They didn't lose 3 potential lottery picks. I would say 1. McCoy isn't the only one expected to contribute. Their entire class of transfer bigs are going to be starting or first off the bench. And by the way, all those transfers had better numbers than Aday Mara and Morez Johnson the year before they transferred. So quite honestly, to expect them not to take a leap forward as well with superior talent around them is questionable. They've earned every bit of their ranking.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
I seriously doubt they take leaps forward. I look for Michigan's frontcourt to be a level or two lower this year. Especially considering the gaurds and wings they have returning. They are going to want their time in the spotlight.
Per usual, answer is probably somewhere in the middle.
If it’s not 3 lottery picks, it’s 3 first round picks with one or two close to fringe lotto picks. And while McCoy might be a higher pick than Yaxel one was a 24 year old man and the other a kid - kinda like comparing Chris Cenac to Yaxel.
They’ll be really good again tho
At minimum three top 20 picks. But all have a chance for the lottery.
They do have a highly ranked freshman class coming in as you said (its 4th not 2nd though). Their class is also ranked so highly due to the way they rank the classes... having more recruits weights your ranking, so having 6 freshman coming in gives them a higher 'score'... really only one of those freshman is someone I'd expect to have a major contribution in McCoy. Couple other fringe top 50 kids, but as we know those are rarely big difference makers as freshmen. How good can we expect them to be when half of their roster are freshmen?
Now that we've established their 2nd ranked recruiting class is actually 4th and that there isn't much production expected to come from said recruiting class, lets look at the transfers:
Mara is projected around the end of the lottery. Is the guy coming in (Thiam) as good as Mara? Doubtful.
Morez is projected mid-to-late first round. Can we expect J.P. Estrella to be as good as Morez was for them? Yikes.
Lendeborg was the B1G POY and projected to go in the late top 10. How does Jalen Reed (I know... who?) slot in as a replacement? Sheesh.
Then you have two super senior guards in Burnett & Gayle. They have McKenney & McCoy to replace them, who are good players, but have 9 years less CBB experience than the Burnett/Gayle combo did.
Cason is out for the season.
I see them as a top 15/20 team as they sit right now. Maybe they add someone significant, but I think they're at 14 or 15 players so I'm going to doubt that happens as well.
Final note just to circle back to the freshman class ranking -- only one of the F4 teams from last year had a top 10 class (Arizona). Michigan and Illinois had freshman recruiting classes ranked 30th and 34th, respectively.
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I don't think Reed is replacing Yaxel.
Starting group last year was
Cadeau/Burnett/Yaxel/Morez/Mara.
This year I'd expect it to be
Cadeau/McKnenney/McCoy/Estrella/Thiam.
Regardless, the downgrades are at the 3/4/5. That frontcourt is a ton to replace.
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Absolutely. If you're one of the top 10 or so most talented teams (which we are), you have a legit chance to win it all. After that, how the team plays together is key. And of course it takes some luck - both with injuries and with tournament draw.
And we did get the draw.
It appears DJ ran a 5:08 mile as an Illini freshman. That was the team high for that season. Bruce Weber was his coach at the time. Groce took over when Richardson was a senior.
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lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
He’s fast, but not Ben Fast.
foby
- Bonnaroo Land
So what I've gathered from this thread lately;
Ben is beginning training to be an Olympic distance runner
Duke and Michigan are hands down favorites to win the NC.
Tom Cruise likes to run.
In other news, I'm hosting a pizza and cottage cheese party and am desperate for recommendations.
Ben is beginning training to be an Olympic distance runner
Duke and Michigan are hands down favorites to win the NC.
Tom Cruise likes to run.
In other news, I'm hosting a pizza and cottage cheese party and am desperate for recommendations.
My wife says the same thing.
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
Not saying #3 isnt correct, but CJ Moore of The Athletic has us #1 currently.
College basketball top 25 after NBA Draft deadline: Illinois or Florida at No. 1?
College basketball rosters are now mostly set, and it’s time to provide a much clearer preseason Top 25 than the early April crapshoots.
www.nytimes.com
Florida. IMO
DICKnaggie
- Champaign
I'll buy beer for anyone in CU who wants to compete in the 10 yard dash. That's about my limit now, lol!
All of this. Additionally, Yaxel is nearly impossible to replace. Length, athleticism, the ability to guard 1-5…
Defense is how they won the title, and he was the head of the spear. He masked a lot of other issues.
If Cadeau had to guard guys like Wagler, would those games have been different? Almost certainly.
They will be extremely good, but that unit was driven by defense. The absence of Yaxel, Morez, and Mara changes a lot. Could the new guys be as impactful? maybe? It is, however, unlikely.
Agree- I know our defense is a clear weakness on paper but holy cow Batman, Michigan lost the best defensive front out in the country and replaced them with good players but not nearly the same caliber nor experience- Yaxel was their superpower
we get 5 of our top 7 back so that alone should
Have us above them
Your bruehaha could use some pineapple. Great combo food with pizza or cottage cheese.
I’m guessing it’s a metric mile…
Captain 14
- The Last Best Place
Put me down...
1) Buy more pizza than cottage cheese.
2) Forget the spinach and Kale on your pizzas.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The next person who mentions anything about running a mile, cross country or something even remotely close to that discussion should ban themselves from posting on this until October. Goodness sakes, reading these last few pages was more painful than watching Illinois inbounding the ball versus a press. 
In any tournament only one team will end up happy. Which is why, although I certainly enjoy watching March Madness, I'm more tuned in to what a team does during the grueling regular season. What can you do over a 4-month long haul, playing a lot of elite teams in hostile locatios?