Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
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While this list is not exhaustive, the only "proven" scorer I see as a possibility is Martinelli. The problems are that he has said he will return to NWU if not drafted, and he will go quite a bit higher than $1-1.5 million (unless Luis or Keyshawn Hall are legit options.) https://hoopshype.com/lists/2025-nba-draft-early-entries-whos-testing-the-waters/
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Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
The fact that we have two returning impact starters and a couple key bench pieces (Ty and Jake) returning, is a huge sigh of relief compared to where we were last year (though the roster turnover was widely anticipated). Add in a couple of commits we already secured, and there is reason to feel optimistic.
I will still argue that we did well in recruiting last Spring/Summer, all considering. A lot of talent was assembled, even if the staff did not hit on some of the early targets. Unfortunately it never fully clicked during the season, with many reasons at play (some out of staff/team control). I believe that Illinois will field a very competitive team next season, and should be competing for a second weekend in postseason. This is a big season for Brad's tenure, and I expect that the team will deliver.
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
1. The odds of you making it to retirement are much higher than the odds of Riley coming back.
2. The opportunity cost of missing out on others by waiting, it would be the equivalent in your example of putting money into your mattress for 40 years.
3. Control. My retirement investment decisions are mine alone, good or bad. I do not run to outside donors to fund my retirement.
If an NBA player pans out, even the average ones get huge pay days after their rookie deal. So the real detriment to Riley in coming back is having to wait another year before he's paid $30 million a year
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
IF {original school} <> {ILLINOIS}, THEN {waiver granted}
Always love your info and takes. I agree. Long way to go
Serious question though- are we assembling a team that can win a Big Ten championship and or a National Championship? Because that's what I'm being told by Underwood and Whitman that we are in the business of competing for...
The mood in these threads is more volatile than the Nasdaq lately.
LONG TIME listener, first time caller. What is the incentive for people to donate to NIL? What do the people get out of it? Seems crazy to me for people to donate big money for NIL when a lot of universities have a lot of money in athletics.
That's been my thoughts about it. Last year everyone acted like Storr was a monster for negotiating during the season....this year I think that is the norm
I've got a question about something I was interested in terms of continuity/comfort for our players, considering all but 1 are from somewhere else besides Champaign and we have 3 players on next year's roster from the Balkans;
I remember during the Michigan game, the announcers were talking about how Vlad Goldin hadn't returned home in ~4 years, which makes sense considering he's from Russia... But how much time do our Balkan guys spend at home before they're back in Champaign working on individual development? How much time do our returning and early commitments have to spend with each other before a formal practice schedule begins?
As a semi-unrelated side note, I had lunch at Oishi Hibachi for lunch on a random September Sunday afternoon last year, and ran in to Tomi, Ty, and Jake Davis all eating together well before the season started. Coincidence these are the guys returning? Are they all staying for NIL and career prospects, or for stir fry camaraderie?
I remember during the Michigan game, the announcers were talking about how Vlad Goldin hadn't returned home in ~4 years, which makes sense considering he's from Russia... But how much time do our Balkan guys spend at home before they're back in Champaign working on individual development? How much time do our returning and early commitments have to spend with each other before a formal practice schedule begins?
As a semi-unrelated side note, I had lunch at Oishi Hibachi for lunch on a random September Sunday afternoon last year, and ran in to Tomi, Ty, and Jake Davis all eating together well before the season started. Coincidence these are the guys returning? Are they all staying for NIL and career prospects, or for stir fry camaraderie?
I think that 6'8"/6'9", 250-255 pound, 19-year-old Montenegrin Forward David Mirkovic is a great addition to the Illini. I hope that he can be with the team for at least two years. If he works hard with Fletch, I could see him adding to his strength, improving his quickness, and increasing his vertical. He has a very good 3-point shot, but he seems very slow getting his shot off. D-1 defenders will close out on him very quickly on 3s, and I have my doubts that Mirkovic (at least now) will be able to drive to the hoop past those defenders. And I really worry that Mirkovic will (for now) not be able to guard quicker opponents in our man-to-man defense. So, as of right now, I would expect Mirkovic to start this coming season at PF, but I think that is far less than optimal for the Illini. (And BTW, Ty Rodgers, to me, is not really a 4, a starting PF, at 6'6", without a proven [yet] outside shot.) I think that the Illini might want to consider recruiting a starting PF (doesn't need to be a star) via the transfer portal.
Here are four examples of possible transfer 4s via the portal:
Sophomore Malique Ewin of Florida State, 6'11", 230 pounds, 14.2/7.6/1.7 averages, and 59.6/0.0/65.3 shooting.
Junior KeShawn Murphy of Mississippi State, 6'10", 230 pounds, 11.7/7.4/1.6 averages, and 56.6/14.8/61.9 shooting.
Sophomore Alvaro Folgueiras of Robert Morris, 6'9", 215 pounds, 14.1/9.1/3.2 averages, and 54.8/41.3/78.4 shooting.
Junior JaMichael Stillwell of Milwaukee, 6'8", 225 pounds, 13.0/10.7/1.4 averages, and 46.8/28.6/56.2 shooting.
IMHO, any one of these 4 proven players would be better (this season) as the starting PF than David Mirkovic. I would just hope that one of these 4 would be an "affordable" transfer option for the Illini.
Here are four examples of possible transfer 4s via the portal:
Sophomore Malique Ewin of Florida State, 6'11", 230 pounds, 14.2/7.6/1.7 averages, and 59.6/0.0/65.3 shooting.
Junior KeShawn Murphy of Mississippi State, 6'10", 230 pounds, 11.7/7.4/1.6 averages, and 56.6/14.8/61.9 shooting.
Sophomore Alvaro Folgueiras of Robert Morris, 6'9", 215 pounds, 14.1/9.1/3.2 averages, and 54.8/41.3/78.4 shooting.
Junior JaMichael Stillwell of Milwaukee, 6'8", 225 pounds, 13.0/10.7/1.4 averages, and 46.8/28.6/56.2 shooting.
IMHO, any one of these 4 proven players would be better (this season) as the starting PF than David Mirkovic. I would just hope that one of these 4 would be an "affordable" transfer option for the Illini.
That's correct about Eddie Haskell, but that's definitely not Ward next to Beaver.
College sports have (for our lifetimes) been about who is getting the most money. Like any other sport, having the most money doesn't guarantee success, but it does make it more likely. So if you want to be a fan of a winning team, you give the team money.
1m4tr
Cliffmas
That may be true. But there are agents out there that want to purposefully draw a recruit’s decision out to collect as many bids as possible. The longer the delay the more possibility a team will panic and overpay. If I’m the agent, I’m not rushing my player to sign a deal. Coleman waited and then took a big bag w an overpay. You can play up the fact to any team that the client is the missing link on a final four roster.
If the $30 million is available now and a player does not take it. You can not ever get it back.
But, but, but we were told it's still EARLY! Kidding aside, it feels like this is the case. What a system; tampering, back channeling, however you label it. Agents and parents pimping their kids for the highest offer. These are the scenarios everybody saw coming when the "NIL" came to fruition. Unsustainable. The fan experience has already been obliterated, and they are the economic driver of the system.
Name, image, likeness was not sold as pay to play. But that is exactly what it is.
If that happens I have eligibility and could stand to take a course or two. Would it be possible for me to stay on the offensive side of the court?
Well damn,,,,let's bring Kofi back for another year
pretty sure it's Cooper Flagg
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