Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (October 2017)

[TCTORNADO]

I don't understand why people continue to minimize the loss of Castleton. A 6'10" athletic power forward who can run the floor, play inside and out, knocks down 3's. He was also a bit of a late bloomer who was receiving a lot of interest. If this kid isn't tailor made for a BU offense I don't know who is. This was a huge hit.

He didn't make ONE 3 the whole Nike EYBL season.

 

[skyIdub]

I come to this board for my own addiction to Illinois hoops, and hoping to watch the types of teams we saw in 89 & 05. At this point I would be thrilled with simply our good teams that always had a shot at a B10 title, Sweet 16 or better NCAA run.


Living in Michigan it is even harder being an Illinois fan as MSU and SCUM have been consistent winners on the gridiron and hardwood. Tom Izzo and Dantonio have been able to feed off each other, building a top football program definitely helps with all other sports, especially hoops. Both of them acknowledge their partnership in this regard, and support each other to strengthen their own brand. Harbaugh has obviously resurrected the SCUM football program, and Bielien is benefiting recruiting wise in the last couple years as a result.


With all the nut punches we have taken in recruiting, it is completely normal, and rightful for us to be pessimistic recruiting enthusiasts. I would imagine most fans can say the same thing about losing recruits, and we believe we are the most snake bitten given our history; likely much of that is because we are vested in U of I and don't get emotionally involved with other schools.


Regardless, I am now an eternal pessimist once again. Feel free to tell me to take a pill, get off the ledge, have faith, trust BU and the boys, blah, blah, blah, fricken blah. If these words of hope came from the staff, then okay, but I would bet my daughters five signed MSU bballs that the staff IS disappointed in not only missing out on their targets, but the real possibility of watching the others (who the eternal optimists believe will save our 2018 class) sign elsewhere. Especially out of state schools, damn, U of M and MSU are both top tier programs and have to compete against each other for in state kids, and the other state schools are no slouches. Illinois has not had that competition until arguably recently with NW.


I am going to do my best to not worry about crystal balls, get excited about all the names floating around here for months, but am just going to worry about this years team and hoping they turn this brand around as we all expect they will. Sure, I am going to check in and hope we get some great recruiting news, but am going to take the approach that this is a rebuild despite our staff, and no matter who we hired and all the hype and connections they supposedly had, #WEMUSTWIN to instill faith in the kids and those who can influence them.


It does hurt that we have signed NOBODY, and the B10 is recruiting the leather off the ball. Oh I forgot, the early signing period is not here, wait until spring, blah, blah, blah, fricken blah. Guess what those schools full for 2018 can focus that much harder on 2019 and beyond kids, so filling your class early is an advantage.


Damn that felt good!

 

[squeezegame]

a really smart poster said "underwood came in and landed Mark smith."

YES!

anybody crying about a man who just started a job need to hush. both football and basketball are being completely retooled under whitman. took us 20 years to fall apart like this - give whitman some time to put this back together.

 

[IlliniJim20]

I am literally laughing out loud at this gif.

Thanks, needed the laugh

 

[PlayAZ]

Color me shocked and stunned if VT or GA happen.

What shade is that again?

 

[drewillini89]

This is how we'll get our first commit. That's Chin doing the kicking.

 

[whatahack]

This may also be a unique year for late recruit possibilities because of the whole FBI fiasco. Let's hope that plays in our favor.....

 

[PlayAZ]

Any chance we can get EJ and Okoro to reclass with promised playing time for the 2018 class?

 

[Deleted member 4333]

Can someone tell me why Ayo is considered an Illini lean? I can't recall him or anyone saying anything about the Illini.

 

[Blackhawks215]

https://twitter.com/acilliniryan/status/915718479285714945

I like the sound of this!!!

Why is this a good thing? VT really got a heavy flow of crystal balls starting about two weeks ago, wouldn't that correspond decently well to his claim of having decided two weeks ago?

 

[RichBradIllini]

He didn't make ONE 3 the whole Nike EYBL season.

Eh, we didn't want him anyway.

 

[Illini Beer 4 All]

Any chance we can get EJ and Okoro to reclass with promised playing time for the 2018 class?

They have to have the coursework done. Highly doubtful Okoro does with his transfers.

No guarantee we get Okoro in 2018 or 2019

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[FC Illiniman]

Any chance we can get EJ and Okoro to reclass with promised playing time for the 2018 class?

Really think EJ is gonna join us, Mark Smith is very close to him, and he's been very vocal about us. CC really never said anything great about us, until, Florida said no. We had him say he thought he fit in positionless system, then chooses SCUM. He wasn't meant to come here, probably a good thing he's not.



Our big fish are still out there, we still giving our best efforts to close , irregardless to what this board nay say posters think or our trolls spout.You can never make people do something they don't want to do, I'm sure we don't want guys here that aren't willing to commit 100%. Hopefully in the not far days to come all will be happy with the guys that commit, and forget the ones that lost there chance.


Most important thing is that our guys take the floor, give , let the games play out. Winning will have the recruits asking us to make room for them, then we might say, sorry, we have no room for you.

 

[LarryGotFouled]

Why is this a good thing? VT really got a heavy flow of crystal balls starting about two weeks ago, wouldn't that correspond decently well to his claim of having decided two weeks ago?

It would also correspond decently well to cash's prediction and certainty. We will see. It is just very odd to have him say that while having visits with VT and UGA. Put it this way - if it's UI, then both of those schools are being led on a goose chase. If not, then still one of them is. I think as a poster said a week or so ago, I'm not sure the recruits themselves are the most reliable source of info about their own decision process...

 

[Deleted member 10676]

Really think EJ is gonna join us, Mark Smith is very close to him, and he's been very vocal about us. CC really never said anything great about us, until, Florida said no. We had him say he thought he fit in positionless system, then chooses SCUM. He wasn't meant to come here, probably a good thing he's not.



Our big fish are still out there, we still giving our best efforts to close , irregardless to what this board nay say posters think or our trolls spout.You can never make people do something they don't want to do, I'm sure we don't want guys here that aren't willing to commit 100%. Hopefully in the not far days to come all will be happy with the guys that commit, and forget the ones that lost there chance.


Most important thing is that our guys take the floor, give , let the games play out. Winning will have the recruits asking us to make room for them, then we might say, sorry, we have no room for you.

yeah, but that kind of spite doesn't really feel good unless you're doing it to the people who rejected you.

 

[kuhl84]

Why is this a good thing? VT really got a heavy flow of crystal balls starting about two weeks ago, wouldn't that correspond decently well to his claim of having decided two weeks ago?

The change in commitment date (and reported decision)came immediately following the in home with our staff.


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[IlliniFin86]

I think everyone agrees that winning will make recruiting easier. But what is the definition of "winning" that gets illini over the hump with recruits?
What's it going to take in conference to make a difference with recruits?

 

[Obelix]

Herd from a little birdie aka I read Ryan Evans tweets. We have another big in our sights!! This staff will not be outworked!

Big non-statement... yeah, we missed on all of our bigs recruits, so naturally we will target someone else since this is a position of need. Duh.

 

[SescIllini]

We need to win and run a great offense. We also need top tier instate talent that we land.

 

[TCTORNADO]

What shade is that again?

Gray!!

 

[illini80]

I think everyone agrees that winning will make recruiting easier. But what is the definition of "winning" that gets illini over the hump with recruits?

I think it's going to take a style of play that's exciting and appealing much more than any specific number of wins.

 

[Dvick217]

Big non-statement... yeah, we missed on all of our bigs recruits, so naturally we will target someone else since this is a position of need. Duh.

Haha I know. I'm curious in who it is though.

 

[DaChief4ever]

I had a "chance" run into with Underwood at the post office a few days after the Tilmon affair.....He made this statement that stuck..." We do not want anyone at ILLINOIS that does not want to be at ILLINOIS."....He was pretty adamant about it.

 

[bombayIllini]

I think everyone agrees that winning will make recruiting easier. But what is the definition of "winning" that gets illini over the hump with recruits?
What's it going to take in conference to make a difference with recruits?

IMHO:

* Clean program - on/off court
* Exciting style
* Win those that we are supposed to win
* Win a few that we are not supposed to win
* Make to the 2nd round in the dance

???????

 

[Obelix]

I had a "chance" run into with Underwood at the post office a few days after the Tilmon affair.....He made this statement that stuck..." We do not want anyone at ILLINOIS that does not want to be at ILLINOIS."....He was pretty adamant about it.

BU has a really difficult task ahead of him turning down all those 5* star recruits who do not want to be at Illinois. Not easy...