Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

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#2,826      
Dawgss4life
Agree. I find these basketball chat rooms have too many ‘insiders” and way to many sheap that believe the “insiders” have inside info. I’ve noticed over the years they really say vague things. With my age and growing up a mile from Assembly Hall and Memorial Stadium. Going to school at the U of I I hung around many of the athletes. Met Doug Dieken and Mike Wells when I was 8. They were roommates and I was a Cub Scout selling raffle tickets. Mike Was a QB so we would all play catch. Scott Studwell was on my paper route as a kid. Him and his roommates would invite me over to watch football. Dana Howard, Scott Turner, Mickey Johnson, all played on my softball teams. Of course I’ve made many lifelong relationships in the athletic dept. Not including my professional connections, my personal connections allow me information that most will never know.

With this being said there is absolutely only one reason Morez and Tre are leaving. And depending on the minds of 20 year olds there could be more.
It’s not the coach. It ALL about the Benjamin’s. Neither felt their NIL offers were acceptable and have chosen to seek higher pay.
I don’t blame them. Since 2021 I have worked for 4 different companies. Accepted very nice salary increases at each one. I’m at the top of my field. Chasing the money
How can you blame a kid for that.
 
#2,827      
Rich
Its so incredibly disappointing not to have any continuity. At first it was just some bad seeds that were transferring out but now we're not only replacing players and coaches every off-season but having major incidents mid season as well. I don't want to be like Marquette or Purdue and ignore the portal all together but when our program preaches "everydayguys" and "winning program" just to be forced to rebuild entire roster and staff, it feels incredibly disingenuous. At what point do we go from a program to a rental school? I am inclined to think players/parents are starting to view us as that.

Its jarring to see football program have success and players bond and declare they're coming back together year in and year out while accrediting Brett as a reason, while basketball side hasn't had that since after Trent left.

I grew up in a military family and played 3 sports all the way from elementary to senior varsity. I grew up in an era where yelling and screaming was de facto way to coach and to "man up." But all of that was fine because you knew the coaches cared about you when they were yelling at you. I didn't have to get yelled at while looking over my shoulders to see if I was being recruited over behind my back. I'm pretty darn thick skinned but if I had any children that were considering D1 basketball scholarships, I don't know if I could recommend Illinois wholeheartedly. I'd want my kids to go somewhere they can learn, be loyal (both ways), and and be treated with respect (both ways). I just don't see that from our current program and leadership.
 
#2,828      
ginabackes00
Indy Illini Fan said:
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View the profile of Kansas Jayhawks Forward Flory Bidunga on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
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What goes through my head when I see or hear his name
 
#2,835      
Grandpa
Any particular reason you "forgot" the guy who transferred and is playing in the NBA?

Illinois could have used most of the guys who transferred last year. What does them not playing in the tourney have to do with anything.

Granderson played quite a bit for Duke
 
#2,838      
RabidDawgClassic
RabidDawgClassic said:
Last year in the portal we lost:

Luke Goode
Coleman Hawkins
Sencire Harris
Amani Hansberry
Nico Moretti
Dain Dainja
Brandon Lieb

Only one of those players played in the NCAA tournament this year.

The previous year we lost

RJ Melendez
Jayden Epps
Skyy Clark
Benjamin Bosman Verdonk

Two of those players never again played in the NCAA tournaments. The other two had to transfer to a third team for that to happen.

Even before that we lost

Adam Miller
Andre Curbelo
Jacob Grandeson

Miller and Curbelo flamed out at multiple schools. Grandeson rode the bench for Duke. He did see tourney action though.

So you’ll excuse me when I don’t wring my hands over players going out when those coming in have all had consistent trips to the NCAA Tournament. I mean, Tre White’s only tourney experience came this year. I’m pretty sure he’s replaceable.
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Replying to self here. I forgot to add Podz to the losses. Another player who never sniffed the tourney again. He did do well for himself, professionally speaking, so I would consider that transfer a personal win for him. But tea wise, not so much.
 
#2,840      
LasVegasIllini
Totally disagree with you. I would be totally happy as an Illinois fan for us to be doing what Matt Painter is doing at Purdue and what Izzo is doing at Michigan State. Developing players getting good 3 star and 4 stars recruits. I don’t care about 1 and done NBA players. Illinois was never a 1 and done basketball program before this past season. The problem is Brad Underwood doesn’t have a system and he’s not an Xs and Os coach like Matt Painter or Izzo. You can’t recruit players to your system IF YOU DONT HAVE A SYSTEM. Chucking up 3s on offense and drop coverage on defense is not a system. Underwood reminds me of a glorified AAU coach or Junior College coach. Brad needs to have a generational talent like TSJ , AYO , Kofi in order to win. Brad has to out talent other teams to win and Even when he has the best talent on the floor he still loses to less talented teams
 
#2,843      
Dawgss4life
LasVegasIllini said:
University of Illinois basketball is bigger Than Brad Underwood he’s not greatest he’s just the latest. At this point I don’t care if Underwood stays or goes. I do think in the next 2-3 years short of Underwood going to a Final Four or winning a National Championship Brad will be let go or move on to another school. That’s just my opinion. The current culture of Illinois Basketball seems toxic. I have faith in Josh Whitman to do the right thing when comes to University of Illinois sports and protecting student athletes.
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Just start watching Illinois basketball? You obviously either don’t know our past or choose to ignore it. You have this fantasy that we are a blue blood. Like the Illini have been to a bunch of sweet 16s, final fours.
Look around the big ten. Last ncaa championship 2001. How many in the elite Eight this year? 1? Dude careful what you wish for.
 
#2,844      
Birdus
This is only my opinion so here goes.
I did not like our defense this year. We did have a lot of disruption.
Now the positive side.
I remember last year when we didn't get Storr, there was a total meltdown. Same when Coleman left for a 2 mil bag. Now, you can watch SLEEPERS MEDIA all you want and listen to them calling it CHAMPAIGN Housewives or whatever. Fine. It is entertainment and they are good at what they do. They are just stirring the pot to get more views. We do know that Tomi will probably test the NBA waters. But, If we somehow manage to keep Tomi, Kylan & Sarr and bring in 3-4 more good pieces, I like our chances to have a successful season. For me that is getting to the sweet sixteen and possibly another tournament trophy. Plus we have a couple of guys going into the NBA. Like it or not, we have become a next level development program. That will get us a lot of serious looks from guys who don't go to Duke or Gonzaga or another upper tier team.
 
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