Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[SoILIllini]

Uconn didn't either though and they obviously dominated college basketball last year - their starters averaged 15, 14, 13, 13, 11

We won't be at the Uconn level next year obviously , it was one of the best teams in college basketball in recent memory, but the point is you can still be really good with a balanced team rather than a team with an alpha scorer. If we get Riley our starting five will all be really good shooters and capable scorers. We won't have a TSJ type player but we rarely do, we could still be really good

This point is way over stated in this forum to cope with not having an elite level scorer.

UCONN didn't have a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 good scorers but no elite scorers... They had a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 elite scorers

We're still shaping up to have a solid team, but if we want to jump up into the echelon we were in last year we need a guy or two to turn into elite level scorers(TSJ and MD from last year )

 

[Brosky]

This point is way over stated in this forum to cope with not having an elite level scorer.

UCONN didn't have a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 good scorers but no elite scorers... They had a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 elite scorers

We're still shaping up to have a solid team, but if we want to jump up into the echelon we were in last year we need a guy or two to turn into elite level scorers(TSJ and MD from last year )

If Riley commits to us, I think we'll be on the way to ellte balanced.

 

[FreshlySqueezed]

This point is way over stated in this forum to cope with not having an elite level scorer.

UCONN didn't have a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 good scorers but no elite scorers... They had a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 elite scorers

We're still shaping up to have a solid team, but if we want to jump up into the echelon we were in last year we need a guy or two to turn into elite level scorers(TSJ and MD from last year )

He specifically said that we won't be at UConn's level next year. He is simply pointing out that you don't need an elite scorer to be successful.

Iowa State didn't have an elite scorer. Lipsey isn't elite.

Gonzaga had mayyybe Nembhard?

Baylor didn't have an elite scorer.

And UConn did not have 5 elite scorers. I'm not sure why people keep pushing that narrative either. Castle was definitely NOT an elite scorer. He was an elite defender.

 

[HensonHall71]

This point is way over stated in this forum to cope with not having an elite level scorer.

UCONN didn't have a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 good scorers but no elite scorers... They had a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 elite scorers

We're still shaping up to have a solid team, but if we want to jump up into the echelon we were in last year we need a guy or two to turn into elite level scorers(TSJ and MD from last year )

I respectfully disagree on your take on Uconn having 5 elite scorers - I wouldn't consider Castle (26.7% 3pt) and Clingan elite scorers, they are obviously really good players and will be lottery picks but it wasn't because of their offensive prowess. They really didn't have anyone that was a TSJ or Knecht level player offensively that you really couldn't stop even if you focused on them - Uconn last year was the epitome of a well balanced team

 

[Kendall Gill’s Uncle]

Wouldn't rule out ...

Dain would be pumped I’m sure

 

[phats22]

Yeah, that person has never seen Hawkins play before.

i do give them at least a B+ for using 'elite'

 

[Dr Copejam]

This lovely lass is also available for such duties.

 

[robjilla]

I can’t conceive of something less firm on this Earth right now than a commitment to join a team a year from now.

Just thinking positive.. 2 words.. Morez Johnson.. & hopefully Jeremiah Fears

 

[Joel Goodson]

This point is way over stated in this forum to cope with not having an elite level scorer.

UCONN didn't have a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 good scorers but no elite scorers... They had a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 elite scorers

We're still shaping up to have a solid team, but if we want to jump up into the echelon we were in last year we need a guy or two to turn into elite level scorers(TSJ and MD from last year )

alpha or no alpha, we're gonna be anywhere from very good to outstanding (elite, in Brad parlance), offensively. D is a bigger question, IMO. but we're so deep that Brad has myriad mix and match options

 

[SoILIllini]

I respectfully disagree on your take on Uconn having 5 elite scorers - I wouldn't consider Castle (26.7% 3pt) and Clingan elite scorers, they are obviously really good players and will be lottery picks but it wasn't because of their offensive prowess. They really didn't have anyone that was a TSJ or Knecht level player offensively that you really couldn't stop even if you focused on them - Uconn last year was the epitome of a well balanced team

Clingan scored 13 ppg in on 22 minutes. When he's on the court, he's scoring. And Castle is still more proven scorer than anyone we have at this point.

Yes they didnt have a singular TSJ or Knecht type but all 5 of their starters were higher level scorers than we have (** at this point)

 

[Emerson Bigguns]

UCONN didn't have a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 good scorers but no elite scorers... They had a balanced scoring attack because they had 5 elite scorers

We're still shaping up to have a solid team, but if we want to jump up into the echelon we were in last year we need a guy or two to turn into elite level scorers(TSJ and MD from last year )

Cam Spencer averaged 13 point on a Rutgers team that was .500 in the B1G in 22-23. He was a great shooter there, but not an elite scorer.

Tough to judge guys individual prowess in the context of a great team. When a team has a great scheme & plays unselfishly, everyone eats.

 

[Joel Goodson]

When a team has a great scheme & plays unselfishly, everyone eats.

bingo

talent obviously is key, but I don't think that having an alpha (Shannon, Knecht) is necessary to achieve greatness

 

[FreshlySqueezed]

Clingan scored 13 ppg in on 22 minutes. When he's on the court, he's scoring. And Castle is still more proven scorer than anyone we have at this point.

Yes they didnt have a singular TSJ or Knecht type but all 5 of their starters were higher level scorers than we have (** at this point)

Elite to more proven...

 

[EyeoftheIllini]

Coleman is coming back because NBA told him he would not be drafted. If he wanted to win and develop more with a coaching staff that loved him for 4 years he would be coming back to Illinois. Since he playing another year of college ball soley for NIL$ his priority is to get max$. He is late to the table as many schools have already spent their budget - Kansas, KY, Louisville, Arkansas. Just like NBA, college basketball is ruthless in its grading of players. TSJ could get $2M and is a lottery pick without the Kansas rape charge. Coleman is not.

I think there is little doubt that CoHawk wants to get compensated well with his return to college, but there are plenty of places he can win and develop more (possibly more than he would at Illinois). I love BU, but he has up to now had one player at Illinois drafted. Hopefully TSJ makes it two players. Of the two latest schools mentioned for CoHawk — Kansas St and SMU — Tang has had 1 player drafted in shorter amount of time at KSU and Enfield while at USC had 6 with 3 of them being in first. So not sure it is necessarily true to say Illinois is the best place for him to be development-wise to get drafted.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

Probably 95% chance the answer is "no"...

but if Riley chooses to not reclass (or goes elsewhere), and Hurley goes to the Lakers, is Liam McNeely an option?

 

[splitter]

Last night on one of the late shows Magic Johnson told how he and Greg Kelser invented the high five. Back then i was visiting a friend in Michigan whose younger brother was a student at State. i took him to his apartment to get something he left there. On the way he said that i would never guess who his neighbor was. i said Magic and he said right. i didn't know what to believe. As we were leaving, he calls out "hey Erve" and coming down the hall is Magic and Greg Kelser who walk by and both high five us and never say a word. i have told that story all these years and until last night i didn't know i had been high fived by the inventers.

 

[Kendall Gill’s Uncle]

bingo

talent obviously is key, but I don't think that having an alpha (Shannon, Knecht) is necessary to achieve greatness

Agree

 

[Calvin]

Coleman Hawkins is many things, but this is the first time I’ve ever heard him referred to as an “elite banger.” What possible tape could this person have watched???

Dainja?

 

[IllinoisssssssVarsity]

Clingan scored 13 ppg in on 22 minutes. When he's on the court, he's scoring. And Castle is still more proven scorer than anyone we have at this point.

Yes they didnt have a singular TSJ or Knecht type but all 5 of their starters were higher level scorers than we have (** at this point)

UConn was a pick your poison team. Who are you gonna try to stop, because they can all beat you, is the question you had to ask with them? They definitely had 5 legitimate scoring threats on the court.

For us it was stop TSJ and Marcus and you got a chance if you make 3-5 beat you.

 

[Loyalillini10]

When there is more news on Riley or Catchings, I am sure we will hear it here first.

 

[jamarvelous31]

Probably stupid question while we wait for the boom to echo:

Had Hawkins wanted to stay from day 1, would the staff have been on board?

 

[Joel Goodson]

Probably stupid question while we wait for the boom to echo:

Had Hawkins wanted to stay from day 1, would the staff have been on board?

I don't think it's a stupid question, but it's definitely moot. I don't think we'll get a definitive answer on that (at least the unwashed). But I think the situation is/was complicated.

 

[Kenny67]

Who you calling fatto? You’re the one who puts cream cheese on your salad…Correct on the cream cheese bro Illini30

Correct on the cream cheese bro Illini30.

During the lean bball portal news activity now upon us, it is good practice to bone up on our italian.

In this sentence or frasi ... i used the italian verb fare , to make, in the past tence ...
ho fatto ...meaning I made the salad yesterday, ieri.
Also note the use of the nouns pere and lattugna to bring out clarity to a common and tasty itailan salad for dinner.

 

[AZILL]

I feel like if CH wanted to stay, and let it be known at the conclusion of last season, that the staff would have embraced him and constructed the roster accordingly. We all know hindsight is 20/20. Once his return was debatable, he was told 'we are proceeding as if you are NOT returning. And any changes in your decision to return to Illinois, will be entirely dependent upon where the roster stands when/if you change your mind. EVERYONE should know, players/coaches/fans alike that once a first step has been taken by ANYONE, then everything changes, and there are zero guarantees.

 

[EyeoftheIllini]

Probably stupid question while we wait for the boom to echo:

Had Hawkins wanted to stay from day 1, would the staff have been on board?

Like Joel said, likely a complicated situation in and of itself. Throw in him entering draft and having to wait around to see if he would pull out of draft, and it’s even more complicated. Having that initial understanding that even if he returned to college that his time at Illinois had run its course really helped Illini.