Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (January-March 2016)

Status
Not open for further replies.
#1,328      
Greensboro
PaytonHighstep said:
If Groce goes the 5th year transfer route for a big man again this off-season, he is all in on thinking he can land a quality big man in the 2017 class. I hope he's right, because if he fails to land an impact guy in the 2017 class, the post position depth on this team will be very scary looking.
Click to expand...

PaytonHighstep said:
Ideally Illinois would find a high school post player to fill a roster spot in the 2016 class to develop. After the 16-17 season, as of right now, they will only have Finke and Black.
Click to expand...

I agree on the need for a 2016 Big, we are already down a big man in Paul, Thorne goes after this year, and Mav next year. If we replace Thorne with another 5th yr it just kicks that can down the road to 2017 and you likely need 1-2 2017 kids to contribute or you are chasing another 5th year.

Not sure though if Groce is all in on thinking he can land a quality 2017 big man or just playing the hand he is dealt. Options for 2016 big are limited at this point, but either way it ups the stakes for 2017.
 
#1,329      
Greensboro
BlindLoyalty said:
Harry Froling was named camp MVP at the NBAs Basketball Without Borders Camp during NBA All Star Weekend in Toronto. This camp included players like Deandre Ayton and Thon Maker.
Click to expand...

That is impressive.

Looks like one of those other guys in the picture is still available. Thon Maker? Maybe we just pick him up as a consolation prize for missing Froling. ;)
 
#1,331      
Deleted member 10676
brosox said:
I am thinking that, if we haven't done so already, we should try to get back in the Racko recruitment. He has had a great senior year and seems to have gotten over the immaturity issues that have plagued him in the past.
Click to expand...

It appears from Henricksen's article today that the Rako to Illinois ship has definitely sailed.
http://suntimeshighschoolsports.com/2016/02/17/henricksen-notebook-filled-news-notes-thoughts/
Rakocevic recruiting: St. Joseph’s Nick Rakocevic enters the stretch run of his senior year, a season in which the 6-11 big man has been at times dominating while showing consistent production. As the top uncommitted prospect in the senior class, Rakocevic’s recruitment will only continue to pick up steam.
Rakocevic has taken just one official visit –– to West Virginia last fall –– so he will have four official visits available if he chooses following the season. As this process plays out, narrowing the lengthy list down could be tricky. Miami-Florida, USC and Arizona State have been in constant hot pursuit, with a surplus of others now getting involved in some capacity.
Now it’s a matter of which of those other schools –– Rakocevic is hearing from North Carolina, South Carolina, Auburn, Louisville, Oklahoma, Cal and Providence –– will join the race and be in the mix to the end.
Click to expand...
 
#1,332      
PaytonHighstep
miketherevelator said:
It appears from Henricksen's article today that the Rako to Illinois ship has definitely sailed.
http://suntimeshighschoolsports.com/2016/02/17/henricksen-notebook-filled-news-notes-thoughts/
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that recruiting ship was ever really sailing. Everything I've read concerning Rako was he was looking to get out of Illinois towards a greener pasture. I think when his AAU season, reported attitude/maturity issues, and the offers were pulled is when things changed. He was reportedly a changed individual and Illinois checked him out.

I'm not convinced it ever really got serious from either side. I still think the kid envisions a landing spot far away from Illinois and only really considered the Illini when he thought leaving for a big-time program wasn't possible.

Illinois could use him in the 2016 class (they need a big badly in this class), but I don't think either side wants him at Illinois.
 
#1,333      
TownieMatt
miketherevelator said:
It appears from Henricksen's article today that the Rako to Illinois ship has definitely sailed.
http://suntimeshighschoolsports.com/2016/02/17/henricksen-notebook-filled-news-notes-thoughts/


Rakocevic recruiting: St. Joseph’s Nick Rakocevic enters the stretch run of his senior year, a season in which the 6-11 big man has been at times dominating while showing consistent production. As the top uncommitted prospect in the senior class, Rakocevic’s recruitment will only continue to pick up steam.

Rakocevic has taken just one official visit –– to West Virginia last fall –– so he will have four official visits available if he chooses following the season. As this process plays out, narrowing the lengthy list down could be tricky. Miami-Florida, USC and Arizona State have been in constant hot pursuit, with a surplus of others now getting involved in some capacity.
Now it’s a matter of which of those other schools –– Rakocevic is hearing from North Carolina, South Carolina, Auburn, Louisville, Oklahoma, Cal and Providence –– will join the race and be in the mix to the end.
Click to expand...

Rako isn't coming to Illinois. I've been saying for a while that Rako wants to get far away from Chicago. If there's one thing those schools have in common, it's that they're no where near Chicago.
 
#1,334      
brokensaphire
Can't believe what I am seeing.

Being out West the last few years and without having taken the time to register until recently I have been really wanting to post this:

Since I don't seek out information on every college and its basketball program I am wondering when this unbelievable barrage of injuries to current players and now recruits becomes a national story. Is any other school going through this kind of misfortune? Please let me know if someone has jumped on the story of this incredible string of bad luck for the Illinois basketball program. It is phenomenal and is now reaching the level of ridiculous. If this becomes any kind of national headline would it necessarily hurt recruiting? Nothing would surprise me currently.:confused: Somebody call a priest.....

Thanks,
:chief:
Love my Illini
 
#1,335      
TheBucket
brokensaphire said:
Being out West the last few years and without having taken the time to register until recently I have been really wanting to post this:

Since I don't seek out information on every college and its basketball program I am wondering when this unbelievable barrage of injuries to current players and now recruits becomes a national story. Is any other school going through this kind of misfortune? Please let me know if someone has jumped on the story of this incredible string of bad luck for the Illinois basketball program. It is phenomenal and is now reaching the level of ridiculous. If this becomes any kind of national headline would it necessarily hurt recruiting? Nothing would surprise me currently.:confused: Somebody call a priest.....

Thanks,
:chief:
Love my Illini
Click to expand...

It's not a national story. The only reason it will hurt recruiting is because it has lead to Ls on the court.
 
#1,336      
blmillini
brokensaphire said:
Being out West the last few years and without having taken the time to register until recently I have been really wanting to post this:

Since I don't seek out information on every college and its basketball program I am wondering when this unbelievable barrage of injuries to current players and now recruits becomes a national story. Is any other school going through this kind of misfortune? Please let me know if someone has jumped on the story of this incredible string of bad luck for the Illinois basketball program. It is phenomenal and is now reaching the level of ridiculous. If this becomes any kind of national headline would it necessarily hurt recruiting? Nothing would surprise me currently.:confused: Somebody call a priest.....

Thanks,
:chief:
Love my Illini
Click to expand...

Not making the tournament year after year is what is hurting recruiting. Guys want to play in the tournament, especially the best players, and they aren't coming if we aren't making the tournament on a consistent basis. The problem isn't the anomaly that is this season, it is this season added to the last four in which we have made the dance in 1/5, that isn't good for a program like Illinois.
 
#1,337      
Xfactr
We should be looking for 4 after this weekend.
 
#1,340      
Joel Goodson
CAHALL15 said:
Maybe we try to get two fifth year bigs? I liked what McLaurin, Ekey, and Thorne brought to the table.
Click to expand...

We're in full scramble mode now. I'm sure we'll be considering all avenues. 5th year bigs, who can actually help, are sparse, but we have gobs of playing time available.
 
#1,341      
Second and Chalmers
So it's:

Lucas
Abrams
Tate
JCL
Nunn
Jordan
Kipper
Hill
DJW
Finke
Morgan

Austin & Liss are still around as walkons. Lewis, LaTulip and Thorne all gone, and Black as now a question mark?

Yup, we need a big badly.
 
#1,342      
illini8507
If things stand the way we all think they will I think it's safe to say that Malcolm plays a lot of the 4 again next year. Poor guy
 
#1,344      
Greensboro
illini8507 said:
If things stand the way we all think they will I think it's safe to say that Malcolm plays a lot of the 4 again next year. Poor guy
Click to expand...

If Black ends up gone, I'm sure we will find another big, to me the question is how serviceable will he be.

Maybe it is time to rehash the how hard we should have chased Morrow again?

I also think Kipper and DJW are probably in line for the guard playing the stretch 4. But with questions & lack of depth at 1, 4, 5 positions we will undoubtedly try playing with 3 of our wings together and maybe 4 together.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back