Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (September 2016)

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#901      
jonnymo
coryfor3 said:
Not really that bad. They didn't get any penalties out of that whole ordeal. They got a few years probation from the NCAA IIRC. It was really just a matter of bringing in the players that he wanted. And when he walked in, it wasn't like the roster was bereft of talent- it was just that they were completely all new guys and so many freshmen. The big obstacles facing him were any NCAA sanctions and the reputation hit to the school. The sanctions never came and he just went about coaching and recruiting and looking like Tom Arnold with the Indiana brand and fan/alum support solidly behind him. Indiana was never irrelevant.
Criticism of his relative lack of success is fair. He saved himself a little last year with a good season but the 2 years prior to that, they lost 15 and 14 games and missed the tournament one year. That is tough for Indiana people to take.
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You are joking I sure hope.

Eric Gordon left for the NBA. DJ White graduated. Dakich kicked 2 of the team. Cream kicked 1 of team. 2 transferred. He started 2 walk ons and if I remember right a sophomore that didn't play much and 2 freshmen.

That team and program was in shambles
 
#902      
SescIllini
Obelix said:
Not sure what you mean there. It was indeed there for the taking, but it is not that Goodwin waited too long and Illinois got tired of waiting and accepted a commitment from someone else at that position. So not sure how to interpret your statement, probably you mean something else than how I read it.
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The scholly was there for his taking to the end agreed. More based on a feeling I had that he wouldn't be wearing the O&B. Part of it was based on Kipper and Pickett and Illinois' pursuit of other SF while he lacked urgency to commit.
 
#903      
Joel Goodson
SescIllini said:
The scholly was there for his taking to the end agreed. More based on a feeling I had that he wouldn't be wearing the O&B. Part of it was based on Kipper and Pickett and Illinois' pursuit of other SF while he lacked urgency to commit.
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Disagree. Not thrilled to rehash JGood, but here goes: he wasn't going to beat out JCL. He wasn't going to get significant PG minutes, if any. He was pretty much pigeon-holed at SF and that's why he didn't commit. Goodwin could've been a successful 4 year wing for us, but with a very slim path to the NBA. And that's what's paramount. Ergo, SLU. Don't think the our SF competition was a primary factor.

If Kipper is as good as advertised, no loss.

If we somehow land Wilkes, great deal.
 
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#904      
Greensboro
Joel Goodson said:
Disagree. Not thrilled to rehash JGood, but here goes: he wasn't going to beat out JCL. He wasn't going to get significant PG minutes, if any. He was pretty much pigeon-holed at SF and that's why he didn't commit. Goodwin could've been a successful 4 year wing for us, but with a very slim path to the NBA. And that's what's paramount. Ergo, SLU. Don't think the our SF competition was a primary factor.

If Kipper is as good as advertised, no loss.

If we somehow land Wilkes, great deal.
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Even if Kipper is as good & we land Wilkes... what about your statue?
 
#905      
Obelix
SescIllini said:
The scholly was there for his taking to the end agreed. More based on a feeling I had that he wouldn't be wearing the O&B. Part of it was based on Kipper and Pickett and Illinois' pursuit of other SF while he lacked urgency to commit.
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Kipper has always been there for a long long time and Pickett had actually been touted as a close friend that would actually help bring Goodwin aboard. So that could not be it.
 
#907      
Illiniguy13
All eyes on the big boys :) Here's to a great visit w/ Epperson. I'd be ecstatic if Groce can reel him in but there just doesn't seem to be as much mutual interest as there is w/ Kiir. The recent VCU commits hopefully push us ahead a little bit more
 
#908      
coltjames03
Lmao JT a done deal for SLU. Don't see that even being close to the truth. JT is a guy who believes in relationships and not a chance he will go to SLU just because Goodwin is there. Ford can't coach and JT wouldn't of came to help recruit Wilkes if he was gone.
 
#909      
BillMo
Illiniguy13 said:
All eyes on the big boys :) Here's to a great visit w/ Epperson. I'd be ecstatic if Groce can reel him in but there just doesn't seem to be as much mutual interest as there is w/ Kiir. The recent VCU commits hopefully push us ahead a little bit more
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not sure what make you say that, Kiir I do believe is the top guy we are after but I believe JG wants to get 2 out of the 4 Wilkes Kiir, Epps and Abu. Its just Kiir seems the most likely to pick a school first out of the 4 so you have to be on him as hard as you can be
 
#910      
Illiniguy13
BillMo said:
not sure what make you say that, Kiir I do believe is the top guy we are after but I believe JG wants to get 2 out of the 4 Wilkes Kiir, Epps and Abu. Its just Kiir seems the most likely to pick a school first out of the 4 so you have to be on him as hard as you can be
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Only reason I say that is because of the recent Epperson interview where he basically didn't mention a thing about Illinois or where we fall in his recruitment. On the other hand Kiir has publicly expressed his interest in us multiple times, is familiar with our recruiting class, academics, etc.
 
#911      
BillMo
Illiniguy13 said:
Only reason I say that is because of the recent Epperson interview where he basically didn't mention a thing about Illinois or where we fall in his recruitment. On the other hand Kiir has publicly expressed his interest in us multiple times, is familiar with our recruiting class, academics, etc.
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that has a lot to do with the fact epp is just now starting to get into the recruiting part ,I think most schools he said anything about are those that have had Aussie players so he had heard a little about them he didn't come to the states till this spring I believe, so he doesn't know much about any school at all. To be honest I believe we are his first visit of any kind so to me it would put us as recruiting him pretty hard. the fact he is at LaLu of course helped us get him here
 
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#912      
STLIlliniMike
Just saw Groce, Epperson, and company rolling through the 6 pack quad on golf carts.
 
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#914      
SescIllini
Glad to hear he is on campus. Does Epperson go back to Aussie to play in college or pro? I'm not sure he has shown any interest in any college. I believe Lalu just was selected about a month ago from other high level prep programs.
 
#915      
Obelix
SescIllini said:
Glad to hear he is on campus. Does Epperson go back to Aussie to play in college or pro? I'm not sure he has shown any interest in any college. I believe Lalu just was selected about a month ago from other high level prep programs.
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If he had no interest in playing college in the US, he would not be coming here to play at Lalu.
 
#916      
Newman
SescIllini said:
Glad to hear he is on campus. Does Epperson go back to Aussie to play in college or pro? I'm not sure he has shown any interest in any college. I believe Lalu just was selected about a month ago from other high level prep programs.
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This isn't true. Epperson may not be completely clueless about college basketball as some are suggesting. His dad is American and played at Toledo before playing professionally in Australia.
 
#919      
Obelix
Hard to imagine Wilkes and Smith both ending up at the same school.
 
#920      
Joel Goodson
Smith to Indiana means Wilkes not likely to Indiana. Assuming LA is too far, it's Xavier or us. I'll take it. Lotta assumptions here, well aware.

Good get for Clappy. Hope Smith doesn't slay us.
 
#921      
Joel Goodson
HoopCity said:
I was wondering, how does Newman get all this inside info ?? So I started to search the web and found this interesting article on Epperson. Maybe same article Newman got his info ??

Since Epperson is at Illinois today hopefully Groce can persuade him to commit today!
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Would be great, no doubt, but not realistic to expect a commitment.

Newman is the all-knowing recruiting Oracle (and swami). Actually, I think TCTORNADO alerted the hoi polloi that Epperson's dad played (and played very well) for Toledo.
 
#922      
Newman
HoopCity said:
I was wondering, how does Newman get all this inside info ?? So I started to search the web and found this interesting article on Epperson. Maybe same article Newman got his info ??

Since Epperson is at Illinois today hopefully Groce can persuade him to commit today!!


http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2016/09/meet_jacob_epperson_michigan_s.html
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I don't know if it was that article specifically, I read about it when I was doing more research after Epperson picked to go to La Lu a couple of months ago. I'm definitely not an insider with Epperson, and that's kind of my point. There's plenty of info out there so it's a bit unfair to make certain assertions without even bothering to make a simple google search to see if it's accurate or not. I don't consider myself an insider but I am quite familiar with current Central to Southern Illinois high school basketball so I will chime in every once a while when I do hear some legit info other than complete bs drunken hearsay. I will post it when I claim to know info that can't be found by using a search engine.
 
#923      
OWWDig
Joel Goodson said:
Smith to Indiana means Wilkes not likely to Indiana. Assuming LA is too far, it's Xavier or us. I'll take it. Lotta assumptions here, well aware.

Good get for Clappy. Hope Smith doesn't slay us.
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I don't think it'll happen, but it'd be interesting if Wilkes cancelled his IU visit. The timing of this seems like a "first come, first served" ultimatum...unless Nova for sure told JS he just wasn't in their plans. Even so, I thought JS would listen to Wisky a bit more especially after Howard Moore was in about a week and a half ago to see him.

Gonna suck having to root against him at IU...was really hoping it would work out differently.
 
#924      
TCTORNADO
I don't think Wilkes will cancel his IU OV but it will be interesting to see if he is at Hoosier Hysteria on the 22nd. He's been to the last 3 HH's.
 
#925      
Joel Goodson
TCTORNADO said:
I don't think Wilkes will cancel his IU OV but it will be interesting to see if he is at Hoosier Hysteria on the 22nd. He's been to the last 3 HH's.
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Would be sweet.

Sweeter yet would be landing Wilkes. Smith to Indiana, Wilkes to us, sounds like a good trade. Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw: I got a gun for my wife. Underneath, in smaller type: It was a good trade. lol'd on that one for a good while.

And, yes, I understand that there isn't, wasn't and won't be a "trade."
 
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