Caroline and Cunningham, he would gladly take both. As someone mentioned, he would seriously hurt someone to get both, it is a no brainer.
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That’s kinda what i was getting at. Can’t spurn those guys because you may need them, so he would never say he won’t take them. He’s just expressed he would rather have 3-4 year guys, if they’re the right guys. :thumb:
 
#1,343      
Illini in OC
Larry Bird is available for a fifth year because Ind St is missing some grad programs at UofI...
Only question is his athleticism.
 
#1,345      
jmilt7
From the beating a dead horse department:

Found another reference to this continuing debate about 5th year transfers. From The News Gazette's Scott Richey April 11 Illinois basketball chat,

"I discussed the difference between adding high school prospects and hitting the graduate transfer market in my first one-on-one sit down with Brad Underwood probably a year ago at this point. He said grad transfers have their place (if the fit is right), and he obviously added one this past season in Mark Alstork. Underwood's preference, though, is adding high school prospects because of how you can develop them. They haven't played for anybody else at the college level. There might be fewer bad habits to break, and they don't have to un-learn one college coach's system and learn another."
http://www.news-gazette.com/chats/2018-04-08/april-11-illinois-basketball-chat.html
 
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#1,346      
sacraig
This thread is dead. Do we need to discuss the State of Arizona some more?
 
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