Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

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#276      
not surprising that now of all times there are calls for us to recruit chicago. as if the top chicago recruits (and their coaches/handlers) haven’t been mostly giving us the cold shoulder (edit: and clowning us publicly) for the past 20 years
Can’t like this enough! Happy to see Underwood turn attention elsewhere.
 
#278      
I'll also add that one of the reasons our tempo decreased was that the offensive philosophy went all in on matchup hunting. Sometimes it takes time to set those matchups up.
I think this is where our two views converge, this is exactly right.

But a team without Humrichous and Boswell (different players, but both very much half court executors) and more Coleman, a bigger emphasis on Stojakovic and hypothetically Blackwell, we're going to find more of those favorable matchups in quick-hitters.

People are reacting as if I'm saying we're going to be worse, which I'm not, not exactly. What are the attributes that IMPROVE next year? Beyond the more possessions equals more fouls thing, it's something elemental to college basketball that everyone forgets about in portal world: the team will be older and have more experience playing together. We can do more stuff, practice can get more detailed, the playbook can be longer.

That not being how Michigan did it doesn't mean that's not a championship recipe. Basketball remains basketball.
 
#282      
I wouldn't mind losing Jake and Ty for Dozic. At the end you want the most talented roster.

Vaaks
Blackwell - Coleman
Stojakovic - Morillo
Mirkovic - Dozic
Tomi - Z

Pretty decent 9 deep.
100% disagree.

If getting Dozic means we're losing any of Stojakovic, Mirkovic, Tomi, Z, or Jake -- I'd pass.

What makes you take him over Jake Davis? Somebody whose constantly proven himself as a terrific role player.

Also, Pepperdine was absolutely awful this year. They finished 9-23 and last in the WCC.
 
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#283      
Unless you are Weber.
Way different times. Above-board legal payments vs. under-the-table stuff has leveled the playing field for a school like the U of I. I am grateful to Bruce Weber for taking the Illini the furthest they've ever been, even with someone else's recruits, however those recruits happened to end up here. I also thought it was time for a change. But there were reasons the Illini did not cash in on that run, and it wasn't solely because of Weber.
 
#284      
100% disagree.

If getting Dozic means we're losing any of Stojakovic, Mirkovic, Tomi, Z, or Jake -- I'd pass.

What makes you take him over Jake Davis? Somebody whose constantly proven himself as a terrific role player. Winning player.

Also, Pepperdine was absolutely awful this year. They finished 9-23 and last in the WCC.
To be fair, no one suggested taking all of Pepperdine's team in the Portal. Just the guy who averaged 11.3 pts on an awful team like that.
 
#285      
To be fair, no one suggested taking all of Pepperdine's team in the Portal. Just the guy who averaged 11.3 pts on an awful team like that.
Sure, but that's basically my point. He averaged 11.3 points ON AN AWFUL TEAM. Scoring on an awful team does not suggest you're a winning player.

The original comment wanted Dozic at the expense of losing Jake and Ty Rodgers.

Ty can't shoot, so I could see prioritizing our offensive philosophy (plus it's been indicated here he's about to enter).

I don't think he is a better player than Jake Davis in any regard.
 
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#286      
Cruz Davis is a dawg. For the price point I’d take him over Blackwell. 40% from 3 and 5 assists.

Yes, unpopular opinion but i think at this point “fit” is everything.
Agreed. Cruz Davis (Hofstra) is a dawg. I really don't know his "price point" (nor do I know that for Blackwell either). But I wouldn't take Cruz over Blackwell for the same reason; but I think that Blackwell would be the better "fit" for this Illinois team and its style of offense. Plus, I like that Blackwell has proved himself at Wisconsin in the Big Ten.
 
#287      
Sure, but my point is the guy averaged 11.3 points ON AN AWFUL TEAM. Scoring on an awful team does not suggest you're a winning player.

Jake Davis has proven himself as a winning player.

The comment I responded to wanted Dozic at the expense of losing Jake and Ty Rodgers.
Ayo averaged about 14 points on a 12-21 Illinois, does that make him a losing player
 
#288      
100% disagree.

If getting Dozic means we're losing any of Stojakovic, Mirkovic, Tomi, Z, or Jake -- I'd pass.

What makes you take him over Jake Davis? Somebody whose constantly proven himself as a terrific role player.

Also, Pepperdine was absolutely awful this year. They finished 9-23 and last in the WCC.

We got Jake when Mercer finished 16-17 and 8th in the Southern.

To be clear though, I’d like to keep Jake
 
#289      
I wouldn't mind losing Jake and Ty for Dozic. At the end you want the most talented roster.

Vaaks
Blackwell - Coleman
Stojakovic - Morillo
Mirkovic - Dozic
Tomi - Z

Pretty decent 9 deep.
Injuries. Need 10 or 11
 
#290      
Marketing image is going to be elite - can't wait for it to drop.
Wow, this is crazy. Granted I haven't been on here for as long as many, but I can't remember a time when insiders were this active and this unanimously positive about our outlook for next season. Seems like there's a good chance that "NC or bust" will be floating around by the end of the week...
 
#291      
Sure, but my point is the guy averaged 11.3 points ON AN AWFUL TEAM. Scoring on an awful team does not suggest you're a winning player.

The original comment wanted Dozic at the expense of losing Jake and Ty Rodgers.

Ty can't shoot, so I could see prioritizing our offensive philosophy (plus it's been indicated here he's about to enter).

I don't think he is a better player than Jake Davis in any regard.

Regardless of ability, Jake Davis is a national treasure and EDG. We shouldn't be pushing out players from a F4 roster who have shown their commitment to this program just to hopefully "upgrade."
 
#293      
Wow, this is crazy. Granted I haven't been on here for as long as many, but I can't remember a time when insiders were this active and this unanimously positive about our outlook for next season. Seems like there's a good chance that "NC or bust" will be floating around by the end of the week...
I can't imagine going that far, but if all the major pieces return, anything short of another Final Four will be a disappointment.
 
#294      
Paul Scheer Ghosts GIF by Dark Web

Can we?
 
#295      
Sure, but that's basically my point. He averaged 11.3 points ON AN AWFUL TEAM. Scoring on an awful team does not suggest you're a winning player.

The original comment wanted Dozic at the expense of losing Jake and Ty Rodgers.

Ty can't shoot, so I could see prioritizing our offensive philosophy (plus it's been indicated here he's about to enter).

I don't think he is a better player than Jake Davis in any regard.
ayo averaged 13.8 as a freshman on a team that went 12-21. was he not a winning player?

edit: camo beat me to it
 
#296      
Updated wishlist:

WANT:
- Blackwell
- Christian Anderson when he enters
- (obviously one or the other)

DO NOT WANT:
- Dožić
- Rob Wright
- Cruz Davis
What's wrong with Rob Wright III getting the keys to this Illini offense? Or would he cost too much? Not play enough defense? Too short? (I'm not saying that the Illini should even try to add him via the portal.)
 
#297      
We got Jake when Mercer finished 16-17 and 8th in the Southern.
Yes, but now he's proven himself as a quality, quality role player on a final 4 team.

So, we should not be pushing him out the door in hopes that this guy from Pepperdine would be an upgrade (because he likely won't be).
ayo averaged 13.8 as a freshman on a team that went 12-21. was he not a winning player?

edit: camo beat me to it
Completely different scenario. Again, the original comment was not about deciding whether he's a winning player, and whether that should determine us taking him. It was about wanting Davis out the door to bring him in.

In that case, it makes no sense, IMO.
 
#299      
It seems like Brad and co have put the team in a really good position to make a case that any person on the roster has a fair shake at minutes, and have also made a case that you don't need to be a starter to have a serious impact on the team (see: Andrej Stojakovic coming off the bench and averaging 26 minutes and 14 points in a final four run, Will Riley coming off the bench for most the season and getting drafted in the first round, etc.). "Next Man Up" is a bit of a cliche, but the winning strategy over the last four years hasn't been a secret and has rewarded players who come in, adopt it, and make a consistent impact.

Further, on the point of team cliches, Brad and co seem to have also done a miraculous job comparatively of recruiting guys that are somewhat ego-less, and play for the "name on the front of the jersey", and proven that team success also leads to individual success ("rising tide lifts all boats", another cliche for ya).

I have no idea what is going to happen with Jake Davis this offseason, but you can create some implications/comparisons for him with others over the past few years. IMO, he comps really well with Jacob Grandison and Luke Goode. If I'm Jake Davis, do I want to go try my luck at a different high-caliber team to see if I can crack the rotation (the Grandison track)? Or do I want to go play for a bottom-half B1G or other P5 team that I may have more resonance with, and make more of an impact on, but ultimately will not see a F4 again?

If I'm Jake Davis, and I already have a noted leadership position and have become a stalwart for the culture, and I've started on a F4 roster with said team, it seems like a strong case can be made for coming back and competing for a rotation/role position again, and reap the rewards of a team with already one of the highest ceilings in CBB (assuming he has a good idea of who is staying and going, and the money is equivalent).
I think he should grab the biggest bag he can for his senior year...!
 
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