Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
#1,101      
EmeraldCityIllini
Illinois has 4 out of 5 starters figured out. Obviously there could be a surprise departure, but as it stands, they’re in your back pocket.

To fill that final spot, I think it’s reasonable to say it should be a pretty big fish. Would prefer to get a guy that’s got some playmaking abilities — who you’d feel comfortable handing the keys to.

Swain would be awesome, but he’s a projected 1st round pick. Could make a ton of money in CBB though.
Click to expand...

I haven’t even seen a portal rumor outside of Indy posting him - who I trust. Another odd wrinkle is Sean Miller is starting to be rumored further down UNC list if they keep striking out.

IMO, he’s perfect… on every level. From how we play offense. To defense. To rebounding. Our team would be veteran.

Swain is like Yaxel last offseason. The big fish who could be a pro instead who moved Michigan from second weekend favorite to title favorite
 
Last edited:
#1,102      
WhereDoWeStandWithStorr?
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
Essentially, this is the starting unit I think we're aiming at:

TBD portal guard
Coleman
Stojakovic
Mirkovic
Tomislav

Obviously the bench will need some sorting out - depth, who's leaving, who's returning, etc.

That portal guard is the biggest focus/mystery at the moment (other than retention).
Click to expand...
If we return those pieces (Tomi, Andrej, Mirk), I’d prefer it’s a high assists, pass first guard.

We won’t need a ton of scoring - 10 points per game, but along with 6 or 7 assists would be very good.

Think Jeremy Fears prototype (obviously that’s the elite tier).
 
Last edited:
#1,103      
WhereDoWeStandWithStorr?
therealmiket86 said:
I mean we are going to need to replace a lot of points with Wagler leaving.
Click to expand...
If we return our best players, I don’t think so. Wagler averaged 18 per game, but it’s not about just replacing it with one add. Tomi will score more, Andrej will score more, Mirkovic will score more, etc etc.

What will do this team best is a guard who’s a great facilitator, in addition to timely scoring.
 
#1,104      
Brosky
IF Coleman commits (big if with Duke being his dream school) and our main rotation guys come back, without adding anyone in the portal (which won't happen), this is the depth chart. And I'm assuming Petrovic is gone.

Coleman
Morillo
Davis
Lee (not sure if he'll be back)
Rodgers (not sure if he'll be back)
Stojakovic
Mirk
Tomi
Z

The starters (?):
- Coleman
- Morillo
- Stojakovic
- Mirk
- Tomi

Bench:
- Davis
- Lee
- Z
- Rodgers
- Brown
- Davis (Landon)

Yeah, Illinois will need one veteran sharpshooter and one veteran ballhandler still unless the staff thinks Lee can make a big step up and Morillo is ready for the big stage. I don't think Brown or L. Davis will be ready just yet.
Click to expand...
I'm afraid I have to agree with you re Petrovic. IMO he was this year's mystery man. Dunno what went wrong;
 
#1,105      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
NarrowJ said:
Haggerty has been floated many times
Fears is said to be headed to the portal
Christian Anderson was floated last week

Those are the only guys I’d be able to confidently say are “elite” guards, maybe Blackwell but he’s a level below those three and is strictly a 2 imo. Anderson is probably going in the draft and the other two haven’t announced yet.

So I can’t imagine who it’d be, honestly.
Click to expand...
Among the GUARDS officially in the portal, the one that interests me most:

www.espn.com

Neoklis Avdalas - Virginia Tech Hokies Guard - ESPN

View the profile of Virginia Tech Hokies Guard Neoklis Avdalas on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

6”9 ball handler who averaged 4.6 assists. Reminds me a lot of Egor Demin.

I KNOW folks won’t like the FG/3pt/FT splits… being on a better team might help.
 
Last edited:
#1,106      
PepeSilvia
Fly Illini Fly! said:
Illinois has 4 out of 5 starters figured out. Obviously there could be a surprise departure, but as it stands, they’re in your back pocket.

To fill that final spot, I think it’s reasonable to say it should be a pretty big fish. Would prefer to get a guy that’s got some playmaking abilities — who you’d feel comfortable handing the keys to.

Swain would be awesome, but he’s a projected 1st round pick. Could make a ton of money in CBB though.
Click to expand...
I dont really think Illinois should guarantee Coleman a starting spot or really want to rely on him to start(Unless you were referring to Jake Davis but he also shouldn't start next year).

I think hes a great talent and it wouldn't surprise me if he was a starter(or Morillo) but for a team that could potentially return a ton of talent coming off a final four with national championship aspirations for next year, you don't want to have to rely on freshman to produce.

Look at how Michigan handled McKenney this year. He was a top 20 recruit and hasn't started a single game. He's grown into his role and has been fantastic down the stretch.

It's just not realistic to expect a freshman to come in and do what Wagler did this year. I think you go get two very good veteran guards and let the young guys either really earn it or grow into their role while giving you depth as you saw the importance of with the Cason injury.
 
#1,107      
blackdog
Fly Illini Fly! said:
How many better backup bigs are there in college basketball? He might be the best shot blocker in Illinois history.

My ONLY thing with him is the shot. May have been the single weirdest thing of the whole season:

Last year he shot 38% from 3. This year he finished 2 of his last 31 ... shot 28% for the whole season.

Median of 38 and 28 is 33. If the staff can get him up to 33% ... I have no concerns with what he'll provide.
Click to expand...

Before the really bad stretch he was at 33% and I remeber some stats from around January I think where he was close to 40%. He slumped hard the end of the year but I think a lot of it was the type of shots he was getting. As the year went on he had less and less open shots and more with hands in his face.
 
#1,108      
Thaillini22
Before the really bad stretch he was at 33% and I remeber some stats from around January I think where he was close to 40%. He slumped hard the end of the year but I think a lot of it was the type of shots he was getting. As the year went on he had less and less open shots and more with hands in his face.
Click to expand...
We're talking about Z here, right?
 
#1,109      
Ga65
Here’s what I want

1: Top Transfer/Morillo
2: Dre/Coleman
3: Top Transfer/Jake
4: Mirk/Ty
5: Tomi/Z
Click to expand...
There are eight on this list without transfers. Ty not big enough to play the four. Which is highest need, backup PG or athletic four? I think it is the athletic four and Mirk is the backup PG.
 
#1,113      
HailtotheChief
From the cheap seats said:
I know it’s hard to change your shot, and I know Z has been good from three. But sure seems like he’s got a lot of extra arc on his threes the past couple of months. I might be misremembering. It happens.
Anyway, I’d be thrilled to have him back. I think he has some untapped potential.
Click to expand...
I feel something looks a bit off the way Andre shoots and releases the ball more than Z and usually i like more arc not less but i do think your likely right on Z's shot.
 
#1,114      
Trueblue777
Fly Illini Fly! said:
Illinois has 4 out of 5 starters figured out. Obviously there could be a surprise departure, but as it stands, they’re in your back pocket.

To fill that final spot, I think it’s reasonable to say it should be a pretty big fish. Would prefer to get a guy that’s got some playmaking abilities — who you’d feel comfortable handing the keys to.

Swain would be awesome, but he’s a projected 1st round pick. Could make a ton of money in CBB though.
Click to expand...
Christian Anderson from Texas Tech is another potential option if indeed he does enter the portal.
 
Last edited:
#1,115      
Geno33
Qwiksilvur said:
I suppose this is the place to put this though it sounds like it is unlikely to hold up in court.

www.espn.com

Executive order aims to limit NCAA athletes to 5 years, 1 transfer

An executive order signed by President Donald Trump Friday limits NCAA athletes to a five year playing window and how often they can transfer between schools.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
Click to expand...
President Trump probably knows it won't hold up in court, it's possible it may just be an attempt to get congress to do something that will. IMO players should be allowed one free transfer, plus a penalty free one if a coach is fired or changes schools. After that they should be required to sit a season.
 
#1,117      
One Man Fast Break
The only thing to remember is our insiders tend to get "burned" every year... especially on the retention side. With offseasons that start with totally optimistic predictions of retaining everyone and bringing in exactly who we'd want. It makes sense since the insiders connections are the people within the program itself, so it often just gives you a sense of what "Plan A" is. People got completely blindsided by Morez Johnson last year, Dame Sarr was supposedly going to come here, maybe even Will Riley would return... Last season was supposed to be "Year 1 of a 2 year rebuild" and the team we ended up with was completely different. Yet as we've seen, Staff does a great job of pivoting and making it all come together by the end of each offseason, and clearly has very strong player evaluation skills.

As fun it is to draw out a potential roster (and I do it too), just take it all with a grain of salt until the offseason is in full swing, and trust Underwood & Co. to figure it all out.
 
#1,118      
HailtotheChief
Fly Illini Fly! said:
Illinois has 4 out of 5 starters figured out. Obviously there could be a surprise departure, but as it stands, they’re in your back pocket.

To fill that final spot, I think it’s reasonable to say it should be a pretty big fish. Would prefer to get a guy that’s got some playmaking abilities — who you’d feel comfortable handing the keys to.

Swain would be awesome, but he’s a projected 1st round pick. Could make a ton of money in CBB though.
Click to expand...
I think we may have 3 starters figured out and coleman very well may start. Even 3 is a maybe. Morillo, Jake and other top guys will be in tbe mix and have opportunity to earn those spots too and BU will make those calls after the summer and in practice. Stating otherwise as fact is speculative and those roles are yet to be earned. Heck, 2025-26 should be a perfect example of this. Who saw Andre coming off the bench 1/2 the season, Mihailo not playing in more games than he did when he was an all star overseas many expected to start, and Keaton starting every game. It may happen but who knows.
 
#1,119      
Fly Illini Fly!
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
Among the GUARDS officially in the portal, the one that interests me most:

www.espn.com

Neoklis Avdalas - Virginia Tech Hokies Guard - ESPN

View the profile of Virginia Tech Hokies Guard Neoklis Avdalas on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

6”9 ball handler who averaged 4.6 assists. Reminds me a lot of Egor Demin.

I KNOW folks won’t like the FG/3pt/FT splits… being on a better team might help.
Click to expand...
Jackson Shelstad is also pretty good ….
 
#1,120      
illiniguy24
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
Among the GUARDS officially in the portal, the one that interests me most:

www.espn.com

Neoklis Avdalas - Virginia Tech Hokies Guard - ESPN

View the profile of Virginia Tech Hokies Guard Neoklis Avdalas on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

6”9 ball handler who averaged 4.6 assists. Reminds me a lot of Egor Demin.

I KNOW folks won’t like the FG/3pt/FT splits… being on a better team might help.
Click to expand...
If Andrej leaves, yes, if not…where do you put him in the lineup?
 
#1,122      
Rap47
Fly Illini Fly! said:
How many better backup bigs are there in college basketball? He might be the best shot blocker in Illinois history.

My ONLY thing with him is the shot. May have been the single weirdest thing of the whole season:

Last year he shot 38% from 3. This year he finished 2 of his last 31 ... shot 28% for the whole season.

Median of 38 and 28 is 33. If the staff can get him up to 33% ... I have no concerns with what he'll provide.
Click to expand...
I know I have posted about getting the twins more involved in the offense. Z missed a total of 11 2pt. Shots in 37 games and Tomi missed 40. Most likely one more shot between them in each game and Illini would have had 5 more wins. Their percentages were 83 and 73.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back