Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

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#651      
redwingillini11
Is there anyone out there that we are willing to be the highest bidder on? Maybe there is donor fatigue. Maybe we are being really mindful to work within the budget that we have knowing we have to fill X more spots. But it just seems like we don't make offers the way that other "serious" programs do.

I am starting to get real 2020s Cubs vibes here. "Oh we are going to make a push and try to sign top players. But we won't be able to spend what the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Rangers, Phillies, etc. are willing to pay. We are just going to hope that they are willing to take a discount to play at Wrigley Field (Chicago in the summertime >>>>) *crosses fingers*".

If the answer is that we are really down a tier as far as being able to lure in top talent, then I guess that is the reality. But just like with the Cubs, the financial metrics sure make it look like we should be able to land the big fish every once and a while...
 
#653      
ptgrd23
Picture this

* Tomas and Big Z bombing three's like Dirk Nowitski
* Ty and Kylan driving to the hoop thru wide open lane
* Mircovic with old school Jokich post ups and layups sweeping the defensive boards
* Jake and Ben diving for loose balls and hustling on defense
* 2 freshman guards hitting clutch shots and tough on D

We have a solid roster that can make the NCAAs. If we add Miller and a good SF we could contend for B10 title and better seed.
Unfortunately this team does not have the upside of last years team w/ 2 first round NBA draft picks and Morez but it may have a higher floor if we don't have any injuries.

If you look around rest of B10 eveybody else is facing same issues. I would say only Purdue (Smith and TKR returning), Michigan (great portal) and Wisconsin look set for next season. The remaining 14 teams are scrambling just like us or worse. I would be happy with 22-8 (13-7 B10) record and make it to 2nd weekend because we had better seed. Question is whether super tough preconference schedule is still the way to go. Beside Alabama at United Center and Arkansas are we done with Marquette and Tennesee?
 
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#656      
PeoriaIllini03
redwingillini11 said:
Is there anyone out there that we are willing to be the highest bidder on? Maybe there is donor fatigue. Maybe we are being really mindful to work within the budget that we have knowing we have to fill X more spots. But it just seems like we don't make offers the way that other "serious" programs do.

I am starting to get real 2020s Cubs vibes here. "Oh we are going to make a push and try to sign top players. But we won't be able to spend what the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Rangers, Phillies, etc. are willing to pay. We are just going to hope that they are willing to take a discount to play at Wrigley Field (Chicago in the summertime >>>>) *crosses fingers*".

If the answer is that we are really down a tier as far as being able to lure in top talent, then I guess that is the reality. But just like with the Cubs, the financial metrics sure make it look like we should be able to land the big fish every once and a while...
Click to expand...

Just a reminder that the big fish last year was... AJ Storr.

I find it very hard to believe we weren't paying KJ, Bam, and Tomi top dollar. Also, we had freaking TSJ. We may have lucked out with Michigan transcripts but you really think he wasn't getting any sort of back channel offers? We had to have been paying him his worth to stay here.
 
#657      
RabidDawgClassic
Honestly, I don't know why people are so upset about all this. I think this is great! Illinois has NEVER been in the recruiting game like they are now, and NIL and the portal are directly responsible. We're competing on the recruiting trail with the big dogs and when you do that, you're gonna lose more than you win. But you end up, when all is said and done, with a very good roster. Hell... we're putting two guys in the NBA this year -- the last time we did that was 20 years ago! And we haven't been relatively close on sniffing this level of talent since Bill Self landed Charlie Villanueva.

Relax. Enjoy! It's a whole new ballgame and Illinois is a major player.
 
#660      
Illini1985
LvilleILL1 said:
Sarr's price has apparently gotten over three million. Pushing his agent to stay in the draft as well. This was Brad's call to back off, for a couple of reasons.

1) The money they have they can land a stud plus two "good" level guards.

2) Brad wants the big time add to be older. He wants to have a very veteran team again. Even if it was someone like Ian Jackson, he at least has a year of college under his belt.
Click to expand...
Doesn't Sarr getting $3M just drive up the cost of the veteran stud?

That's my concern. We keep getting to the point of player A is too costly, we can get player B, C and D for the same cost. Then next thing you see, player B is too costly.
 
#663      
Tacomallini
HensonHall71 said:
wow, just checking some of the Sarr drama elsewhere- apparently he went back to spain and Barca locked him out of the facilities and his coach said he won't wear the Barca jersey again after going to the Nike Hoops Summit without their permission.
madrid-barcelona.com

Laporta Enrages: 'He Won't Wear Barça's Jersey Again.' and He Already Knows It

Dame Sarr disobeys Barça and travels to the U.S. without permission. Laporta is furious and everything indicates that the young player won't wear the blaugrana jersey again.
madrid-barcelona.com madrid-barcelona.com

And now Kentucky is interested in Sarr as well . . .
www.aseaofblue.com

Kentucky in the mix for Dame Sarr

Sarr would be a major pickup for any college, but the NBA is also a threat.
www.aseaofblue.com www.aseaofblue.com
Click to expand...
God, then club, then country, THEN Nike Hoops Summit
 
#665      
HensonHall71
thefalcon5 said:
Well now that I won’t get “old takes exposed”, kind of thought Sarr leaving Barca without permission was a pretty telling character move.

By no means am I saying you don’t take him because of this, but it sure doesn’t point to a guy of high character.
Click to expand...
That's a fair point - I didn't think much of it at the time - but if he plays himself into a lottery pick this year for a team, is he just going to take the rest of the season off to prepare for the draft? It sounds ridiculous, but that is essentially what he did to Barca, they had key games left to make the playoffs and he chose to play in an all-star game to raise his profile instead of helping his team make the playoffs
 
#666      
DeeIL89
Would like to have Sarr but if he and his agent are now pushing for $2-3 million then I would not be upset if Brad back off. That amount is too much for a freshman.
 
#668      
TheodoreRex
Good enough to compete for championships? I'm still waiting to see us put together a team that looks like...
 
#671      
Sedino
You type a lot of words just to say "We compete in the regular season but not the postseason."

If you're comfortable with mediocrity, then more power to you.
 
#673      
WolfpackIllini
HailtotheChief said:
I don't get all this hate. We are not done. We likely are not getting Miller but regardless. We have 40 minutes of 7ft plus centers that can shoot, Boswell who was playing at an All B10 the last part of the season, a Nike Hoop Summit 4 who is big bodied, will.match up in the post better than anyone from last season if you saw him play the other night, and are in better shape than this time last season by a mile. I wish I could've seen some of you guys make it rain when you were Ballin! I swear we could sign some like a young Michael Jordan and some would be unhappy. It's still early. Guys are still in the draft process. I want guys too but damn.
Click to expand...
Look here, buddy, we don't want no young MJ, we want a seasoned pro, got it?!
Trying to get older here, aren't we?


/s....
 
#674      
LadyLoyalty
When have you ever not been the bearer of bad news?
Rachel Dratch Snl GIF by Saturday Night Live
 
#675      
TampaToo
No offense, but sounds like nobody’s sure about anything. Shocker. Thank you for your input.
 
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