Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

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#426      
Any connection with him and Dainja both being from Mpls area?
I don't know. One was a 2020 recruit, one a 2019. Different AAU teams from what I could see. Their high schools are only 10 miles apart. My guess has 3 connections to Illinois before basketball related reasons, such as position of need experience, skill level, and opportunity. My logic means nothing to prospects, I know that. Most teams will be done in 3 weeks, maybe then we will hear.
 
#427      
So because an Uber talented senior point guard that’s too short to have high major offers (but is starting to get some) can outperform a team of young players with potential, it’s all about coaching? I’m not saying coaching is irrelevant, but I’m fact checking the claim that Kenwood should be undefeated because they have multiple players with P5 offers. Simeon beat a team with the number 3 overall 2023 prospect and a top 5 2024 prospect. The most talented team doesn’t win every game, even with great coaching.

There’s just a lot of hate being thrown around and not enough respect for what other teams and players are doing just because Kenwood gets the hype and media due to their offersheets.
This is not a difficult concept, I don't know why it is dragging on for so many posts. No one (smart) will dispute that the team with the most talent has the better chance of winning. They won't win every time, but over multiple games, the more talented team wins more. That's why we all recruit the best players. Great coaching can overcome a talent advantage in some games, and poor coaching can negate it.

Furthermore, you don't have to have the single best player on your team to win. Yes sometimes 1 superstar is good enough to put his team on his back, but generally overall talent wins out. So when you say Jaden Schutt was on a team that beat them, you ignore that Yorkville Christian is also a 1A team. So one player was able to beat them. Ty Rodgers apparently pulled off a similar feat. Both Rodgers and Schutt and ranked in the 60s Great players for sure, but not 5 star guys that are on a different level. Simeon no doubt has talented players, but they are not as highly regarded as the Kenwood guys. I watched that game and quite frankly neither team was particularly well coached.

No one has said Kenwood should be undefeated. I don't expect them to beat Sunrise Christian. They did play a 5 star guy on Richardson, but when you lose almost every big game on your roster, you start to look very Cuonzoesque.
 
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#428      
So because an Uber talented senior point guard that’s too short to have high major offers (but is starting to get some) can outperform a team of young players with potential, it’s all about coaching? I’m not saying coaching is irrelevant, but I’m fact checking the claim that Kenwood should be undefeated because they have multiple players with P5 offers. Simeon beat a team with the number 3 overall 2023 prospect and a top 5 2024 prospect. The most talented team doesn’t win every game, even with great coaching.

There’s just a lot of hate being thrown around and not enough respect for what other teams and players are doing just because Kenwood gets the hype and media due to their offersheets.
Can't speak to the senior point guard you're talking about. But once again, I'm seeing a lot of coaching in here that you seem to want to minimize. I never said it was the only factor.

When the less talented team wins, people are going to point to coaching and it's almost always going to be a factor in that. How much is always an open question.

What exactly is your point? The Irvins are great coaches?
 
#429      

RedRocksIllini

Morrison, CO
Nice article on Roddy:

https://www.si.com/college/2022/02/09/david-roddy-csu-rams-basketball

I've seen CSU play many times this year. The guy is legit. He's on the Wooden and Naismith watch lists for good reason. Just does everything well. No idea why he would have any interest in Illinois. Minnesota makes more sense, especially since Dave Thorson is there now. Thorson recruited him to CSU. Half expect to see Minny make a run at Niko Medved (CSU head coach and Minny alum) although it would be pretty harsh to cut bait on Ben Johnson so quickly.
 
#430      
Can't speak to the senior point guard you're talking about. But once again, I'm seeing a lot of coaching in here that you seem to want to minimize. I never said it was the only factor.

When the less talented team wins, people are going to point to coaching and it's almost always going to be a factor in that. How much is always an open question.

What exactly is your point? The Irvins are great coaches?
No. My point is we on this forum like to criticize without proper context or really knowing anything about that which we talk about.

The Irvin’s are doing something right if they are producing that much talent. I have never seen them coach in person or been in a practice they ran, so I cannot speak to their abilities as coaches. Simply saying that comparing offersheets to record is not necessarily an accurate reflection on coaching. Especially at the high school level where there is a lot more parity and some very talented players that don’t get recruited as highly as their talent (due to size, exposure etc)
 
#431      
Just throwing it out there on Rodgers before we give him his Fr. All American award, we are viewing highlights. He is not a great outside shooter.

If Underwood really wants to endear himself to the Irvins for recruiting benefits, he should really just go teach them how to coach.

Kenwood has at least 4 P5 recruits on their roster and they've got 7 losses. Every summer, the Fire is just overloaded with talent, and they win nothing. It's almost unbelievable how they can consistently do so little with so much. I don't even have much faith we'll get to see Kenwood on TV for the state title.
Keep in mind that Ames was hurt for some of the games, sometimes it takes some time for the freshmen to acclimate themselves properly and they just knew that they would have JJ Taylor on the roster. With that being said, the Irvins don't do the best with talent.
 
#432      
No. My point is we on this forum like to criticize without proper context or really knowing anything about that which we talk about.

The Irvin’s are doing something right if they are producing that much talent. I have never seen them coach in person or been in a practice they ran, so I cannot speak to their abilities as coaches. Simply saying that comparing offersheets to record is not necessarily an accurate reflection on coaching. Especially at the high school level where there is a lot more parity and some very talented players that don’t get recruited as highly as their talent (due to size, exposure etc)
There's actually far less parity at the high school level, and certainly a ton less when it comes to coaching.

What the Irvins have done right is recruit. In Chicago it's largely about that more than anything else.
 
#433      
I don't have any inside information, but I see BU/staff not allowing the program to fall below non-NCAA contender. Plenty of talent next year, but much of it unproven at the college level. I see him trying to land a proven 6-5 combo guard/wing type.
 
#434      

Bigtex

DFW
Nice article on Roddy:

https://www.si.com/college/2022/02/09/david-roddy-csu-rams-basketball

I've seen CSU play many times this year. The guy is legit. He's on the Wooden and Naismith watch lists for good reason. Just does everything well. No idea why he would have any interest in Illinois. Minnesota makes more sense, especially since Dave Thorson is there now. Thorson recruited him to CSU. Half expect to see Minny make a run at Niko Medved (CSU head coach and Minny alum) although it would be pretty harsh to cut bait on Ben Johnson so quickly.
Good read. Not sure of the interest in Illinois, but worth a deeper look.
 
#437      
Nice article on Roddy:

https://www.si.com/college/2022/02/09/david-roddy-csu-rams-basketball

I've seen CSU play many times this year. The guy is legit. He's on the Wooden and Naismith watch lists for good reason. Just does everything well. No idea why he would have any interest in Illinois. Minnesota makes more sense, especially since Dave Thorson is there now. Thorson recruited him to CSU. Half expect to see Minny make a run at Niko Medved (CSU head coach and Minny alum) although it would be pretty harsh to cut bait on Ben Johnson so quickly.

Yeah Roddy and CSU are fun to watch. Someone else compared him to Ron Harper and I think that's pretty good. Crafty scorer with some sneaky athleticism. I think Roddy is better in the post and Harper is a little better from the outside.

CSU is in a title race with Wyoming and Boise St. All 3 teams are tournament caliber teams and CSU has to play both of them still. If you need some more CBB in your life, I highly recommend watching those games.
 
#439      
I don't know. One was a 2020 recruit, one a 2019. Different AAU teams from what I could see. Their high schools are only 10 miles apart. My guess has 3 connections to Illinois before basketball related reasons, such as position of need experience, skill level, and opportunity. My logic means nothing to prospects, I know that. Most teams will be done in 3 weeks, maybe then we will hear.
I don't really know either. Roddy's HS is a private school and his hometown is listed as Minneapolis.
 
#441      

Joel Goodson

ties will be resolved
GW smacked Simeon by about 30 (something like 60-30). And the ridiculous thing is that West had trouble finishing down low. Warden was stripped once and missed a couple of free throws, but it happens. Simeon has a bunch of uber quick kids. At the very least, Warden is going to give our guard corps a battle royal. I think we're gonna love him.
 
#442      
GW smacked Simeon by about 30 (something like 60-30). And the ridiculous thing is that West had trouble finishing down low. Warden was stripped once and missed a couple of free throws, but it happens. Simeon has a bunch of uber quick kids. At the very least, Warden is going to give our guard corps a battle royal. I think we're gonna love him.
Durkib looked solid and isn’t committed anywhere 🤔
 
#446      
I don't have any inside information, but I see BU/staff not allowing the program to fall below non-NCAA contender. Plenty of talent next year, but much of it unproven at the college level. I see him trying to land a proven 6-5 combo guard/wing type.
Antonio Reeves of ISU would be that guy. He's 6-6, strong handles, can score in multiple ways (he's over 20 ppg) and is an excellent athlete. I have no idea if he wants to transfer to Illinois, but ISU teams are consistently dreadful, their crowds are small enough to fit in the Shirk Center, and his coach just got fired. Who knows how much discontent there is in that locker room? And I think (due to COVID) he would have 2 yrs. of eligibility. If he wants to come, don't waste any time. Nail it down immediately.
 
#447      

DeonThomas

South Carolina
Antonio Reeves of ISU would be that guy. He's 6-6, strong handles, can score in multiple ways (he's over 20 ppg) and is an excellent athlete. I have no idea if he wants to transfer to Illinois, but ISU teams are consistently dreadful, their crowds are small enough to fit in the Shirk Center, and his coach just got fired. Who knows how much discontent there is in that locker room? And I think (due to COVID) he would have 2 yrs. of eligibility. If he wants to come, don't waste any time. Nail it down immediately.
His shot looks similar to Ayo's. Quick release.
 
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