Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (Week of April 5th, 2021)

Status
Not open for further replies.
#553      
I'm assuming there's some due diligence before posting??
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20210407-174038.png
    Screenshot_20210407-174038.png
    364.5 KB · Views: 941
#554      
Ok, maybe I should have clarified what I define as a dynasty (less about recruiting, more about WINNING or AT LEAST being a Runner Up......... They haven't been in the championship conversation consistently since 2001. Winning twice in 20 years isn't really a dynasty. Not saying K can't coach, but they are no longer dominant or favored. When's the last time you looked at a Duke team and said "that's the best team in the country"? That's what a dynasty is.
Champions - 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015
Runner Ups - 1964, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1999
Not to stay off topic in the recruiting thread, BUTTTTT5 times in the last decade Duke has been in the elite eight. I’m not really sure what you consider consistent championship conversation if that’s not it.

As far as UNC, Roy has won more titles than Dean albeit making less Final Fours, Elite Eights and Sweet Sixteens (Dean also coached their twice as many years).

I would drown puppies to look at this as “not contending for a championship consistently”
 
#556      
Would they even play together? I guess Tyty isn't likely a one-and-done, so I'd be curious how close AJ and Tyty are.
TyTy could very well be one and done, of course dependent on how he performs (duh). But the guy has had a meteoric rise up the rankings and there was just an article on (I think) 247 this week about how he's still probably underrated relative to his ranking. He has the tools and skill, at this point, to be one and done. Will just depend on how much he delivers on his potential his freshman year.
 
#560      

Ubermensch

BOOM! Feed my ego.
Woo! Storr is a guy I've wanted in orange and blue since the first time we saw his footage on YouTube. I like his game a lot. You have to love that Underwood realizes he needs to get bigger guards and wings in here.
 
#565      
We're in the early stages of an ongoing battle to establish the dominant narrative.

On one side, you have those who are arguing that we have an excellent coaching staff who will continue assembling competitive rosters, develop players, and sustain success. When Ayo publicly credits his time at Illinois with his development as a player and gets drafted, this particular narrative is strengthened. Likewise if Kofi and Curbelo get drafted. Winning the BTT and having the best two-year stretch in the B1G also helps.

On the other side, you have those who are arguing that our coaching staff is not good enough and cannot be trusted to keep this thing rolling. Losing to Loyola contributed to this narrative. Miller looking one-dimensional and entering the transfer portal after this season also contributed. The fear that we will fall back into the basement without Ayo and Kofi also fuels this narrative.

Are we in a much better place as a program than we were three years ago? Absolutely. But our current position is far from stable. If we fall back to earth post-Ayo, the narrative will be that Ayo temporarily elevated the program due to his own greatness. And any perceived failures will not be attributed to Ayo but to the staff. He could only be expected to do so much. Ayo giving credit to the staff will be chalked up to his humility and character as a person. If Miller leaves and has greater success elsewhere, the narrative will be that our staff held him back because we didn't know how to maximize his talents.

Assigning credit for success or failure can be tricky. While the truth is usually likely somewhere in the middle, public opinion can be significantly less nuanced and generous when it starts to crystallize. So as we have been saying for multiple years at this point, we are yet again entering another critical year for this program and coaching staff. Buckle up.
The Illini were a strong forward away from being really great, IMO. A Roger Powell (or taller) type; someone who could consistently hit the 8ft-12ft jumper and occasional 3pter, rebound with authority and guard the opposing four with dominance. I had hoped someone like BBV would have stepped up as a solid contributor. Grandison was good but not the answer. Giorgi was great at what he was able to contribute, but wasn't the answer.

I believe the Illini overachieved and no one is at fault for their falling short of the mark. Even with Ayo and Kofi, and other excellent pieces, they needed a power-guy to truly be a great team and take us for a deep Tourney run.

I look forward to see how Ramses and Omar along with Hutch can fill some of the holes left from Ayo's departure. It's redundant to say it, but, it would sure help big time if Kofi stays.
 
#567      

sacraig

The desert
It is funny to me. The Indiana dynasty died when Knight left. I have lived in Indiana for 19 years and the IU fans STILL think they are on par with those teams of yesteryear. Just look at UCLA after Wooden, UNC after Coach Smith, Kentucky, and now Duke. After the coach leaves or in LouDou's and K's situation declining as they age as far as recruiting effectiveness, no replacement coach can do what they did.

Duke's recruiting rankings over the past decade (per 247):
2011: 2
2012: 41
2013: 9
2014: 1
2015: 2
2016: 1
2017: 1
2018: 1
2019: 3
2020: 3
2021: 4

Declining recruiting effectiveness?

200w.gif
 
#568      
Really don’t understand the angst with Illinois kids. 4/13 on this years roster but recruits from around the world. Need to get the players that fit regardless of geography. If family important they will want to play locally so they are close but not like the days when they were only on local TV. Really don’t care where they come. Trent, Kofi, Giorgi, Belo great contributors.
The angst is not so much that we can't do well without them, but rather that we can be consistently great with them. The talent that Chicago puts out annually (with these last few years being a relative low period) is enough to make a high-level D1 team on its own. Of course, if you go purely on rankings, you might end up missing on some of the really good ones (i.e., Lucas Williamson). But literally every year (that I've bothered quickly checking) has at least one recruit (often several) that is now in the NBA or on their way there. If we could consistently lock down the state (and of course identify amongst the pool who will be DJ Williams [ranked 77] vs. Admiral Schofield [ranked 251]), we'd be a top ten team every single year.
 
#570      
Duke's recruiting rankings over the past decade (per 247):
2011: 2
2012: 41
2013: 9
2014: 1
2015: 2
2016: 1
2017: 1
2018: 1
2019: 3
2020: 3
2021: 4

Declining recruiting effectiveness?

200w.gif
So how did that translate in 2020-21? Doesn’t measure fit and balance. Based on performance you should fire the coach.
 
#572      

sacraig

The desert
So how did that translate in 2020-21? Doesn’t measure fit and balance. Based on performance you should fire the coach.

Essentially all the blue bloods fell on their faces to some degree this year. When you rely on restocking your team with a bunch of loaded freshmen every year, it makes it very difficult for that team to jell in preseason workouts and practices when a lot of those are eliminated due to a pandemic. I wouldn't read a lot into it based only on one year (and this year in particular).

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see Duke and UK stink for a while, but I doubt it will happen.
 
#573      
Is Storr a diamond in the rough? Just seems odd we were recruiting him when his offers are the likes of Austin Peay and Chicago St. Is this to get Tyty?
 
#574      
Ok, maybe I should have clarified what I define as a dynasty (less about recruiting, more about WINNING or AT LEAST being a Runner Up......... They haven't been in the championship conversation consistently since 2001. Winning twice in 20 years isn't really a dynasty. Not saying K can't coach, but they are no longer dominant or favored. When's the last time you looked at a Duke team and said "that's the best team in the country"? That's what a dynasty is.
Champions - 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015
Runner Ups - 1964, 1978, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1999
Would 3 in 21 years suddenly be a dynasty? What is the arbitrary cutoff you are using to define this? By your definition of Duke not being a dynasty, I take it you would say we've pretty much only had one dynasty since the 60s and that's Wooden. Maybe UConn too? But then again, sounds like you only count those when the same coach is winning them, so I don't know. Either way, doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.