Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[Keisersose]

I love this post with every fiber of my being. At the risk of sounding like I am about to ask the man out, I want Andrej Stojakovic wearing an Illinois jersey and I want it BAD!

Year 2 of Andrej in our program has a chance to be pretty damn spectacular. Get it done. Whatever he wants, make it happen. Don’t give him ANY reason to explore other options.

Imo - he’s the most important and impactful piece.

 

[RimPressure]

I think the question is whether the missing guy is a big who pushes the rotation up the positional ladder and strengthens the rebounding versus a quick little guard who pushes the rotation down the positional ladder and adds to our shooting and ability to check smaller guards.

Yeah if we don't end up getting Blackwell, that would not be a surprise to me, as we've missed before on our early high profile portal targets.

What would be a surprise to me, though, is if we miss but also NOT pivot to someone new, whether that ends up being a different guard or someone bigger. Brad and the staff have always been great at the pivot, so it would be odd to me if we are willing to give a huge bag to Blackwell, but if it doesn't work out, then we're just going to say, "eh, nevermind, we're good with what we have"??

And that kind of seems to be the insider sentiment if Blackwell falls through? Maybe I'm reading through the lines wrong...

 

[EmeraldCityIllini]

This. If we only get one of Blackwell or Andrej i don’t see the team being better than this year, and that is what I am expecting. McNeil would be a nice add but he is pretty one dimensional at the moment as he provides little creation and rarely puts pressure on the rim

One of the nice things about retention is players rarely stagnate. Either due to age they improve - like freshmen Mirk to sophomore Mirk - or to more time getting acclimated in the system - like Junior TSJ to Senior TSJ.

With Vaaks already here, and adding Coleman, if the season started tomorrow and Drej was back, I think they'd be better than last year. Now, would i guarantee a final four?

 

[jamarvelous31]

To play on that team that year? He wasn't.

The Podz schtick is exhausting.

He was not good enough to play meaningful minutes on a b10 championship team and then chose to transfer to a smaller school rather than compete for his minutes the following year.

Transferring was the right decision for him. Not guaranteeing minutes was the right move for our program. Why is this controversial?

 

[Orangetool]

Ideally we retain Dre (plus get Blackwell) and Dre just finds someone he can trust that knows a thing or two about shooting mechanics to improve his 3 pt%

Well done.

 

[OrangeBlue98]

I think we can all agree that we are going to be showing Ty love wherever he goes and we will catch all his games we can. Forever Illini legend and EDG. Go be great dog

Definitely a Ty Rodgers fan and will be rooting for him wherever he ends up. He’s been through a lot, so I hope he finds a great fit and contributes.

 

[IlliniwekKDR]

MFers act like they forgot about Dre.

Hotter than a set of twin Balkans. When the ball goes up, we gonna run the score up to the mid 80s

 

[Altuve27]

Which announcement do we anticipate being first: Andrej or Blackwell’s commitment?

No idea, but I would guess Andrej. It SOUNDS like we are inside the 5 yard-line with that negotiation.

A Denzel appearance with a wry smile popped up when he was asked about yesterday.

P. S. See post #212 by @FI_8905

 

[STLini25]

For the people who (mistakingly) think it’s either Andre or Blackwell. I guess you think they both have conditional offers and if the other decides first then the other offer is pulled? And they are both ok with waiting and taking that risk and losing their spot?

The coaching staff has no plans on going into a season where national championship is a realistic goal and starting an unproven freshman. Everyone saying Coleman is locked in to start are way off.

 

[jamarvelous31]

I really do think where we've gone since then reflects Brad evolving as a coach from the red-faced treadmill jockey stereotype to someone who can bring the best out of a broader range of personalities. Not that the Podz case created that change, I think it has just happened organically.

But it really is comical how high-horsed people get about refusing to admit the mistake here. To act like the staff can't have misevaluated isn't bad analysis, it's ultimately just not analysis at all.


We've got a chance to be. When you're a top 5 KenPom team who made the Final Four it's hard to push even further upward, but with our Big Four back we've got a real chance.

Vaaks, Coleman, Stojakovic, Mirk, Tomi with Z, Jake Davisic, Lee and Morillo on the bench does feel a man light though.

I think the question is whether the missing guy is a big who pushes the rotation up the positional ladder and strengthens the rebounding versus a quick little guard who pushes the rotation down the positional ladder and adds to our shooting and ability to check smaller guards.

I wasn't happy with Underwood screaming at Epps the following year, but where was it that Podz left because Brad was too mean?

I've only ever seen that he left because he wasn't guaranteed minutes and believed he was being recruited over.

 

[Deacon05]

It's honestly kind of endearing that despite Podz in that season being the WCC POY and a top 20 draft pick while we lost Skyy Clark and Luke Goode and had to rely on Sencire Harris and often had Matthew Mayer initiating the offense, and despite Trent Frazier (GOAT though he is) playing in Russia while Podz starts for the Warriors, people within the program STILL won't admit they were wrong about this.

One gets the sense Podz is kind of obnoxious which I would imagine plays into it, but that's one of the 10 best basketball players we've had at the program in Brad's time and we goofed up letting him walk.


Wow I didn't realize he was Mr. Basketball too. Greg Gard, you're screwing up buddy.


Davisic coming back is nice in the way it indicates that this can still be a developmental program and its not "start as a freshman or portal". Brandon Lee stepping into a bigger role would enhance that as well. That said....


It's pretty funny that the only person who's going to happily swallow an "actually Coleman, Vaaks and Brandon Lee is plenty at guard and we should be excited about that" propaganda pivot is me.

What are the reviews on Lee's defense like btw?

Did you watch him play during practices? Did you see him in the gym? Hindsight is 20/20.

 

[Illiniforlife]

Source?

It’s your take, and that’s fine, but it’s clearly what the staff aims to prioritize.

The source is reading the messaging from the insiders that we will be fine if Blackwell doesn't come. That, to me, is them trying to let us down easy; the Blackwell-to-Illinois situation does not seem to be going as well as thought.

 

[2qtslow]

I'd take Ben back in a heartbeat. That guy is the prototype bench role player. I wouldn't be able to sign the paperwork fast enough.

How does the 5 year rule benefit Ben?Qatar

 

[STLini25]

I wasn't happy with Underwood screaming at Epps the following year, but where was it that Podz left because Brad was too mean?

I've only ever seen that he left because he wasn't guaranteed minutes and believed he was being recruited over.

You are correct. Pods left over playing time. But I agree Brad has really mellowed out over his tenure here and I like it. He’s still intense but much much focused on his intensity.

 

[ChiTown]

No way Lee is 6'4"- probably more like 6'1".

Have you seen him standing next to Wagler?

 

[STLflyinIllini]

I wasn't happy with Underwood screaming at Epps the following year, but where was it that Podz left because Brad was too mean?

I've only ever seen that he left because he wasn't guaranteed minutes and believed he was being recruited over.

If I remember correctly, he left after Skyy Clark committed. I think we can all admit we would have preferred Podz over Clark that year.

 

[hoopsfan47]

Watching the Nike Hoops Summit, I saw a lot of similarities between Mirk and Morillo - and even what we all wanted Ty to be if he could have stayed on the court. He is not as tall as Mirk, but appeared to have a tighter handle. His shot is not as good as Mirk's right now, but it's closer to Mirk's than Ty's. He was hustling, looking for boards, and seemed to have good vision.

I mean take it with a grain of salt bc it was 20 mins of an all-star game, but I was impressed.

Seems to me to be the prototype BU recruit of the future. Skills, positional size, high BKB IQ, humble, aggressive, looking to do all the little things, and hungry to learn it all. Come to Illinois with that skillset and on to the NBA...when you are ready. No Prima Donna's allowed.

 

[artist3]

I could be wrong but I thought his first redshirt was because he wasn't going to play and wanted to save a year of eligibility.

That’s correct. It’s somehow morphed into back to back injured seasons for some people.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

The source is reading the messaging from the insiders that we will be fine if Blackwell doesn't come. That, to me, is them trying to let us down easy; the Blackwell-to-Illinois situation does not seem to be going as well as thought.

Indy said:

Do we need one ?

That should tell you where I think we are at with Blackwell but also should tell you how confident I am and the staff is telling me they are with Coleman …

(in regards to needing a replacement)

 

[RichieRebel]

Michigan won ‘26 title in April ‘25. Lock Get Drej and Blackwell done!

 

[STLini25]

Pods family was upset/disappointed that Pods was behind RJ Melendez. Going into the next season, the staff was riding with RJ and Pods transferred to play. Staff chose RJ over Pods.

 

[PleaseMakeABowlGame]

Folks are just so anxious lol.

 

[Det_Illini_fan]

(in regards to needing a replacement)

Yeah I think you could read this as “he’s as good as ours, we don’t need to worry about having a pivot.” But obviously only when the pen meets paper…

 

[Altuve27]

This may be a hot take, but I think Stojakovic being retained is more important than Blackwell.

When I look at the list of players, and I want to give Isaac Trotter full credit for this because he discussed it at length, the names available to replace Stojakovic are really underwhelming. There just aren’t great options.

As far as Blackwell’s position, there are many more solid options, whether it is McNeil, or Hiill, or rolling with Coleman, etc. You get the idea.

 

[RockfordIllini]

Interesting that we seem to have made the cut for Zens and Wisconsin didn’t. Similar systems but sure seems like a much clearer path to a role and PT at Wisconsin, maybe as soon as this year. Seems like a good prospect but I don’t see any way he cracks the rotation this year, and will likely get recruited/portaled over in coming years.

I do feel for Gard as I think he’s a good coach, but I saw someone call him Wisconsin’s Bruce Weber and that’s probably pretty close, although a. He has had more success than Weber after the prior coaches recruits left and 2. I don’t know that anyone could do better at Wisconsin as it seems like they don’t have great resources for basketball.