IlliniDent
- Chicago, IL
After losing countless guys who were basically ours to lose the last several years, you have to appreciate a coach that actually lands these guys.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (October 2017)
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After losing countless guys who were basically ours to lose the last several years, you have to appreciate a coach that actually lands these guys.
Every recruit has his own individual circumstances, needs, and desires. Very few recruits are "cemented" into a school and those circumstances, needs, and desires can change within 3-6 months. Just look at the Herro situation in Wisconsin or Tillmon at Illinois.
That being said Illinois has fared well with Simeon players, very few have gone elsewhere. That is why I think we shouldn't give up on THT until the very end. There are factors(location) and people(former players, Head Coach) around Simeon players that I feel have and will continue to give Illinois an advantage. So for every Jabari Parker and Bobby Simmons, there are a Nick Anderson, Deon Thomas, Brynt Nortree, Turner, and Nunn. There are also a few others who came whose impact was as great.
So no inside info, but problems are behind THT and Ayo/Fire I think we can definitely land THT.
That being said Illinois has fared well with Simeon players, very few have gone elsewhere. That is why I think we shouldn't give up on THT until the very end. There are factors(location) and people(former players, Head Coach) around Simeon players that I feel have and will continue to give Illinois an advantage. So for every Jabari Parker and Bobby Simmons, there are a Nick Anderson, Deon Thomas, Brynt Nortree, Turner, and Nunn. There are also a few others who came whose impact was as great.
So no inside info, but problems are behind THT and Ayo/Fire I think we can definitely land THT.
Hadn't seen this before...any ideas on why? Would the staff look at him possibly?
https://www.minerrush.com/2017/10/7/16441740/joey-st-pierre-leaves-utep-basketball-team
https://www.minerrush.com/2017/10/7/16441740/joey-st-pierre-leaves-utep-basketball-team
IllFanInMi
I
Guest
Agreed, and the pressure on the staff to close Ayo and Mark was huge, because if they didn't do so it would've been more of an indictment of their inability to get "guys we should." If Mark and Ayo were not allowing others to recruit them, and only considered Ill, then I would agree with the other argument. Bottom line is they had great options, and especially having Izzo and Calipari in your living room can obviously sway a kid into making an emotional decision.
I love that BU is casting wide nets and going after 4 and 5 stars from all over, and when we nearly miss on them it hurts, but imo his ability to recruit will be determined by who he does get and how they perform in his system, regardless of their stars. Who knows, maybe we all look back and end up being happy we didn't get some of the big names as the team wins.
For the record, I've been a negative Nellie, but becoming more positive; just want to see us add a couple more, especially a big, and I'll be Nellie no longer
iLL 89ers
- Dallas,TX , Born and raised in Alton,Illinois
With Lucas, Frazier, Smith,Williams(year under their belt & Jordan in backcourt(Alstork this year),,,,
Then you have Black, Finke and Nichols then a year under their belt in Vesel & Eboigbodin ,,I would be excited to join that "core" group as said by Ayo(coming in),,,,lets turn Illinois basketball back around again !!!
Think some instate guys would chomp at the bit to be part of that future!! Or even some out of state talent would like the situation if they fealt comfy here with campus and staff and fellow teammates.
Very "Great Times" ahead IMHO for b-ball program !!
Then you have Black, Finke and Nichols then a year under their belt in Vesel & Eboigbodin ,,I would be excited to join that "core" group as said by Ayo(coming in),,,,lets turn Illinois basketball back around again !!!
Think some instate guys would chomp at the bit to be part of that future!! Or even some out of state talent would like the situation if they fealt comfy here with campus and staff and fellow teammates.
Very "Great Times" ahead IMHO for b-ball program !!
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280#'s seems to be very big for BU style.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
Does BU not go to OPH? No sightings?
Just wondering how the visit is going and hoping to hear good news soon.
Presume we are an underdog on THT, particularly against the field, but wouldn't it be terrific to be wrong and get another terrific Chicago player.
Just wondering how the visit is going and hoping to hear good news soon.
Presume we are an underdog on THT, particularly against the field, but wouldn't it be terrific to be wrong and get another terrific Chicago player.
why ???
yeah seems a bit big but heck who knows what fletch could do with him. If he can get up and down the court maybe he could be a walk on lol
I doubt it just reading the article. Said he had a rough year and was looking at options outside basketball. Sounds like someone who needs less stress, not more. On the flip side, I assume he'd need to sit out a year, he's no where near top-100 ranking, and as others have said, his size looks more like a linebacker than a guy that would run the court.
For the record, I've been a negative Nellie, but becoming more positive; just want to see us add a couple more, especially a big, and I'll be Nellie no longer
If Smith and Ayo don't get you excited, you need help. I expect at least 1 of them to play in the NBA, and it wouldn't surprise me if both went to the league. They're doing this based on selling their vision, more than anything. Once they start winning, it will get better. Once people see the offense in action, they will check off another box. And once we send a guy to the league, they will check off another. For as much of a rebuild as Illinois needs after Groce, they have done an amazing, A+ job, for just one offseason. Couldn't ask for more! Enjoy the ride, these guys know how to hit accelerator.
ILLINIShox24
Orange Krush '04 & '05
All of this.
We aren't going to get every recruit. Yet every recruit is going to have positive comments about each school to the media.
Only worry about the recruiting losses if we are thin after signing day.
Deleted member 631370
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Agree. It was clear long ago that Nolley was leaning toward VT. The signs were there, even if some didn't want to acknowledge them.
Conditt to Iowa State was sorta like Ayo to Illinois. The family connection to the school (or the staff, in Ayo's case) was too much to overcome.
Castleton was the one that disappointed me. We were on him longer than Michigan and essentially worked ourselves into a leader status. To see Michigan swoop in last second and win was disappointing, but also indicative of whether Michigan stands as a program vs. Illinois at this moment in time.
We need to land quality bigs. I suspect we'll go hard after a spring 5th-year type, but the difference between a good 2018-19 season and a great one could rest on our front court.
There are coaches and schools that should be much more concerned. The FBI probe will change things for NCAA basketball and probably football for next couple of years.
You could very well be right and in fact I hope you are, but I don't see how you can say those things with such absolute conviction. I am not trying to be a snot rag when I ask this but are you privy to their private conversations and/or discussions with family, etc., where this would have been discussed? I grant you Nolley. That was a "special" case. But with Castleton we were one of his final two. Maybe the FBI thing tipped it. And even with Conditt's father's influence maybe we were still a viable possibility until someone brought up the FBI thing and, well, that decided it. And then I forgot about Valtonen. And who knows who else may have written us off because of this alleged cloud hanging over BU. I mean, it has been out there. And I hate it. But I saw somewhere that Loren Tate asked Ayo about the FBI thing. And I think Teddy Purplestein brought it up in one of his articles (not completely sure). So it is out there. I wish it wasn't.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Oh, it's definitely out there. And other schools are using the guilt by association against us. However, in the aforementioned recruitments, you're overstating its significance.
When kids see how we play (rather than just hear about it), that will help immensely. The taint thing will degrade as time passes and no charges are brought against Underwood. Just gotta let it play out, nothing we can do about it.
He was a 17 kid(I believe), so hasn't even played in collage yet. Sounded more to me like he was home sick and just wants to be back close to home, even if that means not playing Basketball. He would be like Kipper and have to sit out till about big ten season. But my point about a walk on, they could try to get him to come here, sit out like Kipper did and work on him and see how it goes between now and being able to play. Your not out anything if he doesnt pan out
Deleted member 236589
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This is just my opinion(and what do I know?), but if there's going to be issues, it won't be with the "FBI thing"....it will be with the NCAA doing their own investigation and in trying to save face, they'll be handing out slaps on the hand for about 50 programs. None of this is tied to Illinois, rather Oklahoma State, who was coached by BU. I guess you can smack him with a lack of institutional control, but ok.....so what? Honestly, with him not being there, what are they going to do about it? Suspend him for some games like they did yo Boeheim? Even at that, there's going to be a laundry list of issues that the NCAA has to address prior to that issue popping up. Good grief, UNC had an academic scandal....again, what came out of it?
So, at the end of the day, this is not the University of Illinois' problem. If the NCAA wants to do a deep dive into the issue, BU is pretty far down on the to-do list. Every school is going to be scrutinized, so no sense in worrying about it.
Again, that's just my take.
Huh??
Taint that the Truth....Breast believe our play will improve!
Deleted member 10676
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another off the scholly grid.
Filip Petrusev@PetrusevFilip
I am proud to announce that I have committed to Gonzaga University @ZagMBB #gozags
Filip Petrusev@PetrusevFilip
I am proud to announce that I have committed to Gonzaga University @ZagMBB #gozags
People can question BU's recruiting skills and maybe he is not the greatest one on one and is very demanding. However, he has already proven he is a professional ready to win. He takes the job and fills his staff with assistants with recruiting skills rather than just bringing his old staff with him. He saves most of JG's recruits and adds Mr. BB. If he doesn't add more to 2018 I don't see it as a problem. Weakness is bigs but he has 4 on board for the next two years. THT would be a great addition because he can probably guard the 4 but not as huge a blow as losing Ayo because of the PR.
People, why did Castleton say Florida was his favorite? Because of their academics.
Michigan got him as much due to the fact that our worthless state government has ruined our college system as anything.
Michigan was on him a long time, they just offered late. My guess is he said good team, great coach, great academics so Michigan it is.
At Illinois there are a lot of unknowns. Makes it hard to bring in outsiders.
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sacraig
- The desert
Let's not pretend that a high schooler from Florida has been paying attention to Illinois politics. Let's also not pretend that UI isn't still a respected academic institution. It is.
Based solely on recent basketball history, Michigan has a leg up on us right now, and their academics are great to boot, so he chose Michigan. This wasn't Rauner's or Madigan's fault.
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