thank you. how can you say we won when they have a freaking ring and we don't. I'm very excited to have Mirk this year and the sky is the limit on the potential for this team with Mirk being the center piece but come on. a ring is a ring, even if it is covered in scum.
NBA Draft
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I don’t think Battle meant the winner of us vs. Michigan. I think he meant the winner of “us if we would have kept Morez” vs. “us with Mirk.” Obviously Morez was a big part of Michigan getting the Natty…but that doesn’t mean we would have won a Natty with him. Morez brings an awesome skill set, but he’s not a floor spacer like Mirk, and I doubt he would have brought the same unselfishness to the floor and locker room that really seemed to help our team thrive. And we’ll
get at least one more year with Mirk which we wouldn’t have had with Morez.
Michigan won that trade if we don’t win a national title with Mirk.
I LIKE MIRK! In so many aspects of his play and personality. Wants to be here. Loves to play. No comparison.
FightinIllini30
Future insider
I think we absolutely did not. However, I am not complaining at all. Very happy with Mirk
Jeff Goodman just said no brainer for Andrej to come back... I hate Jeff Goodman and ain't a great fan of the golden boy.... Andrej please just go be great!!!!
“Andrej Stojakovic, SF, Illinois
Stojakovic was one of the last players to declare for the NBA draft, though the expectation when he announced was that he would likely return to Champaign. That remains the case, even though he didn't participate in the 5-on-5 scrimmages at the combine. If he does go back to play for Brad Underwood, Illinois will be right back in the national discussion as a Final Four team. ESPN's most recent Way-Too-Early Top 25 had the Illini ranked at No. 4, with Stojakovic combining with Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks and returnee David Mirkovic to cause matchup nightmares all over the floor.”
I dunno, do you think we beat UConn simply by replacing Mirk with Morez? Because if not, we don't get a better result last season anyway, and our team is worse off this upcoming season with neither Mirk nor Morez.
I think that's all the original post was saying 2 years of Mirk > 1 year of Morez. I take that trade all day every day.
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
I'm just saying a national title beats all.
The most likely scenario is that we do really well next year, but if we are honest we are not the favorites to win it all. Top 5 probably and top 10 definitely - but we have down stretches too (Feb 2025) and might get as favorable a draw next year in the tournament (Iowa to go to the FF). Not taking away anything from beating Houston in Houston, but that was one tough game where usually you have at least two.
So if we have a great year, EE or FF again, and Mirk goes pro after, do you really feel that Mirk x 2 + FF x 2 > Morez x1 + NC (at Michigan)? I do not - but that does not take away from my enjoyment of Mirk nor my respect for the staff's ability to pivot when Morez left.
MDchicago
- Lake Norman NC
Given the projected lineup, must be hard for writers to pick just three names when writing that last sentence.
Tough to leave out QC and Tomi when talking about exploiting mismatches, but suppose editors gotta edit...
Not sure when it's expected (haven't read anything on that), but I believe he has until 5/27...
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Guys, of course Michigan had a better season than we had last year.
No one’s disputing that.
The question is: if we kept Morez and didn’t get Mirk, would our season have been any different? Would we have beat UConn in the F4 by simply replacing Mirk with Morez? Likely not.
Which means Morez would’ve given us the same season we had last year, but just one season vs Mirk for two.
Hope we hear something before then.
you can't just act like morez didn't go to a big ten rival and that big ten rival used him as a corner stone to a natty.... that's not how it works. that is a huge component of this argument. Illinois isn't operating in a vacuum. just replacing mirk for morezv and asking how our season goes is just one part of this. did we forget the part where morez whooped us on our home court? I didn't I was there and livid. or the rest of the season where Michigan took it all?
Look I LOVE Mirk…but I think only Illinois fans would say this at this point. Morez won a natty, developed his much debated outside shot and is going to be a fringe lottery pick.
Mirk has the ability to change my narrative this year for sure
Congrats to Rez!
Terrific season and combine. You can't teach his motor, physical ability and skill. Made a massive improvement from just his freshman season. Joy to watch
Terrific season and combine. You can't teach his motor, physical ability and skill. Made a massive improvement from just his freshman season. Joy to watch
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Not everything has to be a win / loss. I think it’s quite possible if Illinois could choose the Morez decision over they wouldn’t change a thing, and Morez would say the same.
At the end of the day they are very different players so it’s really tough to say. Morez would’ve provided inside presence while Mirk provided relief ball handling and shooting
Speaking of Michigan ...I've been hearing Mara has jumped up draft boards possibly to Clippers Nets or Hawks
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