Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[hooraybeer]

Can we not get Kylan back?

he was HS class of 2022 so would meet criteria if he had not already signed his NBA contract. that being said, it seems it wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility that he could argue he didn’t have the NCAA option available to him at the time he signed the contract..

 

[EmeraldCityIllini]

Their quick guards will give us problems. DGL will be very amped up.

 

[hooraybeer]

Btw — Braden smith is still unsigned by the Pacers.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

Yes, its unfortunate we can't benefit from it because the REST OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL got a lot stronger.

It definitely doesn't help us.

 

[EmeraldCityIllini]

View attachment 51048

Honestly, one of the quickest ways to end this madness will be NBA teams getting involved.

Silver and leadership have always loathed the ncaa to begin with, and now once players start being taken away in the same year they’re drafted, you’re giving them a reason to come down with a hammer.

Nba doesn’t care about Braden smith or Darrion Williams - they can simply say “fine. Go back to college for your frat tour 5th year. You won’t be welcome in this league again when you wrap up .”

 

[PleaseMakeABowlGame]

Per this link, 11 players who were drafted have yet to sign contracts:

49 Of 60 Players Drafted In 2026 Have Signed NBA Contracts

Eleven of the 60 players from the 2026 draft class have yet to sign their first NBA contracts. We take a closer look.

www.hoopsrumors.com

Notable names include Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman Renn, Bryce Hopkins, Richie Saunders, Dillon Mitchell, Tyler Nickel.

 

[PleaseMakeABowlGame]

I am a bit confused with Kholer getting eligibility - he signed an exhibit 10 with Utah.

 

[PepeSilvia]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2083387040045924842

Honestly with the way the NCAA has been losing lawsuits, those guys that only played 4 could probably get another year if they sued for an injunction.

 

[DICKnaggie]

Storr transferring will mean he has been at 10 schools in 10 years going back to middle school. That's wild.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2083547810964607290

https://twitter.com/x/status/2083521705205440684

 

[Battle89]

AJ STORR:

View attachment 51045

Five teams in five years? I want five conferences in five years! Starting the campaign for AJ in the ACC.

Edit @3nDGuy beat me…

 

[Scoregasm]

The NCAA created this mess by passing 5 for 5 in the summer.

All they had to do was wait and pass it like 2 weeks before the fall sport transfer portal opens in December. At that point everyone has moved on(overseas, g-league, etc.) and you probably only have to deal with a handful of guys suing.

College basketball will be a mess with all of these guys coming back and football might even be worse when all the guys that finished 4 years get cut in training camp and sue for eligibility.

They are going to either need legislative help or to appeal all these injunctions and win a case in an appellate court.

NCAA is so stupid.

 

[EmeraldCityIllini]

He’s the best 3pt shooter in the country (sans maybe Milan M.)

He’s good. But Darrion Williams turns them into like top 3 good.

Atwell also signed an NBA deal. Williams seems to have been a bit more strategic not signing.

NBA is gonna have something to say about these guys signing deals and then backing out. I’d be shocked if we saw atwell, TKR, Boswell, or guys like Braden smith who were drafted

 

[BryceHopkins]

Per this link, 11 players who were drafted have yet to sign contracts:

49 Of 60 Players Drafted In 2026 Have Signed NBA Contracts

Eleven of the 60 players from the 2026 draft class have yet to sign their first NBA contracts. We take a closer look.

www.hoopsrumors.com

Notable names include Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman Renn, Bryce Hopkins, Richie Saunders, Dillon Mitchell, Tyler Nickel.

I'm back, baby!

 

[ChiTown]

Another old friend coming back for one last check….

https://twitter.com/x/status/2083603962435924256

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

I feel like I have heard this every year for the last 3 years. Then the team ends up only playing 6 players in a game in February.

And going to a Final Four

 

[illiniwil]

That’s a good place for him

until we play them in the first game of the tournament next March. then everybody will be crying about the selection committee's sense of humor.

 

[Ga65]

Too many people here aren't seeing DEPTH as a part of roster evaluation. Adding someone like Sencire would stabilize our depth, without taking away reps from Vaaks, Coleman, other starters.

Right now it's a question mark between 3 very low ranked freshman. Sencire is a much more proven piece.

Unfortunately proven great at defense without any offensive game. Wouldn’t trade him for Lincoln who may not develop but has similar athletic ability and therefore a chance to be superior.

 

[WyattEarp]

until we play them in the first game of the tournament next March. then everybody will be crying about the selection committee's sense of humor.

 

[lstewart53x3]

I feel like I have heard this every year for the last 3 years. Then the team ends up only playing 6 players in a game in February.

A couple thoughts:

1. Yes, we tend to overrate our depth in the offseason. That didn't just start 3 years ago, it's likely been happening since the invention of message boards themselves.

2. This isn't just an Illinois thing. Go read an Indiana board. They think they're the deepest team in the country this year. They're preseason #27 in Torvik.

3. Last year's team was legitimately deep. Ben Humrichous was our 8th man. He was a 5th year senior who shot 36% from 3 and was one of our best defenders. Our 9th man was Ty Rodgers, who started on an Elite Eight team. So how did we have a few games where we only played 6 guys? Ty Rodgers, out for the season. Boswell, out with a hand injury. Andrej, out with a leg injury. Give any team in the country 3 injuries and they'll no longer be deep.

4. This particular offseason hasn't been full of posts overrating our depth. The opposite in fact. There's been far more posts concerned about our depth than overrating it.

 

[zentrails]

Good. Will be a better resume win.

Yep, WE are the one who knocks! LOL

 

[Uihoop2023!]

For the sake of argument we do have an open roster spot correct?

 

[skyIdub]

 

[Combo]

A couple thoughts:

1. Yes, we tend to overrate our depth in the offseason. That didn't just start 3 years ago, it's likely been happening since the invention of message boards themselves.

2. This isn't just an Illinois thing. Go read an Indiana board. They think they're the deepest team in the country this year. They're preseason #27 in

Yup. Every year. And every fan base does it. I don’t get the fascination.

 

[1m4tr]

Tennesse becomes way more dangerous with Jalen Washington.

It's the big they were missing all along.

How familiar are you with his game? On that list of people who are now eligible, he may be the least concerning player for an opposing team. Weak weak player.