Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (November-December 2016)

[illinoisfan11]

Outside of DJW's mom on Twitter during the West Virginia loss and fans wanting to see him play, I don't think there has been any indication that he won't be. Malcolm will be gone so minutes will be available to him if he earns them. He came from a Simeon program that preached that unless you were Jabari Parker or D Rose, you waited your turn until you were an upperclassman to start.

I sat right behind the bench for the NC State game, and DJ was noticeably dejected. He had his warm-up off as soon as the game tipped expecting to be in the first wave of substitutions, and, as the game went on and he didn't get in, you could see how dejected he looked in the huddles. I felt terrible for him. Then he got a little tick, was the victim of a bad call, and got put right back on the bench. I'm not saying this is evidence he'll leave, but he definitely seems frustrated to me. I hope he can stick it out because I think his future here is bright.

 

[Lord Snow]

DJW's career path is so similar to mine at the current time it's shocking. Hopefully his goes differently than mine did the final two years.

 

[TCTORNADO]

DJW's career path is so similar to mine at the current time it's shocking. Hopefully his goes differently than mine did the final two years.

Mike Shaw is that you?

 

[Tevo]

A lot of Laphroaig orange kool-aid and you see this in 2018

Augustine = Tilmon
Powell. = Black
Head. = Coleman-Lands
Brown = Frazier
Williams = Da Williams

Think about it.

I'm all for optimism, but putting an equal sign between a sophomore Frazier and the National Player of the Year Dee Brown might be a touch unfair...

 

[Lord Snow]

A lot of Laphroaig orange kool-aid and you see this in 2018

Augustine = Tilmon
Powell. < Black
Head. < Coleman-Lands
Brown > Frazier
Williams > Da Williams

Think about it.

I would redo it like this. Potentially. Tilmon and Augie being the wildcard, Tilmon has the potential to be better.

 

[Illininer]

Don't see JCL being better than Luther Head.

 

[Second and Chalmers]

A lot of Laphroaig orange kool-aid and you see this in 2018

Augustine < Tilmon
Powell. = Black
Head. > Coleman-Lands
Brown >>>>>>>>>> Frazier
Williams >>>>>>>>>> Da Williams

Think about it.

Best case scenario

 

[Kazanski]

Best case scenario

+1

While I get the enthusiasm for these players, equating them to the starting five of a team whose second loss of the season didn't come until the national championship is quite possibly the definition of insanity.

 

[zoggle101]

The bench will be deep and experienced. We will be really good, and that's not including a stud or two in 18, plus someone like Epperson.

I'd love to get Luke Fischer as a grad transfer. He's the main man up in Milwaukee for coach Collins though. The Golden Eagles are pretty competitive this year, but they might take an extreme step back next year. Fischer could want to play with a better squad as a graduate transfer.

 

[sacraig]

A lot of Laphroaig orange kool-aid and you see this in 2018

Augustine = Tilmon
Powell. = Black
Head. = Coleman-Lands
Brown = Frazier
Williams = Da Williams

Think about it.

Just the thought of Laphroaig and orange Kool-Aid made me wretch a little bit.

 

[TCTORNADO]

Don't see JCL being better than Luther Head.

Clearly, JCL won the freshman year comparison.

 

[79illinois]

Michael O'Brien tweet:

Speculating about an injury is bad, but I know Illini fans are worried about Damonte Williams’ knee. I'm hearing positive things so far.



**********************************************************************

I hope this pans out and is true!

 

[IlliniKid]

Michael O'Brien tweet:



Speculating about an injury is bad, but I know Illini fans are worried about Damonte Williams’ knee. I'm hearing positive things so far.







**********************************************************************



I hope this pans out and is true!

Man would that make me feel so much better. Been seriously worried about it since it happened. He's been having a fantastic season so far. Hoping for some concrete good news soon!

 

[Newman]

Clearly, JCL won the freshman year comparison.

One thing to keep in mind about JCL is that he shot somewhat poorly last year in non-conference as well when he was coming back from injury. I remember making a comment that he would likely shoot better in conference play, but someone shot that down saying that was pretty rare. He was able to recover his touch last season, and I'm sure it'll happen again this year.

 

[IlliniKid]

One thing to keep in mind about JCL is that he shot somewhat poorly last year in non-conference as well when he was coming back from injury. I remember making a comment that he would likely shoot better in conference play, but someone shot that down saying that was pretty rare. He was able to recover his touch last season, and I'm sure it'll happen again this year.

Hopefully next season he doesn't get injured before the season starts again

 

[Bailey]

Michael O'Brien tweet:

Speculating about an injury is bad, but I know Illini fans are worried about Damonte Williams’ knee. I'm hearing positive things so far.

Please please please.

 

[TCTORNADO]

One thing to keep in mind about JCL is that he shot somewhat poorly last year in non-conference as well when he was coming back from injury. I remember making a comment that he would likely shoot better in conference play, but someone shot that down saying that was pretty rare. He was able to recover his touch last season, and I'm sure it'll happen again this year.

Not a big difference:

3 point shots/JCL
Non conf: 29-69= 42.0%
B1G: 58-137=42.3%

 

[Newman]

Not a big difference:

3 point shots/JCL
Non conf: 29-69= 42.0%
B1G: 58-137=42.3%

Maybe it was earlier on in the non conference when I said it. I thought he was shooting below 40% when the comments were made. I believe some people mentioned that his shooting would be worse since he was about to play tougher opponents in conference play.

 

[FT35]

Michael O'Brien tweet:

Speculating about an injury is bad, but I know Illini fans are worried about Damonte Williams’ knee. I'm hearing positive things so far.

Sounds like it could be a knee strain. That's still not great but it could have been (and still may be) a lot worse.

Manual has lost their three best players to injury. Romon Douglas-Watkins (who led the team in scoring and rebounding last year) had an ACL injury in July and AJ Youngman (Eastern Kentucky commit) is out with back issues.

 

[Illininer]

Clearly, JCL won the freshman year comparison.

Hopefully that translates into becoming a first round pick as a senior.

 

[FiveStar]

Sounds like it could be a knee strain. That's still not great but it could have been (and still may be) a lot worse.

Manual has lost their three best players to injury. Romon Douglas-Watkins (who led the team in scoring and rebounding last year) had an ACL injury in July and AJ Youngman (Eastern Kentucky commit) is out with back issues.

That is tough for those young men and the team. However, Adam Miller will now have the chance to show what he's about.

 

[TCTORNADO]

Hopefully that translates into becoming a first round pick as a senior.

Agreed, Luther probably had one of the finest career progressions as anybody at UI.

 

[frozenrope9190]

Agreed, Luther probably had one of the finest career progressions as anybody at UI.

Luther was my favorite player on that 2005 team. ahhhh, the memories.

 

[UCantHideYer]

Even though JCL lowered our 3 point shooting % on Saturday from 66.7% down to 42.9%, still left us feeling he had a great game. His driving & head fakes have to help get him some less contested threes.

Wasn't somebody hinting a few weeks back about some pursuit of somebody from the state of Indiana, but we were waiting on more solid support before revealing who? Any news there?

 

[IlliniKid]

Can anybody point me to a recent video with highlights of Javon so far this season? If there even is one? He's off to a great start and I would like to see some of the highlights.