Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
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I really like the guyAbsolutely argee.
I've seen several posts about how great we will be in '25-'26. Maybe. But we have no idea how many players enter the NBA draft or hit the portal after THIS year. We'll be better served to find out how good we will be this year. There's a boatload of talent in the same place and we've got good coaches. Obviously, this team will be better in December (and beyond) than November. Our two Euro guys might be freshmen in the registrar's office, but both bring plenty of experience against challenging competition. They won't be freshmen on the court. In addition, White, Davis, and Booth have spent a year going to war with U.S. college competition. I expect these guys (under BU's leadership) to gel rather quickly. For these reasons, I expect this year's team to be very, very good, and capable of moving deep into the NCAA tournament.
If you're talking one of the top guys, have to believe it's one of Jasper or Khamenia.
If it's one of the guys in that 75-120 ish range...could be a few possibilities...
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Been looking through a lot of mocks...
outside of this, only two others have either Riley or Kasparas mocked in round 1 (On3 has Riley at 25, SB nation has Riley at 14). Egor Demin seems like a consensus high first round pick.
It's "way too early"...but to say there's a chance we get both Kasparas and Riley for two years isn't that much of a stretch. It also isn't that much of a stretch to say we could lose both...gonna have to see how things play out...
Justin Edwards was a projected #1 pick...he didn't even get drafted...
A LOT can change...
I could see that 4sure.
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Good point. Posters here tend to cherry pick only citing the Mock drafts that have them high.
If he replicates his success last year at the Big10 level I think he definitely can get looks but neither of the Hauser brothers got drafted.
All of this. With NIL, the portal, NBA aspirations, etc…it is IMPOSSIBLE to project who will be on the team the following season. Once the NCAA did away with transfers having to sit out a year and the portal came into our lives, EVERY offseason became an open market.
From a player’s perspective there is ZERO reason not to enter the portal EVERY year and turn it into a bidding war. You always have the option to return to your original school. Why wouldn’t you maximize your earning potential?
I expect us to be REALLY good as the season progresses. We all need to enjoy this ride and not worry about next year. I HOPE several of these guys return, but with the way the system is set up I expect most schools to have 4 or 5 transfers MINIMUM.
There is no disincentive for the players not to do that.
Terrific Stat. Love it!
Illini92and96
- Austin, TX
If someone is a Video Coordinator, wouldn't they defacto prefer doing everything over Zoom instead of in person??
ptgrd23
- orange county CA
It really feels like we have hit the recruiting stratosphere with 10 possible strong rotation players. For the past 20 years we could barely go 6 or 7 deep.
B10 champs 1984 Bruce, Doug, George, Efrem, Quinn Our bench was non existent
B10 champs 2006 Deron Dee Luther James and Roger. Our bench was Jack Ingram
B10 champs 2021 Ayo, Kofi, DaMonte, Adam and Trent. Our bench was Andre, Jacob
We will have major fights for playing time
PG - Kylan, (DGL)
SG - KJ, Riley, (Jake)
SF - Tre, Cary,
PF - Ty, Ben H,
C - Ivisic, Morez
Prior to 2020 team all 10 would have been starters on our team. This is deepest team
B10 champs 1984 Bruce, Doug, George, Efrem, Quinn Our bench was non existent
B10 champs 2006 Deron Dee Luther James and Roger. Our bench was Jack Ingram
B10 champs 2021 Ayo, Kofi, DaMonte, Adam and Trent. Our bench was Andre, Jacob
We will have major fights for playing time
PG - Kylan, (DGL)
SG - KJ, Riley, (Jake)
SF - Tre, Cary,
PF - Ty, Ben H,
C - Ivisic, Morez
Prior to 2020 team all 10 would have been starters on our team. This is deepest team
The only reason not to enter the portal is if a player is actually happy and values happiness. If they enter the portal, there is no guarantee of returning - coaches cannot hold spots for players launching a bidding war.
I really hate this 100% annual free agency, even if we seem to be good at it.
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
I agree with most of this, however, your current team does not need to hold a spot for you. Once you enter the portal, you are taking that risk.
It is free agency but may lose spot or nil money if your spot is filled so always a gamble. Team not required to take you back if you enter the portal. Anyone know why there are not contracts? Seems multi year contracts would dampen movement.
Fair point to you and others who have said something similar. I would still like my chances to find a really good deal in the open market.
I mean, Coleman Hawkins just got 2 million dollars. I love Coleman and all that, but let’s be honest…. I still can’t believe it!
Teams that make deep runs typically have some level of continuity. That was as true this year as it was 20 years ago.
The only team this millennium to win a championship while returning less than 40% of their minutes was UConn in 2023. To find another such team you have to go back to Arizona in 1997.
The current conditions make it harder to have continuity but it should still be the goal even if it means paying above market value to keep a player around.
I don’t disagree at all. I hope we are able to keep most of these guys around. It’s just very difficult to do that in the portal era.
10 ppg at Memphis transferred 19 ppg at Eastern Michigan. Drafted 49th 2nd round signed 2 way contract. Was in g-league but called up for 15 games with Cavs.
There were also some Loyalty posters who declared this a failed season back in MAY, when the rest of us were telling them to be patient and trust the process.
Best to ignore those folks who thrive on dooming and spreading negativity. This has the potential to be a really special season. Period.
In Brad We Trust.
He's going to get Fletched...then he's going to be coached up...let's go!
Name checks out...
So, to be clear, a player who enters the portal isn't "happy" and doesn't "value happiness?" You'd say that about Coleman Hawkins after he landed a reported $2 million dollar deal at K-State? How about TSJ who transferred here and found a perfect situation for himself to star, earned an elite 8 appearance, and earned a first round draft pick? How about Marcus Domask? Does he not value happiness as well?
Just because you may not like the new rules doesn't make them bad rules for the players. Will every player choose a transfer situation that works out well for them? Absolutely not. Case in point, Tre's transfer from USC to Louisville. But that's the way it goes with any decision making process.
Do I love that our roster will likely turn over at least half of its spots every season. Not really. But college sports has historically not been favorable to athletes whether you look at athletes' decision making powers or giving them their rightful percentage of the earnings from the sports that they showcase. Me? I'm glad to see the athletes get their due, even if there are a few unwanted side effects.
Just because you may not like the new rules doesn't make them bad rules for the players. Will every player choose a transfer situation that works out well for them? Absolutely not. Case in point, Tre's transfer from USC to Louisville. But that's the way it goes with any decision making process.
Do I love that our roster will likely turn over at least half of its spots every season. Not really. But college sports has historically not been favorable to athletes whether you look at athletes' decision making powers or giving them their rightful percentage of the earnings from the sports that they showcase. Me? I'm glad to see the athletes get their due, even if there are a few unwanted side effects.
1900 entered portal. 351 teams. So well over 5 per team. Crazy
I wonder how many of those 1900 still geel their tail feathers burning after receiving no offers, no funds, or a noticeable increase in the creak in their new court's flooring?
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