When one door closes, another Dior opens.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
- Status
Wouldn’t be recruiting over Epps … Dior, Skyy, RJ, TSJ, and Mayer. Brad has said multiple times he could start 5 wings, 5 guards. It don’t matter
Bring Epps off the bench as 6th man and nothing changes by adding Dior except style of play and some guys lower on the bench get their minutes cut. The best players always find a way on the court, and if they’re scared of competition (@ Pete Nance) then they shouldn’t be playing for Brad or the U of I anyways. This is an elite basketball program, playing time is earned here. You want guaranteed PT then you go to IU
If Brad thinks he can work with the kid and the kid is willing to buy in. I like the potential and if he transfers after a year … so be it … so does everyone else
We will just reload again.Not saying Dior is a done deal … Just that it is a possibility
No, it isn’t “we are where we are”. Playing time, personalities, guys that have been told it’s their show and then bringing someone else in, the lost year of development for someone else… Having a kid come in as a freshman and transfer after a year is a lose lose for everyone
I’m just not sure I really want Dior
Copycat 247 name.
This is why I laugh at the people here saying RJ is guaranteed his. HE has to earn it this summer just like whoever else decided they want to step up.Wouldn’t be recruiting over Epps … Dior, Skyy, RJ, TSJ, and Mayer. Brad has said multiple times he could start 5 wings, 5 guards. It don’t matter
Bring Epps off the bench as 6th man and nothing changes by adding Dior except style of play and some guys lower on the bench get their minutes cut. The best players always find a way on the court, and if they’re scared of competition (@ Pete Nance) then they shouldn’t be playing for Brad or the U of I anyways. This is an elite basketball program, playing time is earned here. You want guaranteed PT then you go to IU
If Brad thinks he can work with the kid and the kid is willing to buy in. I like the potential and if he transfers after a year … so be it … so does everyone else
Not saying Dior is a done deal … Just that it is a possibility
Joel Goodson
- dawgville
Remember that time when Underwood thought he could finesse the un-finessable? (which he didn't know until the 11th hour). Just really hope this doesn't blow up in our collective face. The skill is undeniable and tantalizing, but there's more red flags than a bullfight.
Epsilon
M tipping over
- Pdx
IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
Because parents have nothing to do with where their kids live and attend school.
I understand your concern, but I've seen kids go to a school a semester and be fine. They literally don't have a choice if their parents' jobs require them to relocate often.
This is the kind of hand wringing that the staff earns big bucks to do. I trust this staff to handle business since they've proven time and time again that they can.
Yall will always find a way to look at the negative, even after everything BU has done. Brad is getting paid millions to figure out if a players fits, you're not. So let's pump the brakes on judging a kid before he even commits to play for us.
Also, I'm sorry not everyone has their life figured out at 14-18 years old like some of you apparent prodigies did.
Also, I'm sorry not everyone has their life figured out at 14-18 years old like some of you apparent prodigies did.
I don't think this lineup works, at all. No rebounds, no rings!… Dior, Skyy, RJ, TSJ, and Mayer. Brad has said multiple times he could start 5 wings, 5 guards.
I love Coach's work, but he says a lot of stuff. Not all of it computes.
Also college is a guards game. KU's best teams started two lead guards. You can't undervalue playmakers at the collegiate level.Wouldn’t be recruiting over Epps … Dior, Skyy, RJ, TSJ, and Mayer. Brad has said multiple times he could start 5 wings, 5 guards. It don’t matter
Bring Epps off the bench as 6th man and nothing changes by adding Dior except style of play and some guys lower on the bench get their minutes cut. The best players always find a way on the court, and if they’re scared of competition (@ Pete Nance) then they shouldn’t be playing for Brad or the U of I anyways. This is an elite basketball program, playing time is earned here. You want guaranteed PT then you go to IU
If Brad thinks he can work with the kid and the kid is willing to buy in. I like the potential and if he transfers after a year … so be it … so does everyone else
Not saying Dior is a done deal … Just that it is a possibility
This is a message board not a cult. If you think the staff is 100% correct on every move, then you're simply wrong.
We come here to discuss Illini hoops not sit around to talk about how amazing the staff is. I think if you expect Matthew Mayer, who is more a 2 than a 4, to guard big ten bigs, you're asking for trouble. I think if you bring in a redundant piece, even if very talented, you run the risk of causing real trouble. I don't think the risk is worth the reward. I don't think you can blindly trust the staff to hit another homerun next year in the portal. Remember Shannon very well could have been an opponent if classes hadn't been an issue, and we still have a need at the 5 that looks like it will remain unfilled at the moment.
Others think differently. Discussing those differing views is literally the point of the board.
Watch some Miami or Texas Tech game film from last year … Both teams made Sweet 16 …
Especially Tech … Biggest guy on the court 95% of the time is 6’8
David plays 20 ish minutes … Similar to what Dain will play
Their guards and wings carried them
Agreed. It’s almost as silly as the guys that suggest a super tall lineup with no guards (IMO size fantasies or a just a simplistic notion that taller automatically equates to more wins)
You need to fade most of what BU says. He’s certainly a good coach, but he throws a lot of !!!! out there that’s not gonna happen.
Skyy or Epps will almost always be on the court (and sometimes both together). And one of Hawk or Dain will be on the court most of the time.
Last edited:
Dior Johnson is a very obvious take, you'd be nuts to think otherwise. We're worried about bringing in a top 40 guy because a top 70 guy might have to battle for minutes more? Huh? Trust Underwood to vet out if the multiple high schools thing is a concern or not at all.
We're still taller than St Peters was. 
13th times a charm as they say.
Just for kicks and giggles, insert the name Ramey into the mix of this discussion rather than Dior. How would that change things then in our lineup or would it? Would it make it better, worse, or no change?
drsmitty74
- Rochester
Maybe, just maybe some in here are getting hung up about having too many wings and guards and not enough "bigs", because of what we have been accustomed to the last couple years. We were blessed to have had Kofi in the middle. Most teams dont have that, thus, I think a Dainj, CoHawk and Mayer will be fine even if we dont add another big. I'm thinking Ty could give us a spell there as well (think DMFW). Give me all the athletic freaks we can get. It's what today's game has evolved in to.
Just my 2 cents.
Just my 2 cents.
I'll trust underwood with whatever he decides on this kid. But my gut is that it would add almost nothing. I think Epps tops him because he fits BU's model. Everyday guy. The difference between those two can't be great enough to justify the risk. We're looking at a top 10 team. If we were adding a known veteran I'd feel different than with an immature freshman.
Stole the words out of my mouth. If you believe Ant Wright, we went after the first guy to commit between Ramey and Malachi Smith. Same with Nance. When he took his time in the predraft, we went after Mayer and got him ... and were ecstatic.
Now some may argue that we went after those two senior guards for veteran play, but it might not be just that. You need true ball handling guards to constantly push the pace. There is room for substitution as we are going to put our opponents on their heels. We're playing a totally different style of ball this year. Dior is a talent too good to pass up. He is 6' 3", can finish well, defends, shoots, and rebounds.
Just remember that Houston did pretty well with one 6' 10" guy last year. Rest were 6' 8" or under. Their best guy was only 6' 5".
Now some may argue that we went after those two senior guards for veteran play, but it might not be just that. You need true ball handling guards to constantly push the pace. There is room for substitution as we are going to put our opponents on their heels. We're playing a totally different style of ball this year. Dior is a talent too good to pass up. He is 6' 3", can finish well, defends, shoots, and rebounds.
Just remember that Houston did pretty well with one 6' 10" guy last year. Rest were 6' 8" or under. Their best guy was only 6' 5".
Last edited:
Joel Goodson
- dawgville
Ramey's not a fit. As indicated by his finalists, he's not willing to accept a 20 mpg role.
Johnson is a different conundrum. Really talented, but not exactly the experienced, steady hand we're seeking. Then there's the stability factor.
For me it's not about the position and size mix. It's about maturity. The only way to make the 22-23 team appreciably better is by adding veteran and experienced talent.
- Status