Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[Mr. Roberts]

All of this. With NIL, the portal, NBA aspirations, etc…it is IMPOSSIBLE to project who will be on the team the following season. Once the NCAA did away with transfers having to sit out a year and the portal came into our lives, EVERY offseason became an open market.

From a player’s perspective there is ZERO reason not to enter the portal EVERY year and turn it into a bidding war. You always have the option to return to your original school. Why wouldn’t you maximize your earning potential?

I expect us to be REALLY good as the season progresses. We all need to enjoy this ride and not worry about next year. I HOPE several of these guys return, but with the way the system is set up I expect most schools to have 4 or 5 transfers MINIMUM.

There is no disincentive for the players not to do that.

The only reason not to enter the portal is if a player is actually happy and values happiness. If they enter the portal, there is no guarantee of returning - coaches cannot hold spots for players launching a bidding war.

I really hate this 100% annual free agency, even if we seem to be good at it.

 

[Illwinsagain]

All of this. With NIL, the portal, NBA aspirations, etc…it is IMPOSSIBLE to project who will be on the team the following season. Once the NCAA did away with transfers having to sit out a year and the portal came into our lives, EVERY offseason became an open market.

From a player’s perspective there is ZERO reason not to enter the portal EVERY year and turn it into a bidding war. You always have the option to return to your original school. Why wouldn’t you maximize your earning potential?

I expect us to be REALLY good as the season progresses. We all need to enjoy this ride and not worry about next year. I HOPE several of these guys return, but with the way the system is set up I expect most schools to have 4 or 5 transfers MINIMUM.

There is no disincentive for the players not to do that.

I agree with most of this, however, your current team does not need to hold a spot for you. Once you enter the portal, you are taking that risk.

 

[Ga65]

All of this. With NIL, the portal, NBA aspirations, etc…it is IMPOSSIBLE to project who will be on the team the following season. Once the NCAA did away with transfers having to sit out a year and the portal came into our lives, EVERY offseason became an open market.

From a player’s perspective there is ZERO reason not to enter the portal EVERY year and turn it into a bidding war. You always have the option to return to your original school. Why wouldn’t you maximize your earning potential?

I expect us to be REALLY good as the season progresses. We all need to enjoy this ride and not worry about next year. I HOPE several of these guys return, but with the way the system is set up I expect most schools to have 4 or 5 transfers MINIMUM.

There is no disincentive for the players not to do that.

It is free agency but may lose spot or nil money if your spot is filled so always a gamble. Team not required to take you back if you enter the portal. Anyone know why there are not contracts? Seems multi year contracts would dampen movement.

 

[Altuve27]

I agree with most of this, however, your current team does not need to hold a spot for you. Once you enter the portal, you are taking that risk.

Fair point to you and others who have said something similar. I would still like my chances to find a really good deal in the open market.

I mean, Coleman Hawkins just got 2 million dollars. I love Coleman and all that, but let’s be honest…. I still can’t believe it!

 

[21ChampaignSt]

All of this. With NIL, the portal, NBA aspirations, etc…it is IMPOSSIBLE to project who will be on the team the following season. Once the NCAA did away with transfers having to sit out a year and the portal came into our lives, EVERY offseason became an open market.

From a player’s perspective there is ZERO reason not to enter the portal EVERY year and turn it into a bidding war. You always have the option to return to your original school. Why wouldn’t you maximize your earning potential?

I expect us to be REALLY good as the season progresses. We all need to enjoy this ride and not worry about next year. I HOPE several of these guys return, but with the way the system is set up I expect most schools to have 4 or 5 transfers MINIMUM.

There is no disincentive for the players not to do that.

Teams that make deep runs typically have some level of continuity. That was as true this year as it was 20 years ago.

The only team this millennium to win a championship while returning less than 40% of their minutes was UConn in 2023. To find another such team you have to go back to Arizona in 1997.

The current conditions make it harder to have continuity but it should still be the goal even if it means paying above market value to keep a player around.

 

[Altuve27]

Teams that make deep runs typically have some level of continuity. That was as true this year as it was 20 years ago.

The only team this millennium to win a championship while returning less than 40% of their minutes was UConn in 2023. To find another such team you have to go back to Arizona in 1997.

The current conditions make it harder to have continuity but it should still be the goal even if it means paying above market value to keep a player around.

I don’t disagree at all. I hope we are able to keep most of these guys around. It’s just very difficult to do that in the portal era.

 

[IllinoisIntegrity]

There are some Illini loyalty posters who say exactly what you say about this upcoming season but I am not in that camp. I think this could become a top 4 team.

Did you watch Tom’s video clips? Kasparas‘s video clips and Will Riley‘s video clips? Kylan Boswell is projected an NBA draftee and two year starter with lots of wins and we have Big Ben who has already piqued the coaches attention over the last two weeks. Coach Underwood stated that Ben’s skills and basketball knowledge is greater than what they thought.

This is going to be a fun ride.

(By the way the last time we had a 7 foot center his uniform is in the rafters and the last time we had a special and true point guard, Darren Williams and Dee Brown, we were second place and NCAA).

There were also some Loyalty posters who declared this a failed season back in MAY, when the rest of us were telling them to be patient and trust the process.

Best to ignore those folks who thrive on dooming and spreading negativity. This has the potential to be a really special season. Period.

In Brad We Trust.

 

[logjam]

Hot take: by end of next year Humrichous has pushed himself into the draft conversation.

From what I can see the #1 skill nba teams are looking for is shooting, and he’s got a great, high, quick release and can shoot off movement at 6’9. And we will see how he does against a higher level of competition but his highlights indicate that athletically, at a minimum he’s not a stiff.

If he shoots 40% from 3 this year on similar volume to last year and proves to be at least adequate on D (ie better than Payton Sandfort), I think he gets looks.

He's going to get Fletched...then he's going to be coached up...let's go!

 

[logjam]

The only reason not to enter the portal is if a player is actually happy and values happiness. If they enter the portal, there is no guarantee of returning - coaches cannot hold spots for players launching a bidding war.

I really hate this 100% annual free agency, even if we seem to be good at it.

Name checks out...

 

[IlliniNash]

All of this. With NIL, the portal, NBA aspirations, etc…it is IMPOSSIBLE to project who will be on the team the following season. Once the NCAA did away with transfers having to sit out a year and the portal came into our lives, EVERY offseason became an open market.

From a player’s perspective there is ZERO reason not to enter the portal EVERY year and turn it into a bidding war. You always have the option to return to your original school. Why wouldn’t you maximize your earning potential?

I expect us to be REALLY good as the season progresses. We all need to enjoy this ride and not worry about next year. I HOPE several of these guys return, but with the way the system is set up I expect most schools to have 4 or 5 transfers MINIMUM.

There is no disincentive for the players not to do that.

1900 entered portal. 351 teams. So well over 5 per team. Crazy

 

[john1952]

AGREE/DISAGREE

Tom Izzo 'not a fan' of transfer portal, argues against players making more money than him via NIL

The Michigan State basketball coach has problems with the current state of college athletics.

247sports.com

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo has criticized NIL and the transfer portal in the past and doubled down on his stance during an interview with Big Ten Network on Friday. Izzo shook his head at players transferring "3-4 times" and argued for a cap on NIL earnings for student-athletes.

"I'm not a fan of the transfer rule," Izzo said. "If that hurts me in recruiting, that's a shame. It should help me. I look at these kids; not every place is for everybody. But when you're transferring 3-4 times, I wonder what that's going to be like for those kids later on in life? Every student needs a place to go back to. They're going to be going back to four different places? They ain't going to be embraced by all those people.

"I always believed players should get more money, but it went to more money than you and I make. I don't think that's right. Paying your dues and going through things is what's going to make you better in the long run."

 

[Brosky]

We've got more experience than people think. Boswell, Tre, Ty and Ben have at least two years of major college competition. KJ and Ivisic are battle tested after playing many games against high level Euro league teams. That's six years right there. Davis, DGL and Booth are sophomores. Riley is the only true freshman. This amount of experience IMO will bring these guys together pretty fast. I'm expecting a very good team this year, especially by the time we get into December.

 

[biglug58]

AGREE/DISAGREE

Tom Izzo 'not a fan' of transfer portal, argues against players making more money than him via NIL

The Michigan State basketball coach has problems with the current state of college athletics.

247sports.com

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo has criticized NIL and the transfer portal in the past and doubled down on his stance during an interview with Big Ten Network on Friday. Izzo shook his head at players transferring "3-4 times" and argued for a cap on NIL earnings for student-athletes.

"I'm not a fan of the transfer rule," Izzo said. "If that hurts me in recruiting, that's a shame. It should help me. I look at these kids; not every place is for everybody. But when you're transferring 3-4 times, I wonder what that's going to be like for those kids later on in life? Every student needs a place to go back to. They're going to be going back to four different places? They ain't going to be embraced by all those people.

"I always believed players should get more money, but it went to more money than you and I make. I don't think that's right. Paying your dues and going through things is what's going to make you better in the long run."

Typical whiny Izzo. He needs to adapt, like Brad and staff have. I agree with the loyalty aspect, but this is the new normal, at least for now. Get with the program Tom! Or maybe not lol.

 

[EyeoftheIllini]

We've got more experience than people think. Boswell, Tre, Ty and Ben have at least two years of major college competition. KJ and Ivisic are battle tested after playing many games against high level Euro league teams. That's six years right there. Davis, DGL and Booth are sophomores. Riley is the only true freshman. This amount of experience IMO will bring these guys together pretty fast. I'm expecting a very good team this year, especially by the time we get into December.

Hate to nitpick, but I will. Ben only has one year of major college experience — and one could argue how “major.” Also, I think there are two guys who might take umbrage to your statement that there is only one true freshmen — especially the one with the gold medal. That said, I’m not particularly worried about overall experience of this team. Experience playing together is another thing, but I think they’ll figure it out.

 

[OB positive]

Typical whiny Izzo. He needs to adapt, like Brad and staff have. I agree with the loyalty aspect, but this is the new normal, at least for now. Get with the program Tom! Or maybe not lol.

You do have to adapt to the current recruiting world as it is but there does need to be a cap as well as a one time free transfer limit. Posters on here are stating the value of some of our recruits because they have multiple years of eligibility. That doesn't mean crap anymore. There is no guarantee any of them is going to stay more than one year under the current system. It is going to do nothing but get worse unless they can rein it in.

 

[Altuve27]

AGREE/DISAGREE

Tom Izzo 'not a fan' of transfer portal, argues against players making more money than him via NIL

The Michigan State basketball coach has problems with the current state of college athletics.

247sports.com

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo has criticized NIL and the transfer portal in the past and doubled down on his stance during an interview with Big Ten Network on Friday. Izzo shook his head at players transferring "3-4 times" and argued for a cap on NIL earnings for student-athletes.

"I'm not a fan of the transfer rule," Izzo said. "If that hurts me in recruiting, that's a shame. It should help me. I look at these kids; not every place is for everybody. But when you're transferring 3-4 times, I wonder what that's going to be like for those kids later on in life? Every student needs a place to go back to. They're going to be going back to four different places? They ain't going to be embraced by all those people.

"I always believed players should get more money, but it went to more money than you and I make. I don't think that's right. Paying your dues and going through things is what's going to make you better in the long run."

I’m not a fan of the new normal at all, but it is what it is. Adapt or get left behind. Our staff has adjusted very well and, most importantly, they have learned from their mistakes.

 

[Altuve27]

You do have to adapt to the current recruiting world as it is but there does need to be a cap as well as a one time free transfer limit. Posters on here are stating the value of some of our recruits because they have multiple years of eligibility. That doesn't mean crap anymore. There is no guarantee any of them is going to stay more than one year under the current system. It is going to do nothing but get worse unless they can rein it in.

I love the idea of adjusting the transfer rule. You get one “free” one where you can transfer immediately without sitting out a year. Any transfer after the first one you have to sit.

If they don’t make an adjustment, you’re going to have every team become Duke where you have 10 guys enter the portal every year.

No reason not to if you are the player. Hawkins admitted he screwed up by not doing all this last year.

 

[BretMyBeachHouse]

AGREE/DISAGREE

Tom Izzo 'not a fan' of transfer portal, argues against players making more money than him via NIL

The Michigan State basketball coach has problems with the current state of college athletics.

247sports.com

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo has criticized NIL and the transfer portal in the past and doubled down on his stance during an interview with Big Ten Network on Friday. Izzo shook his head at players transferring "3-4 times" and argued for a cap on NIL earnings for student-athletes.

"I'm not a fan of the transfer rule," Izzo said. "If that hurts me in recruiting, that's a shame. It should help me. I look at these kids; not every place is for everybody. But when you're transferring 3-4 times, I wonder what that's going to be like for those kids later on in life? Every student needs a place to go back to. They're going to be going back to four different places? They ain't going to be embraced by all those people.

"I always believed players should get more money, but it went to more money than you and I make. I don't think that's right. Paying your dues and going through things is what's going to make you better in the long run."

Wow. Where is the 6.2 million NIL deal? That's Izzo's salary.

I think we need a way to get longer commitments. He's not wrong there.

But it does make me wonder when we're going to see reduced coaching salaries to fund higher player salaries.

 

[MDchicago]

AGREE/DISAGREE

Tom Izzo 'not a fan' of transfer portal, argues against players making more money than him via NIL

The Michigan State basketball coach has problems with the current state of college athletics.

247sports.com

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo has criticized NIL and the transfer portal in the past and doubled down on his stance during an interview with Big Ten Network on Friday. Izzo shook his head at players transferring "3-4 times" and argued for a cap on NIL earnings for student-athletes....

"I always believed players should get more money, but it went to more money than you and I make. I don't think that's right. Paying your dues and going through things is what's going to make you better in the long run."

Izzo is half right on the bolded part.

The highest reported NIL signing for a NCAA hoops player is still less an a third of what Izzo is making this year (unless he is referring to total NIL payments and believes the coach should get more than all of his players combined.)

His salary cap proposal apparently would only apply to players, and is fundamentally flawed in that it would return to a world of rewarding those willing to cheat the system and punish those who do not. For all its flaws, the one big positive of the current system (in general and for our program) is that it largely avoids that fundamental flaw.

 

[jacekpardol]

The only reason not to enter the portal is if a player is actually happy and values happiness. If they enter the portal, there is no guarantee of returning - coaches cannot hold spots for players launching a bidding war.

I really hate this 100% annual free agency, even if we seem to be good at it.

Lets bring back the days of World Wide Wes, bag men, Illinois Ethics champs and being a perennial bubble team. No thanks!

 

[RabidDawgClassic]

I love the idea of adjusting the transfer rule. You get one “free” one where you can transfer immediately without sitting out a year. Any transfer after the first one you have to sit.

If they don’t make an adjustment, you’re going to have every team become Duke where you have 10 guys enter the portal every year.

No reason not to if you are the player. Hawkins admitted he screwed up by not doing all this last year.

There is no adjusting the transfer rule. The court has ruled that limiting a player’s transfer options is illegal. This is the new normal until players become employees, form a collective bargaining union and can be under multi-year contracts.

 

[jacekpardol]

AGREE/DISAGREE

Tom Izzo 'not a fan' of transfer portal, argues against players making more money than him via NIL

The Michigan State basketball coach has problems with the current state of college athletics.

247sports.com

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo has criticized NIL and the transfer portal in the past and doubled down on his stance during an interview with Big Ten Network on Friday. Izzo shook his head at players transferring "3-4 times" and argued for a cap on NIL earnings for student-athletes.

"I'm not a fan of the transfer rule," Izzo said. "If that hurts me in recruiting, that's a shame. It should help me. I look at these kids; not every place is for everybody. But when you're transferring 3-4 times, I wonder what that's going to be like for those kids later on in life? Every student needs a place to go back to. They're going to be going back to four different places? They ain't going to be embraced by all those people.

"I always believed players should get more money, but it went to more money than you and I make. I don't think that's right. Paying your dues and going through things is what's going to make you better in the long run."

Izzo is "not a fan of the transfer portal" because he has failed to adjust and his dominance of the Big Ten has come to an end.

 

[IllinoisssssssVarsity]

AGREE/DISAGREE

Tom Izzo 'not a fan' of transfer portal, argues against players making more money than him via NIL

The Michigan State basketball coach has problems with the current state of college athletics.

247sports.com

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo has criticized NIL and the transfer portal in the past and doubled down on his stance during an interview with Big Ten Network on Friday. Izzo shook his head at players transferring "3-4 times" and argued for a cap on NIL earnings for student-athletes.

"I'm not a fan of the transfer rule," Izzo said. "If that hurts me in recruiting, that's a shame. It should help me. I look at these kids; not every place is for everybody. But when you're transferring 3-4 times, I wonder what that's going to be like for those kids later on in life? Every student needs a place to go back to. They're going to be going back to four different places? They ain't going to be embraced by all those people.

"I always believed players should get more money, but it went to more money than you and I make. I don't think that's right. Paying your dues and going through things is what's going to make you better in the long run."

Any regular student can transfer schools every year if they think it’s in their best interest. Any regular student can make as much money as they want on their NIL without it being capped.

The players are students right? Cause if we start putting salary structures in place and signing them to contracts they sound a whole lot like employees now.

 

[HensonHall71]

Wow. Where is the 6.2 million NIL deal? That's Izzo's salary.

I think we need a way to get longer commitments. He's not wrong there.

But it does make me wonder when we're going to see reduced coaching salaries to fund higher player salaries.

That was my thought- Izzo complaining about the system and money in the sport with his $6.2M salary is a bit hypocritical. He wants to control players for longer but he gets to leave whenever a better deal comes along- surely he sees that

 

[Altuve27]

There is no adjusting the transfer rule. The court has ruled that limiting a player’s transfer options is illegal. This is the new normal until players become employees, form a collective bargaining union and can be under multi-year contracts.

Was not aware. Thank you for the info. Then every offseason is going to be wild. Just have to accept it.