Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[PepeSilvia]

The narrative seems to be that Ty is a great defender, but are we sure about that? The advanced metrics are meh and I don't remember the eye test being much better. He was playing out of position, so that definitely could have been a lot of the issue, but I don't think it's a given that he's a lock down defender.

Keep in mind that last time we saw him was in year 2 of college. We will be getting him in year 4 this year.

A ton of development can happen in 1 off-season and Ty will have had basically 2 years.

A lot of being a good defender is just physical traits and effort. Ty has the physical traits and definitely tries. His biggest issue was matching up with smaller quicker guards.

Also, keep in mind the last time we saw him we basically had no rim protection. The roster now has two 7 footers with Z being a very capable rim protector and Tomi being able to provide some as well.

Id like to add some additional help at guard with some strength and explosiveness but I think Ty fits in well.

 

[IllinoisssssssVarsity]

Well and we're kind of looking through the wrong end of the telescope on all this.

We weren't very good defensively last season. It was a persistent problem and made the team not as good as we wanted. One major contributor to that (not the only one) was not being a super athletic team up and down the lineup. And we got a little better with the explosive Morez in the lineup, who we've now lost.

So I can understand the desire to frame everything in terms of "get more athletic".

But regardless of their athletic measurables (which are considerable, but that's not the point), what both Z and Ty are is impact defenders. And THAT'S what we need in order to be a better defensive team, that's hitting the problem directly.

Ty is awesome so long as he's not unplayably killing you on offense, which this team seems well-constructed to avoid (in addition to strides we hope he's taken).

When you play good teams you need guys who can guard 1 on 1 in space more than they can’t.

We are currently more loaded with the guys that can’t.

 

[hooraybeer]

Well and we're kind of looking through the wrong end of the telescope on all this.

We weren't very good defensively last season. It was a persistent problem and made the team not as good as we wanted. One major contributor to that (not the only one) was not being a super athletic team up and down the lineup. And we got a little better with the explosive Morez in the lineup, who we've now lost.

So I can understand the desire to frame everything in terms of "get more athletic".

But regardless of their athletic measurables (which are considerable, but that's not the point), what both Z and Ty are is impact defenders. And THAT'S what we need in order to be a better defensive team, that's hitting the problem directly.

Ty is awesome so long as he's not unplayably killing you on offense, which this team seems well-constructed to avoid (in addition to strides we hope he's taken).

to me, our defensive scheme didn’t really give our guys a chance. hard to say in my mind how good they were as individual defenders

 

[ChiefGritty]

When you play good teams you need guys who can guard 1 on 1 in space more than they can’t.

We are currently more loaded with the guys that can’t.

to me, our defensive scheme didn’t really give our guys a chance. hard to say in my mind how good they were as individual defenders

I dunno man, while it feels unfair and overly convenient to rag on the freshmen who were great for us in the grand scheme of things, 3 of our top 4 players in minutes played last year were KJ, Riley and Humdinger, all of whom were turnstiles.

The personnel is going to look very different in that regard next year. I expect the results to reflect that.

We were criminally easy to play against a lot of the time. It's not easy to play against guys like Ty, Z, and Boswell.

 

[illiniguy24]

Lot of time, we didn't finish until the summer last year. Even if we don't get everything we want now, sooner all the guys that were border NBA will be looking for homes, too.

Reminder that TAMU only has 2 players the last I saw

For sure. Counter point, as one of the insiders said a few weeks ago…lasts years timeline doesn’t follow this years timeline.

 

[strobes77]

When you play good teams you need guys who can guard 1 on 1 in space more than they can’t.

We are currently more loaded with the guys that can’t.

Scheming aside for now, this is a big

problem.

 

[illiniguy24]

Lot of time, we didn't finish until the summer last year. Even if we don't get everything we want now, sooner all the guys that were border NBA will be looking for homes, too.

Reminder that TAMU only has 2 players the last I saw

https://twitter.com/x/status/1914327809641623856

Lol

 

[JJE]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1914327809641623856

Lol

I’m not a Pitino fan, but that’s pretty good!

 

[PepeSilvia]

I'm curious to what the market is looking like for Rylan Griffin and if he already leaning somewhere.

If you can lockdown Stojakovic I think he would be a great fit next to him. He seems to fit the positional size that Brad seems to like.

He had pretty bad defensive metrics at Kansas but has all the physical tools to be a solid defensive player if he is bought in after a down year at Kansas.

Would be an athletic 6'6 guard and putting him back in an offensive style more similar to what he excelled in at Alabama where he was a sophomore starter for a final four team(shot 39% from 3 on heavy volume).

I'm curious if he would be a somewhat affordable bounce back option with upside if the choice is to pivot off Miler.

 

[soupy17]

I'm curious to what the market is looking like for Rylan Griffin and if he already leaning somewhere.

If you can lockdown Stojakovic I think he would be a great fit next to him. He seems to fit the positional size that Brad seems to like.

He had pretty bad defensive metrics at Kansas but has all the physical tools to be a solid defensive player if he is bought in after a down year at Kansas.

Would be an athletic 6'6 guard and putting him back in an offensive style more similar to what he excelled in at Alabama where he was a sophomore starter for a final four team(shot 39% from 3 on heavy volume).

I'm curious if he would be a somewhat affordable bounce back option with upside if the choice is to pivot off Miler.

I put this info in the tracker as of last Thursday.

 

[Oracle21]

Well and we're kind of looking through the wrong end of the telescope on all this.

We weren't very good defensively last season. It was a persistent problem and made the team not as good as we wanted. One major contributor to that (not the only one) was not being a super athletic team up and down the lineup. And we got a little better with the explosive Morez in the lineup, who we've now lost.

So I can understand the desire to frame everything in terms of "get more athletic".

But regardless of their athletic measurables (which are considerable, but that's not the point), what both Z and Ty are is impact defenders. And THAT'S what we need in order to be a better defensive team, that's hitting the problem directly.

Ty is awesome so long as he's not unplayably killing you on offense, which this team seems well-constructed to avoid (in addition to strides we hope he's taken).

Z isn’t going to be an impact defender if he’s guarding the 4 with his brother at the 5. Likewise Rodgers isn’t going to be an impact defender if he’s guarding the 2.

Boswell- 1
????? - 2
Rodgers- 3
?????
Z- 5

If you have those 3 guys playing 1,3,5- then it can be good defensive matchups. But you still need to find a 2 and a 4 that can keep their man in front of them

 

[djkirkpatrick22]

I don't remember how I felt this time last year, and I know we ended up with a lot of talent later in the cycle, but something feels really off this offseason. Could be me thinking into it too much, but the coaching changes remaining idle, and yeah I hear the, "get TA off the books," but just seems were behind the 8-ball right now with that and recruiting the portal...

 

[illiniguy24]

Ian Jackson officially to St. John’s

 

[SweetLuh]

Jackson to St John’s as expected. Let’s close soon on Stojakovic!! Please!

 

[Oracle21]

I don't remember how I felt this time last year, and I know we ended up with a lot of talent later in the cycle, but something feels really off this offseason. Could be me thinking into it too much, but the coaching changes remaining idle, and yeah I hear the, "get TA off the books," but just seems were behind the 8-ball right now with that and recruiting the portal...

Really the last 3 years we’ve gotten extremely lucky late in the cycle.

2022- Michigan doesn’t admit TSJ. Illinois gets him.

2023: TSJ comes back to IL for his 5th year of college despite having a chance to be drafted

2024: A lottery pick is found in Europe. Then a reclass draft pick is also found.

Counting on these things is why it feels off bc it usually doesn’t happen like that. As far as the coaching I don’t see any changes coming.

 

[NarrowJ]

Denzel Aberdeen to Kentucky

Might help us a tad unless they see him as a tertiary/backup guy (which is my guess)

 

[Greensboro]

Z isn’t going to be an impact defender if he’s guarding the 4 with his brother at the 5. Likewise Rodgers isn’t going to be an impact defender if he’s guarding the 2.

Boswell- 1
????? - 2
Rodgers- 3
?????
Z- 5

If you have those 3 guys playing 1,3,5- then it can be good defensive matchups. But you still need to find a 2 and a 4 that can keep their man in front of them

Boswell can cover the better offensive player at the 1 or 2, Ty gives you an option for a 2 -4, between Z/Tomi it takes a lot of the incentive for wings/guards to drive the lane. We are at least out of having Boswell cover a 4.

 

[NJB Illini]

That St. John's team has a lot of talent, but you can't help looking at that roster and seeing how much is banking on Bryce Hopkins being back to health. Expensive bet too.

Two seasons in a row he has barely played.

 

[thefalcon5]

Anyone who thinks this team is going to be a plus defensive team next year is kidding themselves.

I think Boswell and Rodgers can be good defenders, but no one else on this roster is more than an average defender.

 

[ChiefGritty]

Z isn’t going to be an impact defender if he’s guarding the 4 with his brother at the 5.

Because rim protection is the core of what makes Z an effective player (and that's not the case for Tomi), I assume any time they share the floor it will be the other way around.

And with both of them, even if Humdinger returns he should never be guarding the 5 where he was woeful last year.

(It just dawned on me that Tomi and Z have kind of a Brook Lopez vs Robin Lopez dichotomy in terms of what their skills are. The skilled offensive technician vs the rim protector)

 

[stlrunner]

I'm a couple days behind. To save me some time catching up on the last 36 hours of posts:

1) Since the weekend came and went, and Ace wasn't signed, does that mean the Illinois staff has officially moved on?

2) Any update on Sarr? Are we feeling like that ship has sailed?

3) Do we still feel solid about Stojakovic?

4) Do we really have any shot at Watkins or Haggerty?

5) What else did I miss?

 

[PIT_ILL]

Z isn’t going to be an impact defender if he’s guarding the 4 with his brother at the 5. Likewise Rodgers isn’t going to be an impact defender if he’s guarding the 2.

Boswell- 1
????? - 2
Rodgers- 3
?????
Z- 5

If you have those 3 guys playing 1,3,5- then it can be good defensive matchups. But you still need to find a 2 and a 4 that can keep their man in front of them

Ty can likely guard any spot on the floor. He is dare I say elite on that end of the floor. He may and I stress may have some issues with a lightning fast small pg.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

I'm a couple days behind. To save me some time catching up on the last 36 hours of posts:

1) Since the weekend came and went, and Ace wasn't signed, does that mean the Illinois staff has officially moved on?

2) Any update on Sarr? Are we feeling like that ship has sailed?

3) Do we still feel solid about Stojakovic?

4) Do we really have any shot at Watkins or Haggerty?

5) What else did I miss?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Haggerty no. Watkins maybe, but if we land Stoj, not sure how prominent that "maybe" is.

 

[Battle89]

I'm a couple days behind. To save me some time catching up on the last 36 hours of posts:

1) Since the weekend came and went, and Ace wasn't signed, does that mean the Illinois staff has officially moved on?

2) Any update on Sarr? Are we feeling like that ship has sailed?

3) Do we still feel solid about Stojakovic?

4) Do we really have any shot at Watkins or Haggerty?

5) What else did I miss?

Well the good news for you is that there were about 1/3 the usual posts, given the holiday. So you can catch up more quickly if you want, or alternatively, know that not much changed. My brief answers (not an insider but voracious reader) are as follows, and are subject to correction by those in the know if things have changed (recruiting is fluid):

1) moved on even before the weekend was up
2) not a 0% chance but very low
3) pretty good, our top target now, will overspend if needed
4) I don't think so unless a lot of new money appears
5) not much

 

[LvilleILL1]