Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

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#451      
drsmitty74
PIT_ILL said:
Could you imagine adding OA in place of GA? That would be quite possibly the best staff in the country
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No doubt OA can recruit, but we need a coach that can orchestrate an offense. If that's OA, great.
 
#452      
Future Insider
Indy Illini Fan said:
I want Brad to want to be here and I want Brad to succeed … I think Brad has made it clear where he stands on the first issue and the second issue he hasn’t set himself up well for … Those are just the facts …

And do I know Sean really well ? Yup … I also know Josh loves Sean … And Josh hates having to tell boosters Brad 💩 the bed on this RayJ thing despite all of their efforts while Sean has like 3 PGs who are all better than any PG we’ve got …

Oh wait … We STILL don’t have one … And that’s on Brad … Absolute failure … Unacceptable …
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And that’s why it’s hard to get excited about any incoming recruits. If team doesn’t have a good season I can see some serious heat coming down on BU and him take it personal and leaving.
 
#453      
WillyG42
ElGran said:
This doesn't make sense. We had a fantastic off-season until we "lost" our guy at PG. Guerrier, Domask, and Harmon are all good to very good players and we also got TSJ and Hawk back. I think BU and Co were trying to make our lineup as attractive as possible for a PG to join us . They did exactly that, but obviously it didn't (or hasn't yet) work out at PG which is disappointing to everyone. But our staff did a fantastic job up until that point.
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I’m talking about our PG situation so yes it makes perfect sense
 
#454      
redwingillini11
FI_8905 said:
Brad Underwood wants to be at Illinois. His agent floats his name every offseason to gain leverage, like all agents do. Whitman doesn't like it, but he has no room to talk. He threw his name into the hat for B1G commissioner job, and there were rumors that Iowa talked to him about their AD job.

I think departing for Kansas State was a realistic option for Underwood, though. Obvious history there.
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The difference is whether Josh Whitman is using these other gigs, like Iowa hypothetically, to get leverage over the University of Illinois to get pay raises. I don't think there is any reason to believe that he tried that at all. Like Indy said, you can't blame the guy for throwing his hat in the ring to become one of the top 10 most powerful people in sports, and you can't blame other schools for reaching out to him since he is that good of an AD. But is he shaking down the university at each one of these turns? No.

Now, coaching is a different game for sure, and you have to be a hustler to get anywhere in the industry. But Brad got one bite at that apple, and he got rewarded. You can't turn around the next few years and expect everyone to be ok with your focus on other jobs and gaining leverage. Win meaningful games and you will be handsomely rewarded.

I don't expect Illinois to really be anyone's dream job they could never be lured away from. Maybe the Reverand, maybe Dee. But that's it. It is a cutthroat industry and you have to look out for yourself. But Brad's judgment appears to be lacking, he seems distracted, and his priorities do not seem to be aligned to maximize winning the most meaningful games as possible. Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying he doesn't want to win. I am saying he's getting in his own way.
 
#455      
DeonThomas
Saturdaze said:
I think @Indy Illini Fan finally knocking some of you to your senses what some of us have been saying for some time but being shouted down with nonsense gifs.

Look at all the players that left. Assistant coaches that left. Some of y’all been willing to chalk each one up to some excuse that victimizes the Illini and Brad. The exodus we’ve experienced under Brad is not normal even now in the portal era. I give him credit for getting quality replacements, but how much is that Brad and how much is that the treasurer who signs the check?

These excuses have all been parroted here:
Ortega - Calapari needed him
Chin - he sucked, we just used him to get Ayo, he did the Loyola scout
Gentry - he’s going home
Mark Smith (87) - didn’t like the treadmill
Tevian Jones (116) - weed problems
Alan Griffin (182) - dad wanted him to stay but he listened to mom (what kinda kid is not going to listen to his NBA coach dad? Please)
Adam Miller (33) - wanted to stay but mom didn’t want him to
Andre Curbello (47) - concusion and addiction led to attitude issues
Austin Hutcherson - better than Ayo, but injury bug
RJ Melendez (94) - no more Puerto Ricans on the team, and good riddance
Brandin Podziemski (107) - defense kept him off the court (lol no need to rehash)
Sky Clark (33) - in it for himself
Jayden Epps (72) - not a team player
Zacharie Perrin (222) - thought he was going to start

Underwood has recruited 26 freshman - 17 have transferred. He’s had 3 coaches leave for lateral moves in 7 years.

Some thing is broken within the program, and its clear fat stacks and bags are only thing keeping it together at this point in my opinion.
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nah...

As a better indicator of success, I'd prefer to compare:
-- conference records of our past 3 coaches over the last 17 years (2007 - 2023)
-- NCAA tourney birth % for those same 3 coaches over that span
-- State Farm attendance during that period

Player transfers in/out have been greatly impacted by the recent introduction of the transfer portal and NIL.
 
#456      
Thebigillini
DeonThomas said:
nah...

As a better indicator of success, I'd prefer to compare:
-- conference records of our past 3 coaches over the last 17 years (2007 - 2023)
-- NCAA tourney birth % for those same 3 coaches over that span
-- State Farm attendance during that period

Player transfers in/out have been greatly impacted by the recent introduction of the transfer portal and NIL.
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Who cares about conference records? Like honestly. Does beating Minnesota in January mean that much? The conference sucks in March anyway. And no other big ten team has had as many transfers in the past 4 years than we have had. It’s not a NIL thing.
 
#457      
HailtotheChief
RabidDawgClassic said:
This board:

“Brad didn’t play Podz enough as a freshman and recognize his greatness! He should be fired!”

Also this board:

“Brad would be stupid to rely on a freshman DGL this year. If he does that he should be fired!”
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Actually if DGL can shoot FTs and it appears he can. Right now he is exactly who I currently want in down the stretch over others id hate to see handling the ball and being fouled in moments when they must hit them. That is one reason I'm concern and want to a proven PG
 
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#458      
texillwek
I'm just here for the hot takes

dwight-nod.gif
 
#459      
Mojoman
Illinirog70 said:
What an INTERESTING assessment (put the emphasis on the first three letters...) We have recruited WELL on the open market and also got two dominant players to return. I guess because he hasn't called you, Willy (won't he?) to consult on his next move that he's been doing nothing?

What moves has he made so far that imply his head is anywhere but on his shoulders, swiveling to look for opportunities to improve this team further?

Has KK even entered the portal yet? NO? Then they are not even allowed to talk to him or about him yet. And if they were, they certainly wouldn't talk openly to us about those conversations!

Maybe, just maybe some on this board should get THEIR heads out of the nether hole and look around... I see a strong potential contender in the Big Ten being built... and we're not done yet!

Personally, I'd love to see us add a rim protector. That may be an even greater need than a point guard.
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This guy is going to have a stroke taking himself so serious.
 
#460      
21ChampaignSt
DeonThomas said:
nah...

As a better indicator of success, I'd prefer to compare:
-- conference records of our past 3 coaches over the last 17 years (2007 - 2023)
-- NCAA tourney birth % for those same 3 coaches over that span
-- State Farm attendance during that period

Player transfers in/out have been greatly impacted by the recent introduction of the transfer portal and NIL.
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I like Brad too but we don't have to measure him against our worst stretch in modern history to make him look good.
 
#461      
PIT_ILL
WyattEarp said:
He actually acquired a pretty good situation at SFA. (The last team that Ford recruited @ OkSt wasn’t too shabby either.) He had one stud and a bunch of pretty High IQ players and some deadly shooter(s) on his best team @ SFA.
He generally ran the Spread at both stops …and it fit those teams REALLY well. (Especially SFA)

Really, if anything is his calling-card it’s the Spread offense. (It was one of the most efficient offenses in the country. If you don’t believe me look it up.)

He had Gentry as an assistant for much of that time. He ran it @ OkSt too…worked pretty well there as well.

It worked pretty well here too…but rather than rolling into ball screens later in the possession…like they usually did. The more immediate Horns and high ball-screen stuff ultimately proved to be a better fit with our personnel. Those were Gentry tweaks.
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There is your key right there.
 
#462      
PIT_ILL
drsmitty74 said:
No doubt OA can recruit, but we need a coach that can orchestrate an offense. If that's OA, great.
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and Geoff can? I would hope Frazier could handle it if given the keys. Not sure if he can (pretty certain he could have an elite defense) but can't be any worse than what has been going on
 
#464      
ptgrd23
We were pretty spoiled 2020-23. Kofi was a beast in the paint, Ayo could create his own shot, Trent/DaMonte/Jacob were very unselfish passers, when Ayo was out freshman Andre could create offense, and Plummer was deadly from 3.

Last year we had combination of several me first players and no Kofi. RJ lost his jumpshot. The 5 out offense did not work and we were a poor passing team.

Equally important to bringing in new talent - Marcus, Quincy, Justin, Amani, getting Luke back is hopefully a new/better executed offense. That is on the coaches. Addition by subtraction will be a big help as well. I am excited about next season even with there are no more adds.
 
#465      
Mojoman
HailtotheChief said:
Actually if DGL can shoot FTs and it appears he can. Right now he is exactly who I currently want in down the stretch over others id hate to see handling the ball and being fouled in moments when they must hit them. That is one reason I'm concern and want to a proven PG
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I want to know who DGL dunked on in practice?
 
#468      
RichieRebel
All the Podz talk is revisionist history.

He didn’t play on a freshmen bc of Covid seniors.

But that part that gets me is he didn’t play on a conference championship team.
 
#469      
drsmitty74
PIT_ILL said:
and Geoff can? I would hope Frazier could handle it if given the keys. Not sure if he can (pretty certain he could have an elite defense) but can't be any worse than what has been going on
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NO, that's why I said we need an offensive mind in the staff.
 
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