Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (October 2020)

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#1,302      
I won’t talk badly about TyTy since he could absolutely be a huge piece of our program, especially if Miller leaves early for the NBA. But ultimately we need to recruit a top 50 4 or 5 in this class or a knock out transfer or it’s going to be a failed class.

Man if Miller truly is a one and done, this team should win a championship. My guess is Miller is here for two years.
 
#1,305      
I don't like that UCLA head coach is making tic toc for potential recruits. Nothing wrong with it recruiting wise. It just seems weird
Did you see the shots Jalen Hardy was hitting last weekend? 30 foot threes off the dribble. Coach better do the Ickey Shuffle and the Worm to get him. Whatever gets his attention. The point guard on his team his Frankie Collins, Michigan commit. He is going to be a problem too.
 
#1,306      

illiniswish09

Northwest Suburbs
Just read an article that Creighton is leading the TyTy recruitment with Auburn involved as well... So that answers my own question.
 
#1,310      
I wouldn't be so worried about Creighton with this one....paying his own way to come visit here....no word on if he will do the same for Creighton but it doesn't look that way right now.
Pretty sure that he already did. I can't remember where I saw it but thought he visited there early October. Definitely means they didn't lock him up then though if he is still visiting us now. Even with unofficials, always good to get the last visit.
 
#1,311      
Wake me up when these blue blood schools are actually hit with any significant penalties.... as opposed to Gardner-Webb getting sanctions for one of their athletes getting cream cheese on his/her bagel.

Wake me up when Arizona becomes a blue blood program....
 
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sacraig

The desert
Wake me up when Arizona becomes a blue blood program....

In my opinion, Arizona is kind of a light-blue blood program. Purple blood? You get the idea. The question is whether that stays the same if they get sanctioned and no longer have the same recruiting tools at their disposal, even if only temporarily.
 
#1,313      
Found this article from a month ago: Ole Miss Rivals Article

Excerpt: "He did agree that an extended recruiting dead period that is now spilling into January 2021 does help the Sun Devils’ cause since it’s the only school that Washington did get to visit."

So, at least according to that article it sounds like he hasn't visited Creighton.
 
#1,314      
I won’t talk badly about TyTy since he could absolutely be a huge piece of our program, especially if Miller leaves early for the NBA. But ultimately we need to recruit a top 50 4 or 5 in this class or a knock out transfer or it’s going to be a failed class.

I'm fully behind Giorgi playing 20+ minutes at the 5 as a senior. Getting a competent transfer to gobble the rest (or have someone internally develop) doesn't seem like such a far fetched idea. To me giving the ultimatum having needed a top 50 4/5 next year seems a little bit over the top. Of course, this is all relative. Assuming no major departures/additions for next year (i.e. losing Miller or gaining a top 50 recruit), I think this team can manage a seed anywhere from 7-10, which I think is respectable.

Mac is now recruit A B and C for us. Totally understand the sky is falling feeling if we miss on him too. I'd be more concerned about 2022 and beyond if that's the case. Building a good year or two of a roster isn't extremely difficult, sustaining one is. BU has proved he can build a good roster, but can momentum be kept up?
 
#1,315      
In my opinion, Arizona is kind of a light-blue blood program. Purple blood? You get the idea. The question is whether that stays the same if they get sanctioned and no longer have the same recruiting tools at their disposal, even if only temporarily.
One title doesn't get you to near blue blood status. Upon has win what, three titles and I have yet to see anyone refer to them as a blue blood. Last tourney they lost in the 1st round to 13 seed Buffalo!
 
#1,316      
I wouldn't be so worried about Creighton with this one....paying his own way to come visit here....no word on if he will do the same for Creighton but it doesn't look that way right now.
We have a good shot at the kid, but Creighton is the other team. We have to win the recruitment this weekend, but it's not over yet. At the moment, he's not planning on visiting them though.
 
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sacraig

The desert
One title doesn't get you to near blue blood status. Upon has win what, three titles and I have yet to see anyone refer to them as a blue blood. Last tourney they lost in the 1st round to 13 seed Buffalo!

I suppose for me, the definition of blue blood as it pertains to recruiting is not really directly attached to number of titles, but how readily recruits flock to the program, even if it objectively looks like a less than idea situation for them. Recruits flock to Kentucky/Duke/Kansas even if they have 4 guys in front of them on the depth chart. Arizona seems to be more like Kentucky in that regard than the rest of us. On the other hand, without the multiple titles over decades, I would suspect that Arizona's perch is much less secure, and any major sanctions would have a lot higher potential for damage to them than to the true blue bloods. That's why I called them a purple blood.
 
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Retro62

North Bethesda, Maryland
I see Arizona and Gonzaga as being similar; both highly regarded schools who get their share of good recruits, send kids to the NBA and have done well in the tournament for many years. They’re the line just below the Blue Bloods, along with MSU and a couple of others I’m sure a case could be made for.

Illinois will never be Blue, but a sustained decade or so could put us on that second line...we have the history, and one could argue we’ve been on that line periodically.
 
#1,323      

haasi

New York
Elias Valtonen too. But he didn’t do much and left. He was between us and ASU a couple years back when Underwood was in mad roster building mode.
 
#1,324      
I see Arizona and Gonzaga as being similar; both highly regarded schools who get their share of good recruits, send kids to the NBA and have done well in the tournament for many years. They’re the line just below the Blue Bloods, along with MSU and a couple of others I’m sure a case could be made for.

Illinois will never be Blue, but a sustained decade or so could put us on that second line...we have the history, and one could argue we’ve been on that line periodically.

Never say never.

Kansas and Kentucky are a little different but all the other "Blue Bloods" are there just because of 1 or 2 amazing coaches.

Bobby Knight - Indiana (they've struggled to keep it going in recent history proving that 'blue blood' status can come and go with your head coach)
John Wooden - UCLA (they've struggled to keep it going in recent history proving that 'blue blood' status can come and go with your head coach)
Mike Krzyzewski - Duke (he's about to retire, do they go the way of Kentucky/Kansas or the way of UCLA/Indiana?)
Dean Smith - UNC
Roy Williams - Poached from Kansas to continue Dean Smith's legacy at UNC (he's retiring soon, who's to say they stay on top without him?)

Someone mentioned Arizona, Without Lute Olson's 24 years at the helm of their program Arizona wouldn't be the program they are today. Tom Izzo has done a similar thing for MSU, if MSU can replace him when the time comes with another top tier coach MSU will probably be granted full 'blue blood' status.

With Coach K, Roy Williams, and Tom Izzo all retiring in the near future; which programs are going to join Calipari and Self at the top of the pack? Memphis is making a push but who's to say Brad Underwood can't do it? Brad Underwood is 56 years old. That realistically gives him about 16 more years with our program under the best of circumstances. What if he gives us 6 Elite 8s, 3 Final 4s, and 2 Championships in his potentially 19 years with us? That certainly would put Illinois in a strong position to usher in the next era of elite college basketball.
 
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