Any chance we can snag Kenyon Catchings on a discount?
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
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And also maybe this is just me with my Keaton colored glasses on but I think both Brown and Murillo can crack the rotation next year and have a chance to be really good, especially if we can convince them to stick around for multiple years.
We’re still a development program, right?
We’re still a development program, right?
“The Balkan Bishop”
But...the one season he had with Haggerty was the best season of his entire coaching career. If anything, Penny's career has suffered from not enough Haggerty.
I'm not sure I'd take him at anything other than a bargain price. A ball dominant guard who isn't a great passer may lead to a bunch of unhappy teammates.
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
I am baffled by some of the contradictions. How is it that half the big names in the portal are getting a bigger bag than we will offer AND We have a top NIL budget in college basketball AND we aren't getting a good ROI on this year's roster AND we have a top 10 result this season?
Either we have a top 10 budget, in which case I struggle to see how any one player is out of our price range OR we don't have a top 10 budget, in which case this season's result was undeniably strong.
It puts the staff in such a no-win position. We get an insane value out of Keaton and Mirk, but maybe overpaying on a couple players is not acceptable. The staff is just always supposed to get the exact right player at the most favorable price imaginable, without the benefit of hindsight?
I'm skeptical we had a top 10 budget this season, yet we are getting a top 10 season from this group. I want every player eligible to come back, to come back. Let's run this sh*t back!
Either we have a top 10 budget, in which case I struggle to see how any one player is out of our price range OR we don't have a top 10 budget, in which case this season's result was undeniably strong.
It puts the staff in such a no-win position. We get an insane value out of Keaton and Mirk, but maybe overpaying on a couple players is not acceptable. The staff is just always supposed to get the exact right player at the most favorable price imaginable, without the benefit of hindsight?
I'm skeptical we had a top 10 budget this season, yet we are getting a top 10 season from this group. I want every player eligible to come back, to come back. Let's run this sh*t back!
I don't actually know this, but I am confident there is no way we have a top-10 budget. We got outbid for Sarr by a team that's using him as a role player. Michigan is paying an absurd amount of money for their roster. BYU is paying Dybantsa enough money that unless the rest of their roster is basically free, there's no way they didn't spend more than us. I could go through the list but if you just take a look at rosters you can very easily find at least 10 that are clearly paying more than we are.
But one think I will say is that even when we can afford a given player, it seems like sometimes we don't end up with them because we don't believe it's good value. Because we've taken the approach that we're not trying to land the best player we can with our money, but the best roster we can with our money.
Oh for sure. Just look at the big money players that went elsewhere and have been just ok this season. I mean, Donovan Dent for example. How much did he get? Probably a lot more than the value he's given to UCLA this season. But did anyone think that was a bad signing at the time? I don't remember anyone saying that. I do remember some people being jealous that we didn't sign him.
100% agreed. Not every player you retain comes back as good as you expect, but I guarantee the hit rate is better than bringing in a new player from the portal.
Know I’ve already posted him … But this is one to watch …
www.espn.com
Dedan Thomas Jr. - LSU Tigers Guard - ESPN
View the profile of LSU Tigers Guard Dedan Thomas Jr. on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
Terrible 3 point shooterKnow I’ve already posted him … But this is one to watch …
Dedan Thomas Jr. - LSU Tigers Guard - ESPN
View the profile of LSU Tigers Guard Dedan Thomas Jr. on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
I was wondering your thoughts on Haggerty if possible. Thats someone i want others dont seem to. Also what about the very good player from ND?Know I’ve already posted him … But this is one to watch …
Dedan Thomas Jr. - LSU Tigers Guard - ESPN
View the profile of LSU Tigers Guard Dedan Thomas Jr. on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
To be fair part of it is that we're always replacing more players than everybody else.
For some reason we're always linked with every single small, quick, penetrating, can't shoot PG every offseason and then we never sign any of them.
I'd say I had a feel for what links will actually bear fruit for us, but I thought both Will Riley and Stojakovic were total nonsense, so I'm as clueless as anybody.
See: Kylan Boswell …
Pretty much the same numbers …
And he shot better at UNLV …
will we go after jasper johnson
HELL YES!!
We can’t get Keaton/Kylan/Ben back. Thats 37.5% of our rotation and best player. So…
- Mirk will likely make a pre-season All-B1G team and be the face of next year’s team
- Jake will return and start all-year as our senior stabilizer and sharpshooter
Everything else is sort of up in the air.
- Do we trust Tomi to increase his ceiling as a threat at all 3 levels? Can he improve his defense and rebounding? He regressed a bit this year.
- Can Big Z develop a consistent shot and low post offense?
- Can Andrej better secure the ball, finish with more physicality, and improve his passing?
We want to ideally run a 9-man rotation.
- Let’s assume we bring back the Ivisics and Andrej
- Let’s also assume Tomi and Andrej start alongside Mirk and Jake
- Our most important need becomes a top flight PG who can get his but also run a BU offense
For the remaining 3 rotational spots:
- Morillo is our backup PG
- Big Z comes off bench
- Then we need a dynamic SG/SF wing Ala TSJ
My wishlist therefore is:
- Starting PG (ala Braden)
- Athletic wing (ala TSJ)
Is he the same defender?
Kylan was actually a really good 3pt shooter at Arizona (39% the season before he came here, which is better than Thomas's UNLV numbers). No idea why he wasn't able to reproduce that, but he provides so much value in other ways you live with the fact that his percentage went way down.
And I think you always have to be cautious with 3pt numbers from lower levels of competition, which the Mountain West is. For a small guard that might be especially true, where there's a pretty plausible reason to think that he just won't be as effective with the longer defenders you see in the Big Ten and SEC, so there's a danger the LSU numbers are closer to what you'd get. If you just go by UNLV numbers the surefire #1 transfer priority would be DGL. Guy's 3pt% jumped from 25.5% to 41.4% going from the B1G to the MWC.
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
Maybe. I have trouble rationalizing that notion with a look at the starters on each of the sweet 16 teams, though. We have 3 starters that have only played at Illinois (2 ARE Freshmen, but they are cheaper as a result and this is true for many other teams here as well). 6 teams have 4+ starters that began their career at the current university. 5 have less than 3. This year we ranked 70th on Kenpom in minutes continuity, a massive upgrade over our #345 ranking a year ago.
Should not be your big $$ investment. For that I think someone like Haggerty or Murauskis.
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
The prospect of this happening makes me a LOT more excited than the prospect of replacing 3 starters and multiple bench pieces with new transfers.
Imagine what Brad could do if he "only" has to bring in 2-3 players this off-season. More focused pursuit of the guys he wants, that will fit into the existing structure.
I hope we do everything possible to retain Mirk, Jake, Andrej, the Twin Towers, and yeah, Brandon Lee, Jatkys, Bilic, etc. I am pretty sure that won't happen, but I don't know why anyone wouldn't root for this outcome.
jmwillini
- Tolono, IL
Can i be the getaway driver?
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