I agree in general with what you’re saying, but Marcus Liberty was 35 years ago. Things have changed somewhat since then. I’ve even heard rumors players can actually earn pretty good money now and transfer multiple times.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
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I agree…with a few notable exceptions:
* think I found the only known picture of Fran smiling
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Damn, i knew i was getting old, that seals it...............
Last year's team coming into the season on paper looked grear defensively and most on here said our defense would be really good and we could play many different styles. Then the season went on and our defense was the worst part of our team and we struggled.
I think this years team has a chance to be better on defense due to having a true 5 Ivisic and then multiple guards to stay in front of quicker opposing guards. Then some strong wings. I just think its harder to teach offense then defense.
There are a few one and done, 1st round guys this year that averaged fewer than 25 minutes a game.
Furphy, George, Edwards…
NBA scouts mostly care about upside.
I'm old, and maybe my memory is fading, but I recall Moses Malone being a "none and done"... that he signed right out of high school with an ABA team.
Illinicpa14
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Lot of defense is effort - and not just effort on the court but on the scouting reports, etc Trent Frazier showed what you can become when you focus on that part of your game without any elite athletic skills.
To your point, lot of offensive skill doesn’t happen overnight. I’m sure Ty has worked his butt off the past 2 years on his shot, it’s just not an overnight thing. But, you look at a guy like D’monte who went from a non offense threat to a quality shooter if left completely open - just took multiple years to get there.
One poster has, at least on two occasions, questioned whether anyone knows if T. Ivisic and/or K. Jakucionis will have any eligibility problems with the NCAA, ala Z. Ivisic at Kentucky last season. I worry less about T. Ivisic because Illinois has Johnson and Booth who are both capable of playing the 5 until TI becomes eligible. But I worry more about Jakucionis because he is one of only 3 guards on the current Illinois roster for next season.
Going into the early part of the season with Boswell and DGL as our only two guards would not be ideal. (I know that some of you will say that Rodgers is a guard, but I feel that is more in name/title only.) I think there would be less of a worry if anyone could definitively say that Jeremiah Fears is definitely coming to Illinois after the first semester AND that Fears will definitely play for the Illini in the second semester. It would probably be okay for the Illini to go with just the two guards, and work through any eligibility problems with Jakucionis, early in the season IF it was certain that Fears would be playing for Illinois after the first semester. If those are not certainties with Fears, and if no one conclusively knows that Illinois will not have eligibility problems with KJ, then I think that the Illini might want to recruit and sign another transfer guard for depth purposes.
Of course, that signing would get in the way of having an available scholarship for Will Riley, IF he reclassifies, and IF he actually commits to the Illini. Those are some BIG ifs! I wish that we had more clarity, more confidence, on whether Illinois has a real/good chance to get a Riley commitment. The Illini should certainly NOT pass on an opportunity to sign an uber talented player like Will Riley! That far outweighs any worries about KJ's potential eligibility issues and building depth at the guard position.
Going into the early part of the season with Boswell and DGL as our only two guards would not be ideal. (I know that some of you will say that Rodgers is a guard, but I feel that is more in name/title only.) I think there would be less of a worry if anyone could definitively say that Jeremiah Fears is definitely coming to Illinois after the first semester AND that Fears will definitely play for the Illini in the second semester. It would probably be okay for the Illini to go with just the two guards, and work through any eligibility problems with Jakucionis, early in the season IF it was certain that Fears would be playing for Illinois after the first semester. If those are not certainties with Fears, and if no one conclusively knows that Illinois will not have eligibility problems with KJ, then I think that the Illini might want to recruit and sign another transfer guard for depth purposes.
Of course, that signing would get in the way of having an available scholarship for Will Riley, IF he reclassifies, and IF he actually commits to the Illini. Those are some BIG ifs! I wish that we had more clarity, more confidence, on whether Illinois has a real/good chance to get a Riley commitment. The Illini should certainly NOT pass on an opportunity to sign an uber talented player like Will Riley! That far outweighs any worries about KJ's potential eligibility issues and building depth at the guard position.
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Yeah, that's right. My overall point though was that the mindset of a 5 star guy is much different now than it was 35 years ago. They're demanding huge money and going to expect to get to the league quickly. Whether or not that happens is a different question, but the expectation is there.
Just "a few YT clips" here and there shouldn't be enough to immediately come to the judgement of "he hardly plays defense."
If he comes, he'll be the best shot maker BU has had here. Not best player - that would be Shannon or Ayo. Not best shooter - that would be Plummer.
But best shot maker - there really isn't a shot that he doesn't have in his arsenal - catch & shoot, pull up 3s, pull up mid-range, fadeaway off the bounce... - you name it...
In terms of the defensive end...he's def. got the ability to hold up on that end...especially if he adds some strength. Feel like that's what he's got to improve the most - the strength aspect - only 180 at 6"8...
Who better for him than Fletch?
Particularly when he's got to get out of Lexington & more so Tuscaloosa without a commitment...
That's awesome. I'll be rooting for Dain to kill it at Memphis!
Don't write off Arizona.
Is that the most likely one outside of Illinois?
I honestly don't see what they have to sell over us...outside of maybe history of doing well with Canadian talent...?
He's got more chance to start here than there and that's pretty much a surety.
Maybe NIL? But pretty sure I read somewhere (I think CBS) that they've ran into a crunch $$ wise after getting Caleb Love back...and that's what led to those top 50 guys leaving...
But also saw somewhere that it was because they wanted to start...
Who knows...
Just really want him here...
Fair. I don't know how you look at this roster and not have questions about PT as a freshman.
Granted Riley isn't Butler..
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