You can acknowledge it’s a lot more difficult to close in big boy recruiting while also acknowledging the fact that they haven’t been able to close on elite recruits and transfers. At some point you gotta convert on one of these recruits to show that this has became an elite program where the elite talents want to come play. We’re not there yet.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
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Momma gets what momma wants.
“I just want to know, if our insiders were saying he's telling players he's coming to Illinois, was he lying to be "nice"? Did he change his mind that quickly? Were people told misinformation? Did someone else make the decision for him? or what?”
if you can’t spot the sucker at the table, YOU are the sucker.
if you can’t spot the sucker at the table, YOU are the sucker.
TwoElevenEastDaniel
- Cochrane's-Orchid-Tonic
One of my favorite movies. Also, one of the movies dudes my age quote ad nauseam.
I want top recruits because it will (hopefully) help us win more games. You don't' show that you're an elite program by landing top recruits. You show it by winning lots of games (especialy games in March and April).
You basically said landing top recruits improves your ability to win, because they typically go hand in hand. Do these two things consistently and you elevate yourself to the elite class.
That being said, are there any programs you consider elite that haven’t landed a single 5 star recruit (in the 247 era)? And are there elite programs that have won consistently without having 5 star recruits?
Tacomallini
- Washington State
Baylor, I believe. I think they have a 5 star in this year's class but that wasn't the case in the previous couple of years.
To be fair, his comments on AZ were better. Nothing against us, just more evidence that AZ puts guys in the league. “They’re all over the place”, in his words.
I held it. Don’t care. Now what?
Plummer says hello from behind the arc…
They have had 5 five star recruits, right after Scott Drew turned their program around. I do hope Illinois is on its way to having similar success Baylor had over the past 15 years.
Five stars in 10/11/12 and then another string in 21/22, so 5 in that 15 year span.
Though over 15 years I wasn’t as impressed as you. Several NIT trips and 1st or 2nd round exits. Definitely better than they were, but I think we can sustain more ambitious goals than 3 trips to the elite 8 over 15 years.
I will add that ironically, after making the elite 8 before landing Perry Jones (7th in nation), they didn’t make the tourney either year he was there before going in the 1st round and fizzling out (currently on the Windy City bulls)
In 14 seasons since 2007, 12 seasons over 20 wins, 9 tourney appearances (10 if you count 2020), 2 sweet 16, 2 elite 8, 1 national championship, would have gone deep in 2020 as well had there been a tourney. Currently sitting at 23-5 and ranked 10th in the country. That not good enough for you?
IIRC Plummer wasn’t ranked a top 50 transfer…
Kids need to learn, you're largely going to put yourself in the league through your own hard work, talent, and dedication. Almost every P5 coach is an extremely competent coach capable of helping you improve your game and get to the NBA.
I can assure you Mike Boynton didn't put Cade Cunningham into the #1 slot. Andy Enfield had very little to do with Evan Mobley going #3. Then they act like the school somehow magically does it. Arizona's coach is in his first year. He has absolutely 0 to do with any NBA player out of Arizona.
It is just the stupidest reason to pick a school yet it seems to be the #1 reason for kids. They act like it is an AAU team and being on that team will attract a lot of recruiters to get you a scholarship. Well sorry to break it to you boys, NBA teams have larger budgets. They will find talent at any school. If they can identify a 16 year old in Brazil or Croatia, they can find a kid hidden in the Big Ten at Illinois.
Yes. Surprisingly athletic. Good rebounder and appeared to be decent defender.
Eh - he still picked us over Kansas so I’m counting it.
Ironic given most of the NBA passed away n a kid hidden in the Big 10 at Illinois. Fell to the second round yet starting on a top team in the conference.
Not that I don’t 100% disagree with you, just think it’s funny how some of these things shake out. While I agree that nba scouts are quickly moving away from players because of the school they went to, that is part of a recent shift to advanced analytics and being able to relate 20 ppg at a school like Illinois compared to 12 ppg at Kentucky. They dive much deeper into the intangibles and the potential these days, so a lot of a draft is decided before the kids in it even stepped foot in a college court. Now stock can certainly fall, but I don’t expect it would fall drastically if you play well, no matter where you play.
Illini in OC
In. The. Alley.
Wishing (hoping) Kylan would join the beloved. I wish him well - no matter what.
In fact, I wish all of the kids we pursue good fortune - I assume BU and staff only engage Every Day Guys in the first place... i.e. good kids and families doing what's best for themselves... which hopefully includes Illini hoops.
Mega recruits will come at some point. BU is building something great here and they will see it. For now, I like the guys we have, are committed and in the pipeline. Norman Dale: "My team is on the floor".
Look at Gonzaga. Look at the aforementioned Baylor. Recall that Duke was in the wilderness prior to Coach K; they then showed promise but it was Johnny Dawkins who lit the rocket fuel - followed by the Hill-Laettner-Hurley teams. We were hoping for the same with Bruce after 2005 but it never materialized. JW has BU's back and will provide what's needed for BU to succeed.
We are in a really great place. I plan to enjoy the ride - no matter what.
P.S. And thanks to the providers here for *any* inside information - no matter how spurious. It's why I come here: to be entertained.
In fact, I wish all of the kids we pursue good fortune - I assume BU and staff only engage Every Day Guys in the first place... i.e. good kids and families doing what's best for themselves... which hopefully includes Illini hoops.
Mega recruits will come at some point. BU is building something great here and they will see it. For now, I like the guys we have, are committed and in the pipeline. Norman Dale: "My team is on the floor".
Look at Gonzaga. Look at the aforementioned Baylor. Recall that Duke was in the wilderness prior to Coach K; they then showed promise but it was Johnny Dawkins who lit the rocket fuel - followed by the Hill-Laettner-Hurley teams. We were hoping for the same with Bruce after 2005 but it never materialized. JW has BU's back and will provide what's needed for BU to succeed.
We are in a really great place. I plan to enjoy the ride - no matter what.
P.S. And thanks to the providers here for *any* inside information - no matter how spurious. It's why I come here: to be entertained.
MDchicago
- Lake Norman NC
Bill Foster, who preceded K, deserves more of the credit for the Duke turnaround than he is given by most. In the 3 seasons immediately prior to K's arrival:
1979-80: Reached Elite 8 of NCAA tournament, won the ACC tournament, and had 4 future NBA players on roster. #3 in AP pre-season poll, reached #1, and finished #14.
1978-79: Lost in 2nd round of NCAA tournament as a #2 seed, ACC regular season co-champion, and had 5 future NBA players on roster. #1 in AP pre-season poll, finished #11.
1977-78: Lost in the NCAA championship game (to Kentucky team lead by Jack Givens, who scored 41 points in one of the best performances ever), won ACC tournament, and had 4 future NBA players on roster. #7 in final AP poll. Link
K obviously took it to a different level and sustained it for the next two generations, but he didn’t exactly step into a dumpster fire.
Idk if I agree. His weight is what makes him such a mismatch. As long as his body can handle the pounding from carrying 250, I think he has to keep it, especially coming to a physical B1G.
Now, if the force plates show he’s unbalanced or stressing himself out, then absolutely something needs to be done.
And Illinois was on the same trajectory as Duke in the late 80’s only to be derailed by Satan, hence his name.
I saw an article over a decade ago comparing the programs at the time but haven’t been able to locate it.
Yeah, I've seen tons of stockier guys tear up pickup basketball games because not only can they pound it, they can use their bulk to create extra space. If it's not a conditioning problem, the extra weight can be helpful. Just look at Ron Harper Jr.
Illini in OC
In. The. Alley.
Fair enough. Gene Banks and Jim Spanarkel, etc. were certainly not nothing.
But Duke was a loooong way from being Duke before Coach K arrived.... similar to the beloved.
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