Illini Basketball 2024-2025

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#378      
AyoDos11
Dan said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1824070537251033349
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I have been hoping that they would schedule SIUE for a while now, since it's where I'm currently going to school. They were pretty bad last year (and every year), finishing at 280 in the NET. They relied a lot on the three ball, but only making 33% of them. They lost three of their best players to graduation and the transfer portal. Their best returning player is guard Ray'Sean Taylor, who actually went to the same high school as me. His PPG has dropped each season from 17 to 13, and he shoots a respectable 36% from 3pt.

All this to say that Illinois will win this game, and probably should win by at least 35 points.
 
#379      
OrangeBlue98
AyoDos11 said:
I have been hoping that they would schedule SIUE for a while now, since it's where I'm currently going to school. They were pretty bad last year (and every year), finishing at 280 in the NET. They relied a lot on the three ball, but only making 33% of them. They lost three of their best players to graduation and the transfer portal. Their best returning player is guard Ray'Sean Taylor, who actually went to the same high school as me. His PPG has dropped each season from 17 to 13, and he shoots a respectable 36% from 3pt.

All this to say that Illinois will win this game, and probably should win by at least 35 points.
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With all due respect to SIU-E, even with the current NET rating system teams like Illinois still need games like this in the non-conference schedule. These are the games where you can experiment a little, give some players a few more minutes, etc. I love big-appeal non-conference games like Duke and Tennessee as much as anyone, but I don't think every single non-conference game can be like that if you want to see what else you have on your roster.
 
#380      
Combo
Qdog2859 said:
I don’t agree with you on your way more comment!!! We have two five star players and one who should have been a five star in Morez.
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Yes and look what they have. They have more talent than just about everyone. Arguably including Kansas and Alabama.
 
#381      
NarrowJ
Cooper Flagg is, as we all probably are aware, projected as the #1 pick in the next NBA draft. That does not mean he does not have weaknesses or may even be slowed by adept defenders at the college level. He will not even turn 18 until two or three months into the college season. He will play against guys that are 22,23,24. He does have a nice frame already and will undoubtedly improve it continually, so no real way of knowing what he will look like by the time the game rolls around in late Feb.

Can't really agree he is the most hyped college freshmen since KD. Not sure what year he was, but OJ Mayo was certainly more highly thought of than things I hear about Cooper Flagg. Actually, I believe OJ Mayo was in the class that had Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon & Derrick Rose. All four of those guys I remember having more 'hype' than Cooper Flagg. And now, I am just pulling names off the top of my head here, but: Ben Simmons, Jahlil Okafor, Jabari Parker, Greg Oden, Andrew Wiggins, Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, John Wall, Emmanuel Mudiay (and lets not forget more recent ones like Zion Williamson, James Wiseman, Cade Cunningham or Chet Holmgren).

Honestly, I think the term 'generational talent' gets thrown around every single year and we tend to forget all of the gargantuan HS names that just completely flame out. Do I think Cooper Flagg will be a bust? No, in no way whatsoever do I think that. But, do I think he will come into Duke and put up Carmelo Anthony or Michael Beasley freshman year #s? Also no, not at all, my guess is closer to 15/8/3 and likely 1st team All-ACC defensive player.

He is going to be great for them this year. But, I don't think he will be virtually unstoppable either. Frankly, I'm looking forward to that game. As someone else said, Coleman would probably be the ideal defender you'd slap on a Cooper Flagg type of player, but we don't have that this season. Cooper's weaknesses are ballhandling and outside shooting, which are things I'd expect a generational talent to excel at. He is hailed to be one of the best shot blocking wing prospects ever, and they'll also have 7'2" Maluach who is also said to a defensive menace in the making. I think I'll be more worried about scoring the ball than I am about stopping Cooper Flagg.
 
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#384      
3 point girl
#385      
lstewart53x3
Homecoming 2019 said:
So we play Duke with maybe the most hyped college freshmen since Durant(?) and Rutgers with the 2nd and 3rd best, oh and I forgot to mention Duke has the 4th best prospect. So we play the top 4 college freshmen this year, should be fun to see how we match up. Great measuring stick for Will and Kasparas hopes of being lottery picks.
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Using RSCI rankings, in the top 30 we play:

1 (Duke)
2 (Rutgers)
3 (Rutgers)
13 (Alabama)
14 (Maryland)
15 (Duke)
16 (Duke)
17 (Arkansas)
21 (Alabama)
22 (Arkansas)
24 (Duke)
27 (Arkansas)
29 (UCLA)

13 of the top 30.

If we would’ve had official RSCI rankings for all of our recruits, we likely would have had 3 of our own:

Will Riley (N/A Reclass)
KJ (N/A International)
Morez Johnson (26)
 
#386      
jjv0004
NarrowJ said:
Cooper Flagg is, as we all probably are aware, projected as the #1 pick in the next NBA draft. That does not mean he does not have weaknesses or may even be slowed by adept defenders at the college level. He will not even turn 18 until two or three months into the college season. He will play against guys that are 22,23,24. He does have a nice frame already and will undoubtedly improve it continually, so no real way of knowing what he will look like by the time the game rolls around in late Feb.

Can't really agree he is the most hyped college freshmen since KD. Not sure what year he was, but OJ Mayo was certainly more highly thought of than things I hear about Cooper Flagg. Actually, I believe OJ Mayo was in the class that had Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon & Derrick Rose. All four of those guys I remember having more 'hype' than Cooper Flagg. And now, I am just pulling names off the top of my head here, but: Ben Simmons, Jahlil Okafor, Jabari Parker, Greg Oden, Andrew Wiggins, Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, John Wall, Emmanuel Mudiay (and lets not forget more recent ones like Zion Williamson, James Wiseman, Cade Cunningham or Chet Holmgren).

Honestly, I think the term 'generational talent' gets thrown around every single year and we tend to forget all of the gargantuan HS names that just completely flame out. Do I think Cooper Flagg will be a bust? No, in no way whatsoever do I think that. But, do I think he will come into Duke and put up Carmelo Anthony or Michael Beasley freshman year #s? Also no, not at all, my guess is closer to 15/8/3 and likely 1st team All-ACC defensive player.

He is going to be great for them this year. But, I don't think he will be virtually unstoppable either. Frankly, I'm looking forward to that game. As someone else said, Coleman would probably be the ideal defender you'd slap on a Cooper Flagg type of player, but we don't have that this season. Cooper's weaknesses are ballhandling and outside shooting, which are things I'd expect a generational talent to excel at. He is hailed to be one of the best shot blocking wing prospects ever, and they'll also have 7'2" Maluach who is also said to a defensive menace in the making. I think I'll be more worried about scoring the ball than I am about stopping Cooper Flagg.
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He did pretty well paying against some of the best 20 and 30 somethings in the world. The kid is special.

Cooper Flagg wows during scrimmage against USA Olympic Team | FOX Sports

Cooper Flagg dazzled players and coaches during the USA Select Team's scrimmage against Team USA on Monday.
www.foxsports.com www.foxsports.com
 
#387      
Fighter of the Nightman
Dan said:
Welcome to the Illini Basketball 2024-2025 & College Basketball news thread :illinois:


Tickets
Season Ticket Info
(Single game ticket info has not yet been released.)


Schedule
Official non-conference schedule-
Arkansas at T-Mobile Center, Kansas City (Thanksgiving Day - Thursday, November 28th), 3:00pm CT, CBS
Duke at Madison Square Garden, NYC (Saturday, February 22nd)

Reported unofficial non-conference schedule-
Eastern Illinois (Monday, November 4th)
SIU-Edwardsville (date TDB)
Oakland (date TBD)
Alabama in Birmingham, AL (Wednesday, November 20th)
Tennessee (Saturday, December 14th)
Missouri in St. Louis, MO (Sunday, December 22nd)

Big Ten opponents-
Home Only – Iowa, Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, UCLA, USC,
Away Only – Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Rutgers, Washington
Home & Away – Michigan State, Northwestern, Wisconsin


Roster
IL Returnees
1) Ty Rodgers
2) Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn

IL Signees
1) Morez Johnson (2024 PF) committed on November 4th, 2021.
2) Jason Jakstys (2024 F) committed on July 23rd, 2023.
3) Jake Davis (Mercer guard) committed on April 1st.
4) Tre White (Louisville wing) committed on April 9th.
5) Kylan Boswell (Arizona guard) committed on April 14th.
6) Carey Booth (Notre Dame forward) committed on April 16th.
7) Ben Humrichous (Evansville forward) committed on April 30th.
8) Tomislav Ivisic (Croatian center) committed on May 6th.
9) Kasparas Jakucionis (Lithuanian guard) committed on May 28th.
10) Will Riley (2024 F) committed on June 23rd.
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Awesome to already have two VERY high-profile matchups on major networks guaranteed for us in the non-conference alone - a Blue Blood at MSG on FOX and a very successful program on Thanksgiving Day on CBS. That is the kind of exposure that is huge in further improving the perception of a program with recruits and potential future fans.

Based on previous years, I guarantee our game against Tennessee will be on a major network (that weekend in December always a slate of CBS and FOX games), and I would be shocked if at least ESPN did not pick up our game against Alabama (assuming that the SEC has the TV rights to that one). It would be nice if Braggin' Rights could escape its home of being on BTN and SECN lately, but alas... Very positive we'll have several Big Ten matchups on FOX or CBS, as well, so there will be a lot of eyeballs on the Illini this season!
 
#388      
NarrowJ
jjv0004 said:
He did pretty well paying against some of the best 20 and 30 somethings in the world. The kid is special.

Cooper Flagg wows during scrimmage against USA Olympic Team | FOX Sports

Cooper Flagg dazzled players and coaches during the USA Select Team's scrimmage against Team USA on Monday.
www.foxsports.com www.foxsports.com
Click to expand...

Absolutely, he is a special player. I was merely responding to the 'most hyped since KD' and/or 'generational talent' post(s). Although he will have an instant impact at Duke, likely be their best player, he is not screaming NBA HOF to me at the moment. I keep thinking Andrei Kirilenko.

EDIT: Before someone responds with something about Andrei Kirilenko and the HOF, basketball-reference.com has his HOF probability as .0004
 
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#389      
Chiieeff
21ChampaignSt said:
Thought this was a cool stat. We're ranked higher than I would have thought (and should continue climbing).


View attachment 35999
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This is a super cool leaderboard. I wonder how this will be tracked in the new transfer portal era? For example, will CoHawk pro stats (assuming he goes pro) count towards the beloved, or Kansas State?

.....these are the things that keep me up at night lol
 
#390      
Epsilon
lstewart53x3 said:
Using RSCI rankings, in the top 30 we play:

1 (Duke)
2 (Rutgers)
3 (Rutgers)
13 (Alabama)
14 (Maryland)
15 (Duke)
16 (Duke)
17 (Arkansas)
21 (Alabama)
22 (Arkansas)
24 (Duke)
27 (Arkansas)
29 (UCLA)

13 of the top 30.

If we would’ve had official RSCI rankings for all of our recruits, we likely would have had 3 of our own:

Will Riley (N/A Reclass)
KJ (N/A International)
Morez Johnson (26)
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By the time the tournament rolls around it will be pretty clear whether we belong or not.
 
#391      
ptgrd23
NarrowJ said:
Absolutely, he is a special player. I was merely responding to the 'most hyped since KD' and/or 'generational talent' post(s). Although he will have an instant impact at Duke, likely be their best player, he is not screaming NBA HOF to me at the moment. I keep thinking Andrei Kirilenko.
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Overhyped HS players
-- Clark Kellogg (next Magic Johnson)
-- Sebastian Telfair
-- Felipe Lopez
 
#392      
Poe's Law
ptgrd23 said:
Overhyped HS players
-- Clark Kellogg (next Magic Johnson)
-- Sebastian Telfair
-- Felipe Lopez
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I wasn’t around but is this fair to Clark Kellogg? He was all conference, drafted number 8 overall, and made the all rookie team.

That must have been LeBron level hype for him to end up on all time bust list with Telfair and Lopez.

James Wiseman was consensus #1 in 2019. Might still figure it out but I’d put Kelloggs achievements ahead of his.
 
#394      
ptgrd23
Some busts in past 10 years

Emmanuel Mudiah 2015, skipped college, currently in G-league
Josh Jackson 2016 did well at Kansas, currently in G-league
Nick Smith 2022 went to Arkansas avg 12 ppg for 17 games then got injured, still drafted 27th, 5 ppg first season for terrible Charlotte team

247sports.com

Where they are now: No. 1 college basketball recruits from last 10 years

Some former top recruits have been more successful than others since hitting the college scene
247sports.com 247sports.com
 
#396      
NarrowJ
ptgrd23 said:
Some busts in past 10 years

Emmanuel Mudiah 2015, skipped college, currently in G-league
Josh Jackson 2016 did well at Kansas, currently in G-league
Nick Smith 2022 went to Arkansas avg 12 ppg for 17 games then got injured, still drafted 27th, 5 ppg first season for terrible Charlotte team

247sports.com

Where they are now: No. 1 college basketball recruits from last 10 years

Some former top recruits have been more successful than others since hitting the college scene
247sports.com 247sports.com
Click to expand...

Yep, Mudiay was supposed to be his generation's Gary Payton. The biggest ones I remember in the last 20y or so are probably Greg Oden or Adam Morrison, maybe Kwame Brown.
 
#397      
ptgrd23
What is interesting is of 2019 top 100 HS recruits is how many are currently in NBA

15 of top 20
8 of 21-40
4 of 41-60
4 of 61-80
2 of 81-100

33 of 100. Much higher number than I expected

Schools attended that are in NBA 2024. JMO - you don't have to attend a blue blood.

3 Duke
3 AZ
3 skipped college
2 USC
2 Memphis
2 Washington
2 UCONN
2 Florida
2 FSU
2 Gonzaga
1 Kansas
1 Kentucky
1 UNC
1 Louisville
1 Stanford
1 VCU
1 Texas
1 Auburn
1 Indiana
1 Villanova
1 Miami
1 Ohio State

https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/recruit_rankings_2019.html
 
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#399      
Emerson Bigguns
NarrowJ said:
Yep, Mudiay was supposed to be his generation's Gary Payton. The biggest ones I remember in the last 20y or so are probably Greg Oden or Adam Morrison, maybe Kwame Brown.
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Kwame at least played in the NBA for 12 years. Being picked #1 out of high school is a tough thing to live up to. Being picked #1 out of high school by Michael Jordan is another level altogether.

Of #1 picks in recent memory, the worst, by far…….is Anthony Bennett. Dude started 4 games in his career.
 
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