Coleman I think will be similar to Adam Miller on the 21 team. Talented freshman who’ll make timely shots, not screw too much up.Coleman is ELITE … Morillo is likely a 2-3 year guy but has All Big Ten potential …
You’ve got Jake and Z … We know what they can bring …
I mean that’s as talented of a bench as you’re going to find …
THANKS! great update.Since everyone’s curious about where things stand …
Obviously would like to add Blackwell …
Ty not being there last night is interesting … Does he have the role he wants ? Brad definitely made it clear he’s got a spot if he wants it … I could see Lee sliding into that role as the 10th guy …
Could also see us adding a Misko special big guy just so we’ve got a little more depth there … Pepperdine kid is an option but other top secret options as well …
Blackwell
Vaaks
Andrej
Mirk
Tomi
Bench:
Q Coleman
Z
Jake
Morillo
Ty
Deep Bench:
B Lee
Jakstys
Ethan Brown (could redshirt)
Landon Davis (could redshirt)
Fagbemi
^ This, 100%. Get those 2 on the books and then if we have any other openings, pick up some strong bench players in case we have illness/injury, which always seem to happen.Priority 1 … Get Andrej deal completed …
Priority 2 … Get the Blackwell deal completed …
Do we have a pivot ready IF Blackwell’s a miss?
I remember the last time we had a Wisconsin Mr. Basketball who the insiders didn't think was good enough...
He is a great guy, but does not fit with what we are doing. You have to be able to shoot. No room in the Inn for non shooters going forward. Writing was always on the wall.NOOOOO NOT TY
Kind of odd move for this kind, no?
Incredibly unlikely chance he sees the floor for us.
Best teamate ever,EDG, gonna miss you Ty.
If he was 6’9”, he's basically TKRYeah... If Ty were 6'9" he'd be an All-Conference type player. He's just not quite big enough to be a great 4, where his skill set would really shine.
Do we have a pivot ready IF Blackwell’s a miss?
I think yes just because you need 9 playable players.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 …
As I mentioned yesterday, I am a big time Paul McNeil fan. I have a weird fetish with elite shooting and McNeil is among the very best.Do we have a pivot ready IF Blackwell’s a miss?
Sure sounds like Blackwell's camp has driven up his asking price past the point with which Brad is comfortable.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 …
I think many of the betting markets expected the Illini to retain a bunch of talent, but getting Blackwell on board changes things. Get those odds locked in now. We will likely fall between +700 and +1000 if we retain Andrej and get Blackwell.As of Monday, the Illini on DraftKings are tied for 5th place as far as expected national championship next year.
It'll be interesting to see how these numbers change:
1) after the announcements of retaining all our key big men (My guess is these numbers had Mirk, the twins and Jake baked in)
2) if/ when Andrej announces return
3) if we get Blackwell
Hey Indy. I can appreciate that the staff is really high on Coleman but if you told me I could have a 21 year old that averaged 19 last year in the B1G and lit us up for 31 towards the end of the year or a true freshman I will take Blackwell all day long.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 …
To play on that team that year? He wasn't.
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.I didn’t think he was good enough … Brad didn’t think he was good enough … Anyone in the gym thought he wasn’t good enough …
Because the truth is … He wasn’t good enough …
Anyone who was in practices will tell you … Trent had that boy about ready to quit on numerous occasions …
Wow I didn't realize he was Mr. Basketball too. Greg Gard, you're screwing up buddy.Did the insiders say Marcus Domask wasn’t good enough?
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....Buying into the development … He’s going to need a year, maybe two …
But if you buy in, and get better … You’ll have a role on a championship team as an upper class man …
I got told bigger Jake Davis as a comp …
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.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 …
As I mentioned yesterday, I am a big time Paul McNeil fan. I have a weird fetish with elite shooting and McNeil is among the very best.
If I’m Brad, I make an immediate call to gauge interest and put the full court press on if he’s interested.
You can NEVER have too many elite shooters.
Well to better than we were last year....we need to be better than we were last year. We can have a good season without the upgrade, doubtful we compete for a national championship unless Coleman repeats waglers success.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 …