skyIdub
"I can't tell you. Secret."
Lawry's Seasoned Salt. Thank me later.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
Lawry's Seasoned Salt. Thank me later.
Second…
On paper by last years numbers Blackwell, Vaaks, Andre, Mirk and Tomi averaged roughly 71.2 pts a game. Without Blackwells 15-16 attempts a game it is pretty easy to slide in Coleman instead of Blackwell and see how this coming years team could easily average the same points per game .
Blackwell 19.1 Vaaks 17.5 The ball will be in his hands more...a year older..1.7 pts per game increase isn't hard to imagine
Vaaks 15.8 Coleman 7.0 Inconsistent like most Freshman but capable of an occasional 10-12 pt stretch of games
Andre 13.5 Andre 17.0 Averaged more than that at Cal 2 years ago
Mirk 13.3 Mirk 16.0 2.7 point increase should be easy with more shot attempts even if % doesn't increase
Tomi 10.4 Tomi 14.0 Averaged 13 his first year 14 should be easy with more attempts/chances
I understand that this takes assumptions each player takes a small step forward next year but that first group is assuming nobody takes a step back. Both scenarios are possible, so I get confused when people speak with such certainty we would be for certain better with Blackwell. We have zero idea how the team meshes if Blackwell was here. We certainly don't know how our returners would react if Blackwell came here solely thinking about himself...his numbers and increasing his stock price. I'm guessing on paper, if years ago you placed hall of famer Isiah Thomas on the Bulls with MJ, the numbers would look amazing but go ahead and ask MJ if he would take Kerr/Paxton all day..every day. Not all players mesh and a disgruntled locker room will bring many of teams down. I am certain there will people here who will be quick to say crap if next years team doesn't meet their personal expectations saying Blackwell this, Blackwell that. Even then what they won't be able to say with certainty is that they KNEW in April of 2026 we couldn't win a championship without Blackwell in 2027. I have no clue what next year will bring us but I feel confident in saying this team can easily be just as good if not better than last years Final Four Team. So many things have to go right in order to win a Championship. Pull all the analytics you want and let me know how many points a team that truly enjoys playing together gets ya? I don't care what team sport you want to pull for all the number crunching, history has shown many and many of times, teams lose a star player to injury and an "unknown" or multiple players step up to the challenge. Some people here are acting as if Blackwells 15-16 shot attempts will now be held by someone who will go 0 for 15 or 0 for 16. Ok rant over.
Blackwell 19.1 Vaaks 17.5 The ball will be in his hands more...a year older..1.7 pts per game increase isn't hard to imagine
Vaaks 15.8 Coleman 7.0 Inconsistent like most Freshman but capable of an occasional 10-12 pt stretch of games
Andre 13.5 Andre 17.0 Averaged more than that at Cal 2 years ago
Mirk 13.3 Mirk 16.0 2.7 point increase should be easy with more shot attempts even if % doesn't increase
Tomi 10.4 Tomi 14.0 Averaged 13 his first year 14 should be easy with more attempts/chances
I understand that this takes assumptions each player takes a small step forward next year but that first group is assuming nobody takes a step back. Both scenarios are possible, so I get confused when people speak with such certainty we would be for certain better with Blackwell. We have zero idea how the team meshes if Blackwell was here. We certainly don't know how our returners would react if Blackwell came here solely thinking about himself...his numbers and increasing his stock price. I'm guessing on paper, if years ago you placed hall of famer Isiah Thomas on the Bulls with MJ, the numbers would look amazing but go ahead and ask MJ if he would take Kerr/Paxton all day..every day. Not all players mesh and a disgruntled locker room will bring many of teams down. I am certain there will people here who will be quick to say crap if next years team doesn't meet their personal expectations saying Blackwell this, Blackwell that. Even then what they won't be able to say with certainty is that they KNEW in April of 2026 we couldn't win a championship without Blackwell in 2027. I have no clue what next year will bring us but I feel confident in saying this team can easily be just as good if not better than last years Final Four Team. So many things have to go right in order to win a Championship. Pull all the analytics you want and let me know how many points a team that truly enjoys playing together gets ya? I don't care what team sport you want to pull for all the number crunching, history has shown many and many of times, teams lose a star player to injury and an "unknown" or multiple players step up to the challenge. Some people here are acting as if Blackwells 15-16 shot attempts will now be held by someone who will go 0 for 15 or 0 for 16. Ok rant over.
Me too, and as a kid I loved mixing cottage cheese and pork n beans.
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
I put onion salt.
RichardKeenesCousin
Richard Keene's Cousin
I think my life is about to change for the better. Elite suggestion.
I do that but lately it’s been some Cajun seasoning
Time for my first Kool Aid post.Zero reasons to doubt @LvilleILL1, @Indy Illini Fan - their record speaks for itself.
But as an “outsider” for some reason I’m still (foolishly?) holding out hope that we land Blackwell. Things don’t seem to add up. If our read on Blackwell is true (i.e. he wants to win)…..
1. Contention: haven’t heard he’s canceled the IL visit yet. Staff, players, his Dad, the Flyin’ Illini, can push in all remaining chips on this final piece and sell the vision.
2. Usage: Louisville/Duke/etc. aren’t exactly short on talent either — not sure those situations are dramatically cleaner for his camp.
3. Bag: sounds like were competitive. And who knows… a legacy who catapults his Dad’s Alma Mater to a prohibitive preseason favorite? Extra NIL?
4. Winning: of the finalists, Illinois offers Blackwell the most predictable path to a natty
To be clear — the current roster is already. What a time to be an Illini fan: already set up to be elite and hoping to push into that “inevitable” tier.
It ain’t over till it’s over.
You bring hope during a dark time
. Needed this! lolI think you and @RockfordIllini are on a similar page.
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There’s no confirmation that there’s ever been a visit scheduled.
Only place we know he’s visited is UCLA (so far).
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I agree, for having a high PPG, he looks to be a pass first guy. Has upper level speed/quickness, not a 3 point shooter. But his midrange is solid which will give us a player to use the space the 3 point shooters give us. He would be the guard to take on the Fears/Boyds/Dents of college bball. Seems very EDG.
Agree completely that Z has the most untapped potential. How he has not developed some effective post moves before now? OA should be opening his bag of tricks for Z to learn. Hi-low feeds from T to Z should be a nightmare matchup against 99+% of opponents. Of course he has to have the will to mix it up in the low post, too. Fletch adding 20-25 pounds of muscle to his frame would be game changing.
Mirk ought to be the other player with the most dynamic improvement. Fletch should work wonders with improving his quickness and explosiveness over the course of the next 6 months. ( He totally missed this last year). Keyton’s jumping improved 3” while gaining 12+ pounds. David should be getting leaner and lighter, so would expect at least that much improvement. His rebounding, shot blocking and ability to get off his shot inside would all be better. Scary good!
His Ast/TO ratio is > 1.5, not in the KJ range.
And salt...
Thanks man. My HS team was lucky to play well into March this year, so I only really had time to watch Illini games and move on.
The HS season, plus March madness starting, and then the Illini playing a regional in Houston was a pretty nice combo for me.
Hope to overanalyze 1 minute summer clips and underwood hyperbolic press conferences just like everyone else in the next few months
Spoken like a true Purdon’t alum
Could they just be waiting to add Blackwell until the portal closes?
Losing Lee should push the staff over the hump to make an add. IMO, it would lead to a more profitable roster.
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Twice in the same year, unfortunately. Something like 22% from three in both games against those guys. Irritates me something fierce.
Ryllini
- Lombard
Not sure if most people realize how difficult it is to start doing something you haven't ever done against elite competition. It's easy to say "1 offseason of shooting jumpers or developing a post game, etc is all it takes" However, translating it into a full-speed game is very different. I'm sure we've seen those summer runs where NBA players who never shoot 3's can't seem to miss but come an actual NBA game, they don't even look to take the shot. It's a combination of mental practice + physical practice. There's levels to this and it's easier said than done.
