Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[the juiceman cometh]

So here's my thing. I don't like and have never been that comfortable with the nepotism thing vis a vis Tyler. However, the problem is that he was allowed to be given that job in the first place. JW did not veto it. He should have (particularly after what went on with Lovie). But he didn't.

I get that people don't like the nepotism, but Tyler is in charge of the offense and the offense has been good. So what's the basis for firing him? That he's the coaches son? OK, fine, but you knew that when you hired him. This would be like hiring someone without a college degree, they do everything asked of them, then two years later you fire them for not having a college degree and now you have decided that should have been a qualification of that job from the start.

So in that case, should we be blaming JW?

 

[Flyinghi71]

I'm going to be taking a break as well. Got a nasty dm from someone in here that put it over the top. We will be fine, I'll see ya'll in a bit.

This is ridiculous really… there are some morons here some of us appreciate all of ur intel

 

[zentrails]

So was he wrong about anything?

 

[matt1all]

now that we have bullied away the insiders, we can get back to the matter at hand...

what do we know about bryce hopkins

 

[blife]

Culture wins championships, and we are lacking in that department at the moment.

Agreed, but tough to develop a culture amongst 10 new players in 9 months. Again, thanks to NIL, Portal and unlimited transfer eligibility those appear to be the numbers and time frame.

 

[Indy Illini Fan]

Packaged deal with Hall?

Hall sounds like Kansas or Auburn …

 

[AndyKaufmanstutor]

How much does a good player make in college. I have heard 4+ mil - 2 mil.

Anyone have any idea what Duke paid for their team this year compared to Illinois?

I live 30 miles from Provo and know that the #1 incoming recruit in the nation is getting $7 mil next season at BYU. I’m curious what Flagg got this season.

 

[the national]

Trying to bite my tongue. Typical characters doing what they do. Both sides are at fault a little bit here but everyone fully blaming the staff doesn't know what the heck they are talking about.

 

[Illini4Christ]

Sorry to our insiders for the hostility of the board today. I apologize for the Illini nation.

Illini fans are passionate and sometimes to their own detriment.

Please don’t leave the board, forgive the attitude. Your insights are like a gold nugget for us fans.

 

[LasVegasIllini]

Your point is Brad Underwood and his coaching staff got players in the portal from other countries or paid Transfer portal mercenaries that just wanted a BAG and didn’t care about Brad’s reputation . Will Riley, KJ , Tomi , Tre , Kylan, Ben, Jake Booth . Illinois is not going to get the Top Transfer Portal targets from the United States as long as Brad Underwood is the coach . That’s why they are all in on players from other countries like Dame Sarr .

 

[Miles Leonard]

I remember the days when info was shared here, it would come attached with a chief symbol or the phrase "Everything is fine. Good night" by cocky insiders who shouted down anyone who doubted them. And surprise, surprise it often turned out to be bogus info.

Indy, 0440, Lville, DB, Sharpshot and anyone else of the current insiders that I'm missing. Let me tell you guys that you DO NOT fit that description. It is because of you guys that my faith in inside info being shared here has been restored. I for one will always welcome any info that you guys pass along, positive or negative. But you guys are more than just insiders - you're passionate fans just like the rest of us who want to see the program reach new heights.

So people, please tone down the vitriol. These guys are doing the best they can to give us updates when they are allowed to provide them. Let's stop the hate amongst ourselves and go back to channeling all that hate towards other programs. Starting with Satan, Izzo and Sampscum tomorrow.

 

[zentrails]

That’s kind of a huge aside, though. He just couldn’t stay on the court for any meaningful stretch of time.

Plus the difference in the O when Tomi was playing/versus on the bench was starkly obvious, while a similar effect was not true of MJ.

 

[Yes33]

Dain has stayed roughly the same. His scoring and rebounding has increased a bit, but he took a step down in competition to get there. He doesn’t have a future in the NBA, but he’ll have a nice career overseas, which is exactly what he would’ve had if he had stayed here.

I think Dain would have thrived with Tomi, but we would never have played the two bigs if it were Tomi / Dain. Outside influences / heat pushed Brad to throw Morez in the starting lineup. Dain had moves and was much better around the basket than Tomi or Morez.

 

[LasVegasIllini]

The Rock needs to lay off the steroids and HGH the man looks totally different now. FYI you don’t get bigger and more muscular the older you get passed the age of 30

 

[HailtotheChief]

I've never even sent one to anyone on here. Too busy catching up but can't you just block the a$$es. ILL... We don't need to always agree but it doesn't mean you gotta be a Dix about it. I hope we add Dix...Indy may not but we are still cool! Lol

 

[WyattEarp]

Yeah, it’s real funny to laugh at Indiana. I’ll bet you $50 they end up with a better roster that the Illini do. New coach, new energy, lots of NIL > whatever the F it is we’ve currently got going on

Holy Projection, Batman.

I don’t know if I’m more surprised you’re: defending Indiana Basketball like it’s your kid brother, or that you’re actually upset about a cartoon gif? It’s a freaking joke, man. Lighten up.

Apparently we have a lot of Indiana defenders on this forum?

 

[Yes33]

He was a great coach because he knew how to build a team around them prior to the stacking your team era.

 

[LasVegasIllini]

Absolutely nothing. Excellent point my friend. One of the best comments I’ve read on here. Totally agree with you

 

[idoc13]

I’m kind of curious, what is the the most ridiculous thing an over-passionate Illini fan could say in a DM?

 

[PizzaHutParkingLot]

Can you DM someone Woodford Reserve? Double Oaked?


Asking for an internet friend.

Loyalty needs to put together an NIL package to make sure the @Indy Illini Fan doesn’t go portaling!

 

[sacraig]

Hall sounds like Kansas or Auburn …

 

[STLini25]

How much does a good player make in college. I have heard 4+ mil - 2 mil.

Anyone have any idea what Duke paid for their team this year compared to Illinois?

Someone might have more precise information than me but for 2024-25 Illinois was in the $5M-$7M range and Duke in the $12M - $15M range.

 

[bdutts]

Nearly everyone here likely shares this sentiment, regardless of their other views. I think the issue is with "people." We're not smart.

That’s fine, we all have different opinions. My WTF was for the people who send DMs to the insiders (or anyone else for that matter) because you disagree with their post. Grow the f*ck up, people. Don’t like it? Fine, scroll past or respond directly to the post and let the people disagree blast you.

 

[sacraig]

Trying to bite my tongue. Typical characters doing what they do. Both sides are at fault a little bit here but everyone fully blaming the staff doesn't know what the heck they are talking about.

At the end of the day, Morez Johnson Sr. told Piper on Wednesday that they were staying, then entered the portal 2 days later. So it's obvious that camp isn't innocent here, either.

That doesn't mean we can't be disappointed, fed up, really, with what is clearly a running theme of Underwood's program: extreme roster and staff churn.

 

[t-bone]

Everybody needs to calm down a bit. This isn't a sprint. It's a marathon. Getting bent out of shape over a kid or two leaving. Seriously??? We'll be ok.