Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

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#327      
I watched that whole ACC tournament run for Cal... Andrej was good, his teammates sucked. I think he'd be worth the money Sarr is asking for to next year's team. But I'm sure other teams realize that too and I really doubt this kid wants to be in Champaign if he has competitive offers from other teams.
 
#328      
If we can’t come up with 6m for 2 starters and our first guy off the bench, we can’t compete.

Purdue’s probably 15m deep at this point.

Given the market, I’d argue Andre Stojakovic, Watkins, and Miller for $6 million would be the best value package in all of college hoops portal movement.

Heck, I’d say that if just 2 combined equaled $6M
 
#330      
USC isn’t a top 25 team but anyways … Michael spent time coaching in the G League and is ELITE recruiting and scouting wise … He’s also the 5th assistant at USC …
He was an AC at Arkansas when it was a top 25 team. If his bio is correct any G-League experience came after he was hired as an AC by his daddy (and it looks like it was a summer league gig, not anything full time).

UCLA … Taylor played at USC and professionally and is well known in the LA area as a great player development guy and is VERY tied in locally with recruiting … Nate handles all of the recruiting and advanced scouting for Mick … He’s been Mick’s guy since UC …
OK, but Taylor's entire coaching resume before getting hired as an AC at UCLA is 2 years as a grad assistant at St. John's. Not a coach. Grad. Assistant. And Nate had zero AC jobs before getting the AC job at UCLA. Which, isn't that something you always say - "Illinois should not be your first AC job!" I imagine UCLA basketball sees itself on a similar level.

Rem is an ELITE player development guy who also actually played at Gonzaga … Walk on or not … He knows how to relate to current players … Scott Drew tried to hire him back last year … Ken is very involved overseas and with all things scouting … Has been with Tommy forever …
Both guys who never had an AC job before the job at Arizona. "Arizona shouldn't be anyone's first AC job!" says Indy Zona Fan in an alternate universe.

The overall note with all of the guys you named … None of them are the Defensive or Offensive Coordinator for their teams … They play a role …
And if you want to criticize Tyler or Hamer for the way their performance of the role is going, have at it. But 99% of the criticism I hear is about their age or experience, and how "no other Big Ten/Top 25/P4" team would hire someone with so little experience.

Edit to note: And you have had real legitimate criticism of their performance in there, for sure. I have no problem with that. It's just these exaggerated statements about how no other high level coach would hire a young AC with no prior AC experience at a lower level, or wouldn't hire their own son, which are demonstrably false, that I take issue with. And really the only issue I have is that so many others on here take it at face value without doing any of their own research or even engaging in the slightest bit of skepticism.
 
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#331      
I don't think this is nearly as absurd considering the market. And honestly, he's a better option as well at this moment. We need to accept the market - you can do a whole lot worse right now than paying Watkins "Sarr type money".
What's absurd is Sarr asking for Watkins type money! Freshman are usually not getting as much NIL as the portal guys that have a track record, unless you are one of the elite freshman. I don't blame Sarr's team for trying to get the most they can, but he's not comparable to getting a 5th year senior, not close.

I do question the staff's strategy going after these transfers if they back away from anyone asking for $2.5-3M because they need to spread that out to get a SG and bring Ben back, then that is an awful strategy. We need one primary scoring option on the wing - Watkins would be great, then you can get an average SG that is a good three point shooter next to him and then it shouldn't take a lot of money to bring Ben back. I'd rather have the one true alpha then spread it out
 
#334      
Welcome to the Wild Wild West where things change every hour for the past 36 hours….

Youtube Cowboy GIF


dw43.jpg


big changes still coming.....CAN YOU DIG IT ??????
 
#336      
I’m afraid if we don’t bite the bullet and overspend for at least one alpha we’re going to get shutout of all of best of the rest.

It is the nature of NIL, unfortunately and presently.

It’s up to us and yes we will have to overspend or we will have go to battle with who we have and do the best that we can.
 
#338      

Notice we're not mentioned at all in this article. That's 24 schools ahead of us in spending so far.
If that is the case then I guess I can’t get on Brad or staff anymore have the best resources and NIL to put together the best team. I feel like some of our insiders say we have money and because we do Brad has no excuses. Then we bring up recruits and they say we don’t have the funds to get them. So which one is it? Do we have funds and Brad and company aren’t doing the job? Or do we actually not have the funds and so Brad has to be a lot more strategic about picking the pieces. Which also means we can’t be as critical.
 
#339      
I don’t understand the unwillingness to make changes to the coaching staff. Tyler is obvious. I don’t like it but it’s Brad’s son. On some level I understand that one. As I have said many times, I do not comprehend the infatuation Underwood has with Hamer. It’s odd. Our defense has been AWFUL for two straight seasons.

If that aspect of the team is not corrected our ceiling is limited. It is that simple. It won’t matter who is on the team if our defensive principles are not FIXED!

It’s patently obvious. Get a defensive oriented assistant, a Chris Lowery type, and make some significant changes.
 
#340      
Why is our staff just holding onto the $ we have??? If the new market value is 3.5-4M for an All-Conference level player, that’s what you pay!! Are we just going to hold onto cash & a vacant staff position all summer and go ohhh wellll jeez they were all just asking for too much! So we didn’t spend! This entire portal szn has been a JOKE
Is it the staff or the donors making these decisions? Does anybody really know?
 
#341      
I'm just gonna assume he can shoot 50% or better from 3 considering his Dad's history and no one can change my mind.

Get him to the NBA next season and we can basically guarantee every NBA talent Balkan will use ILL as a feeder team.
Just like how Illini legend Jeffrey Michael Jordan once made a dunk leaping from the 3pt line. None of you can prove it didn't happen.
 
#342      
Why is our staff just holding onto the $ we have??? If the new market value is 3.5-4M for an All-Conference level player, that’s what you pay!! Are we just going to hold onto cash & a vacant staff position all summer and go ohhh wellll jeez they were all just asking for too much! So we didn’t spend! This entire portal szn has been a JOKE
Patience. Some of you guys have none of it.
 
#343      
Courtside seats every game. (As long as you're cool with sitting 3 seats over from Brad)

Seriously, though...how hasn't Geoff quit over that alone?
 
#345      
If we can’t come up with 6m for 2 starters and our first guy off the bench, we can’t compete.

Purdue’s probably 15m deep at this point.

I couldn’t agree more but the staff so far has been unwilling to pay the price that superstars are asking for … And in other cases … Players found better situations than what he had to offer … Not money related …

My point still stands though … We got Dix on campus for a visit and no one else … That’s a problem IMO …
 
#347      
I’m afraid if we don’t bite the bullet and overspend for at least one alpha we’re going to get shutout of all of best of the rest.

It is the nature of NIL, unfortunately and presently.

It’s up to us and yes we will have to overspend or we will have go to battle with who we have and do the best that we can.
At a certain point, if we are willing to be outspent by another team on almost every player, are those teams really overpaying these players? Or are we just not willing to pay the market rate?
 
#349      
He was an AC at Arkansas when it was a top 25 team. If his bio is correct any G-League experience came after he was hired as an AC by his daddy (and it looks like it was a summer league gig, not anything full time).


OK, but Taylor's entire coaching resume before getting hired as an AC at UCLA is 2 years as a grad assistant at St. John's. Not a coach. Grad. Assistant. And Nate had zero AC jobs before getting the AC job at UCLA. Which, isn't that something you always say - "Illinois should not be your first AC job!" I imagine UCLA basketball sees itself on a similar level.


Both guys who never had an AC job before the job at Arizona. "Arizona shouldn't be anyone's first AC job!" says Indy Zona Fan in an alternate universe.


And if you want to criticize Tyler or Hamer for the way their performance of the role is going, have at it. But 99% of the criticism I hear is about their age or experience, and how "no other Big Ten/Top 25/P4" team would hire someone with so little experience.

Edit to note: And you have had real legitimate criticism of their performance in there, for sure. I have no problem with that. It's just these exaggerated statements about how no other high level coach would hire a young AC with no prior AC experience at a lower level, or wouldn't hire their own son, which are demonstrably false, that I take issue with. And really the only issue I have is that so many others on here take it at face value without doing any of their own research or even engaging in the slightest bit of skepticism.

Would any other top 25 program hire Tyler or Hamer ?

Would any other top 25 program hire Tyler or Hamer to run their offense or defense ?

All those guys you mentioned above … They’d get other jobs and have interviewed or been asked to take other jobs … P4 jobs … But they also aren’t running the show on offense or defense … They are in other roles …

I have been on record many times … Tyler as Director of Scouting … Didn’t have a problem with it …

Hamer should’ve never been hired to do anything beyond Video Coordinator …

O, Geoff, Another assistant that has actual ties and relationships …

And the other 2 spots should be used for ELITE X&O assistants … Idc who they are or where they come from … High school, D1, D2, JUCO … Doesn’t matter …

But it’s very clear Tyler, Kwa, and Hamer bring ZERO to the recruiting game … We need dudes who can bring in dudes or coach their freaking 🍑 off …
 
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