Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

#776      
mysterio2525
EmeraldCityIllini said:
Not too speak for the staff, but do you think in order to be a final four team again we need Coleman to be a star?

Agree on Morillo, it’s a variable.

But I really don’t view Jake as just a small forward option off the bench. I see no reason why a Vaaks, Davis, Stojakovic, Mirk, and Ivisic lineup wouldn’t work - Jake can easily play the 2 to me since Vaaks, Stojakovic, and Mirk can all handle and create.
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the team can make the final four even if Coleman is just good and not a star. they have enough talent already for that.... but that requires a lot to go right.

with any freshman, I usually think they will have a tough time defending immediately and usually have a bad month at one point in the season. will and kj each had rough spells during their time for whatever reason and we're first rounders. so relying on Coleman may be fine but adds more variability in play at that position because of the youth. I just thought how Michigan put their stud freshman in they roles really helped mitigate the swings yet still let them thrive. also the depth piece is huge... cason went down and they barely noticed. love to have that luxury if possible
 
#777      
stlrunner
Sorry…don’t have time to catch up on all 32 pages. Can someone just tell me whether we are going to be good or not next season? ;)
 
#778      
Genesis
So we stole the #1 player from MO and the #1 player from Wisconsin. When was the last time we had two #1 players from any 2 states?
 
#779      
lstewart53x3
Det_Illini_fan said:
Next year will almost certainly be a rebuild with a few sophomores, so it feels a little now or never for a program that’s never won it all
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What are you talking about, man?

2021: Ayo and Kofi — 1 seed — B1G Championship
2022: Kofi and Trent — 4 seed — B1G Championship
2023: Mayer and TJ — 9 seed
2024: TJ and Coleman — 3 seed — B1GT Championship — E8
2025: Will and KJ — 6 seed
2026: Keaton and Boswell — 3 seed — F4
2027: Tomi and Andrej — preseason top 5

Brad has made the NCAA tournament 6 straight seasons (and will almost assuredly make it next season), has the most wins in the B1G over that span, 3 big ten banners, and a final four banner, and those results are across 6 almost completely unique teams with brand new players each season.

Next year, we won’t be relying on the current freshman to all be starters as sophomores. We’ll bring in a star studded transfer class.
 
#780      
lstewart53x3
To me, what sucks the most about missing out on Blackwell is who he was last year is exactly what this team needs next year.

Let Vaaks be Keaton light (there’s a Keystone Light joke in there somewhere) and then slide Blackwell into the Boswell role as our starting shooting guard. Then move Coleman to the flame thrower off the bench role.

The problem is, the role Blackwell had last year isn’t the role he wants next year. He wants to be on ball because he sees himself as an NBA 1.

But I’m not sure the staff sees him as a better lead guard for our offense than Vaaks.
 
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