Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[Bigtex]

Just gonna leave this here

View attachment 35610

interesting another high TO guy on that list is no longer at Illinois.

 

[Bbuck21]

I think the opposite of a subwoof would be a supertweet

(Sorry)

No need to apologize. It needed to be said.

 

[Bbuck21]

Underwood & co knocked it out of the park this offseason. I count myself among those who weren't worried, but it surpassed anything I could imagine.

For your enjoyment, 247 has ILL-INI #1 recruiting class of 2025, although that's going to change with reclass. If you switch to player rankings, you'll also see Illinois with the highest ranked commited player in the class. Fun to think about the talent on this roster. No idea if they'll come out of the gate at a high level, but they should have a chance to finish as a very dangerous team.

That isn't worth the paper it's written on . I agree with your point regarding the talent. When I look at this assemblage of talent, it makes want to take the time and look at/compare the talent around the league and country. I know other teams have made strong moves or are returning a lot. I'm going to wait for the early pre-season rankings (not that I believe in any of that), then take a look at teams ranked ahead of the Illini. It's going to be interesting.

 

[aveseaboy]

Underwood & co knocked it out of the park this offseason. I count myself among those who weren't worried, but it surpassed anything I could imagine.

For your enjoyment, 247 has ILL-INI #1 recruiting class of 2025, although that's going to change with reclass. If you switch to player rankings, you'll also see Illinois with the highest ranked commited player in the class. Fun to think about the talent on this roster. No idea if they'll come out of the gate at a high level, but they should have a chance to finish as a very dangerous team.

I wouldn’t worry about Riley’s reclass when Jasper Johnson commits very soon!

 

[foby]

I think we need at least one championship before we can claim any degree of blue bloodedness.

Yup

 

[Illinilosch]

I think we need at least one championship before we can claim any degree of blue bloodedness.

Not to mention, more than several years in a row of very high level recruiting. If we can pull in 5 stars every single off-season roughly for the next 5 years, then at least we can be considered "Blue Blood lite".

But it's gonna take some time. Fortunately we are trending upward, no doubt.

 

[IlliniwekKDR]

Debating whether we are the blue blood bubble is way more fun than debating a few years ago if we are on the tournament bubble. For the record, I think we have a lot of work to do before blueblood comes into consideration.

 

[djkirkpatrick22]

I can't remember his name, but does anyone know what happened to Morez's old teammate that we were after but committed to NC? Then kinda fell off and there were rumors that he potentially wasn't going to end up there? Old news, but just wondering what all happened there?

 

[ChiefGritty]

I think we need at least one championship before we can claim any degree of blue bloodedness.

With no disrespect intended to the proud century-long history of Illinois Basketball, to heck with the blue bloods, I want to be the nouveau-riche, there-goes-the-neighborhood insurgent.

Let's be UNLV.

 

[Altuve27]

With no disrespect intended to the proud century-long history of Illinois Basketball, to heck with the blue bloods, I want to be the nouveau-riche, there-goes-the-neighborhood insurgent.

Let's be UNLV.

You get a “like” just for using nouveau-riche in a post. That’s next level.

 

[pruman91]

I can't remember his name, but does anyone know what happened to Morez's old teammate that we were after but committed to NC? Then kinda fell off and there were rumors that he potentially wasn't going to end up there? Old news, but just wondering what all happened there?

 

[PasadenaIllini]

With no disrespect intended to the proud century-long history of Illinois Basketball, to heck with the blue bloods, I want to be the nouveau-riche, there-goes-the-neighborhood insurgent.

Let's be UNLV.

...without the NCAA violations and sanctions please.

 

[The Galloping Ghost]

With no disrespect intended to the proud century-long history of Illinois Basketball, to heck with the blue bloods, I want to be the nouveau-riche, there-goes-the-neighborhood insurgent.

Let's be UNLV.

To all the blue bloods as we finally crash the party...

 

[Sedino]

Not to mention, more than several years in a row of very high level recruiting. If we can pull in 5 stars every single off-season roughly for the next 5 years, then at least we can be considered "Blue Blood lite".

But it's gonna take some time. Fortunately we are trending upward, no doubt.

I prefer the term "New Bloods"

 

[foby]

When you make a stupid joke and it turns into a thing........

 

[3nDGuy]

I can't remember his name, but does anyone know what happened to Morez's old teammate that we were after but committed to NC? Then kinda fell off and there were rumors that he potentially wasn't going to end up there? Old news, but just wondering what all happened there?

James Brown, who finished ranked as the #113 recruit in the ‘24 class, eleven spots ahead of our own Jason Jakstys.
Still signed w/ UNC

 

[djkirkpatrick22]

View attachment 35627

Could be my age, but I have not a clue what this means lol.....

 

[LadyLoyalty]

I do not know how our staff handles the issue of playing time when talking with recruits, but I wonder if they ever really PROMISE time to anyone. They may simply tell the recruit that they believe that he will win the time he thinks he deserves. In other words, they confirm the recruit's own belief.

That might then be both entirely honest and yet might end up with a member of the team later feeling disappointed and so they leave.

Like you, I will believe there will be disappointment in regard to playing time this year. That is very common.

Simple. They tell all these young, paid athletes that no one “deserves” playing time. They need to earn it.

 

[drsmitty74]

Could be my age, but I have not a clue what this means lol.....

James Brown. That's the kid that was teammates with Morez at St. Rita, that signed with NC.

 

[Brosky]

I think Morez is a post-up 5, too. It will be interesting to find out how Brad uses him. I feel like he has enough defense skills to keep himself on the court though.

Agreed. And he's not skinny or weak. For a freshman, he's well put together. It won't be easy to back him down. And working with Fletch, he'll get even stronger.

 

[WhiteHorseWings]

Debating whether we are the blue blood bubble is way more fun than debating a few years ago if we are on the tournament bubble. For the record, I think we have a lot of work to do before blueblood comes into consideration.

This conversation is funny. If I weren’t us I would really hate us.

 

[Brosky]

Yup

with the players we have just landed, I think a final four would accomplish that.

 

[hooraybeer]

Agreed. And he's not skinny or weak. For a freshman, he's well put together. It won't be easy to back him down. And working with Fletch, he'll get even stronger.

fletch + OA. we are set up perfectly to develop bigs

 

[ChiTown]

James Brown, who finished ranked as the #113 recruit in the ‘24 class, eleven spots ahead of our own Jason Jakstys.
Still signed w/ UNC

Am afraid that young man peaked to early and then stagnated.

 

[Illini09]

Let's be real: OA was not a reason that led to Riley coming here. He came here just because he'll get PT and our "backcourt sux"...not because of OA...

100% of posters on the UK rivals forum agree with this statement.. seriously lol