Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (November-December 2016)

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#2,826      
Joel Goodson
FatGreg said:
If we add Smith, do we continue recruiting Finke as hard? We'd obviously still take Ayo or Ramey, but taking a big in 2018 would become virtually mandatory.
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Ramey is not happening. We're probably Ayo's leader right now, but that doesn't mean much. Is going to be a difficult get. Our backcourt is jammed and we'll be swimming in PGs (not complaining). Is all the competition going to be a deterrent for a player of Dosunmu's stature? Probably not. But will other schools offer a much clearer path to the keys? Most assuredly so. (aside: FatGreg, I realize this is not a revelation to you).

I think we continue recruiting Finke very hard. Definitely going to take a big in that class. If we land Ayo and a big, I think the staff will very strongly consider oversigning if Finke wants to join the party.
 
#2,827      
illini8507
Joel Goodson said:
Ramey is not happening. We're probably Ayo's leader right now, but that doesn't mean much. Is going to be a difficult get. Our backcourt is jammed and we'll be swimming in PGs (not complaining). Is all the competition going to be a deterrent for a player of Dosunmu's stature? Probably not. But will other schools offer a much clearer path to the keys? Most assuredly so. (aside: FatGreg, I realize this is not a revelation to you).

I think we continue recruiting Finke very hard. Definitely going to take a big in that class. If we land Ayo and a big, I think the staff will very strongly consider oversigning if Finke wants to join the party.
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Just off the top of my head, I think we will already be over signed before finke ever figures into that equation
 
#2,828      
ILHoff
HC Illini said:
Smith is the better of the two!!n What a blessing losing Goodwin may turn out to be. Seems like a better kid than Goodwin too!

Oh ya...did we offer tonight?!? Cmon with it?!?!

What are his plans for New Year's Day? Might he be at a college basketball game?
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Kind of what I was thinking. We talk about all the bad luck we have on the recruiting trail, but this would be beyond lucky to have Smith fall in our laps.
 
#2,830      
FatGreg
Joel Goodson said:
Am assuming one player transfers after this season.
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Yep, standard attrition rate. You never want to speculate, because there are plenty of Warren Carter stories--guys who emerge as upperclassmen after languishing on the end of the bench for 2-3 years--but when a non-freshman isn't getting burn, there's a fair chance he's considering a transfer. I'd be surprised if no one left the program after this season. I'm guessing we'll ultimately have 2-3 rides for 2018.
 
#2,831      
illini8507
Joel Goodson said:
Am assuming one player transfers after this season.
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Would still be over signed.

If we fill the 2 open scholarships for 2017 we will be full through the next 2 seasons. If we lose 1 player to attrition (which seems likely) that leaves 1 open spot for 2018 recruiting, so ayo and a big would have us over signed by 1 already

There's probably a good chance someone leaves after next season too I suppose, but never know.

Not that I think we should save scholarships or anything, take pie while pies passing.
 
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#2,832      
Ga65
jbutts718 said:
Lucas, Frasier, Williams, Pickett, Coleman-Lands, Jordan .....maybe Smith?? Now, possible someone leaves, redshirts,etc. But, I would think the plan is to go to more of a 3 guard look. Need to go out and find a few bigs that are athletic, defensive oriented players.

We will get points from our guards....need to get some bigs that can rebound and defend and run the court. No more 6'9 or 6'10 bigs that want to shoot from outside and not be physical.

Groce needs to find the right combo of players......and he needs to start with not being soft down low. We have enough perimeter guys now.
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Sure wished we could have got Kiir. Tilmon/Kiir great rim protector combination.
 
#2,833      
Newman
If we offer Smith it's almost guaranteed we lose a couple of wings IMO. I was skeptical about offering Smith but he's been consistent and would be an upgrade to what we have now so he's worth it. This class isn't elite but it has athleticism, skill, and tons of potential that we've been sorely missing. We've had talent but we have average to below average athleticism at literally every position in the starting lineup. This class alone changes that quite a bit even if takes a while for them to adjust to the college game.

Still wish we would have gotten Goodwin just because of his motor but Smith seems pretty impressive. We can't afford to worry about class balance and shouldn't even bother worrying about scholarship numbers. The biggest question I have is why wait so long to offer.. if you're going to offer, why wait. I understand if he hasn't seen him in person but he's already seem him during a pretty dominant performance.
 
#2,834      
Obelix
The scholarship (number) situation is more meaningless than in previous years. First, the big assumption is that Groce stays, which is still an assumption. Otherwise, there will be major overhaul and changes in the scholarship count. Furthermore, IF Groce stays, his back in on the wall, so building for the future becomes more meaningless as well. Groce will have to win right away, so he will fill scholarships with players who can potentially help win right away. He will not pass at an opportunity to sign a player who can help (regardless of position) today based on not having scholarships next year. He will oversign and deal with numbers later.
 
#2,835      
Wittsdream
I'll be damned if I don't see a veritable Jamal Murray clone in Mark Smith! Is he a one and done, budding Lottery Pick talent like Murray (who we recruited hard for a while)? Umm...no! But does he bring to the table a similar mindset and skillset? From my limited vantage point.....yes!

Depending on what happens on the court for the remainder of this season, hence Groce's future, I could easily envision at least two players defecting from among the wing/2G players going forward. JMO.

Will not explicate my reasoning at this point, out of deference to the team, but it doesn't take a geneticist to figure out who those players might be, especially if Mark Smith is added into the mix, alongside Frazier, DaM. Williams, TJL and Pickett.

Therefore, there will be enough rides to accommodate landing another interior player to round out the 2018 class, in addition to pursuing Tim Finke and "the best available talent" in the 2019 class. Landing someone like Smith somewhat mitigates the necessity to land another PG in 2019, thereby allowing Illinois coaches to pursue more frontcourt talent instead (well, unless you can get a Dosunmo or Ramey, which I think would be a tough sell with Frazier and Smith onboard).

That said, I would like to see JCL and DJW remain in the orange and blue (irrespective of a coaching change), but I don't think JCL's aspirations to get to the next level as a legit combo guard can be potentiated with legit lead guards like Frazier and Smith spearheading the offense,and certainly not within Groce's offense. Too bad! Jalen has the purest stroke from beyond the arc I've seen in my 35 years of following Illinois basketball (Bradford and Smith being the only contenders), and could still develop into a Luther Head type of CG in the right system for his two remaining years of eligibility.

We'll see.
 
#2,836      
IlliniCards24
Smith will be there tomorrow. I would expect an offer to come.


There's a good chance Hargrove gets an offer soon as well...
 
#2,839      
Deleted member 346957
Joe Henricksen ‏@joehoopsreport 44m44 minutes ago
The red-hot name/ player in Illinois prep hoops right now? Edwardsville's Mark Smith, who's no longer an unknown...

Joe Henricksen ‏@joehoopsreport 42m42 minutes ago
With #KState offering and likely Sunday visit to #Illini, recruitment of Edwardsville's Mark Smith is heating up...

Joe Henricksen ‏@joehoopsreport 39m39 minutes ago
All Mr. Basketball voters out there: You have a new name to track over next two-plus months. Legit contender here...
 
#2,840      
SescIllini
For those who have followed Big Ten BB and recruiting since the early 80's, Mark Smith reminds me of Antoine Joubert as a high schooler. Very similiar size and built. Joubert was the SG at Michigan, good size and played well with Gary Grant the PG.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP7gedBT4-c


Good call on the Jamal Murray game comparison, a multi tool talent who just continued to rise on the rankings. I agree with those who say that we need to put the best players on the team regardless. This Illini team just doens't have the luxury to pass on talent.

Interesting post on Hargrove, was wondering what year he was in. Looked pretty good.
 
#2,842      
Joel Goodson
SescIllini said:
For those who have followed Big Ten BB and recruiting since the early 80's, Mark Smith reminds me of Antoine Joubert as a high schooler. Very similiar size and built. Joubert was the SG at Michigan, good size and played well with Gary Grant the PG.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP7gedBT4-c


Good call on the Jamal Murray game comparison, a multi tool talent who just continued to rise on the rankings. I agree with those who say that we need to put the best players on the team regardless. This Illini team just doens't have the luxury to pass on talent.

Interesting post on Hargrove, was wondering what year he was in. Looked pretty good.
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Hargrove is a soph. So, 2019. Lots of rides for that class.
 
#2,844      
illininks
Evan Maxwell, formerly of Liberty University and currently sitting out his transfer year at Kansas, has decided to move away from KU.

Here is what I have:
6'10"
245 lbs.
Averaged 21-minutes, 10 ppg and 4.8 rpg (2nd season at Liberty)

Would be a 2-year scholly and I believe eligible next season.

Somebody with better knowledge of resources have any info on this guy?
 
#2,845      
illini8507
No knowledge, but if he's eligible next year and has 2 years left that would mean we are losing he, black, and finke all to graduation in the same year, and potentially Tilmon to the NBA after 2 years. That would leave us with no true post players on the roster.

I bet we kick the tires, though.
 
#2,848      
Bailey
illinoisfan11 said:
Maybe it's my orange and blue colored glasses, but it seems to me like the offer has been given and that he's ours assuming there are no transcript issues (he mentioned we'd requested them).
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Based on that video?
 
#2,849      
illinoisfan11
Bailey said:
Based on that video?
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Yeah. The "so that's good" after he mentioned that UI had told him they requested his transcripts and said they wanted to "move forward with" him. He didn't seem too excited about any of the other schools mentioned. Like I said, may just be my orange and blue colored glasses. :D
 
#2,850      
Johnny Lawrence
SescIllini said:
For those who have followed Big Ten BB and recruiting since the early 80's, Mark Smith reminds me of Antoine Joubert as a high schooler. Very similiar size and built. Joubert was the SG at Michigan, good size and played well with Gary Grant the PG.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP7gedBT4-c


Good call on the Jamal Murray game comparison, a multi tool talent who just continued to rise on the rankings. I agree with those who say that we need to put the best players on the team regardless. This Illini team just doens't have the luxury to pass on talent.

Interesting post on Hargrove, was wondering what year he was in. Looked pretty good.
Click to expand...

I think the Joubert comparison is quite a stretch but thank you for posting anyway. I hope that sports anchor is in some sort of Hall of Fame.
 
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