If the scholarship isn't open, what do you suggest they do? The spin is that there's crazy money flying around and these kids would be insane not to take it.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread
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Hoping we still stand good here. Lose a top 30 guard, just to bring in a top 10 guard...would be pretty nice...
Jasper Johnson, Overtime Elite , Shooting Guard
Jasper Johnson is a 6-4, 170-pound Combo Guard from Versailles, KY.247sports.com
in addition to all those salty comments from KY people that will come raining down (if we can land him of course).
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ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Translation: Fears can reclass and wants his NIL bag now, Illinois spent its remaining resources on Will Riley and isn't going to start robbing Peter to pay Paul trying to divert the 2025 war chest forward (if that is even possible) for a player whose 2024 playing time ambitions it doesn't feel it can meet anyhow.
The idea that we refused him an existing open scholarship is of course laughable, these are more money-based discussions these days.
(These fake basketball eligibility factories that can slot kids into whatever graduating class they want are a menace btw)
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This was every Kentucky fan's reaction to us getting Will Riley. I'd never say never in this day and age, but it seems kinda far-fetched.
texillwek
🔶🔹🔸🔷
My prediction was more tongue in cheek than anything, but, honestly, I don't think it seems far-fetched.
sacraig
- The desert
Buzz on the street is that Fears will be a 24 at a school that has a stud with the same name as a poster on our board that meme's a lot.
I can't blame them whatsoever. It wouldn't have sat right with any of us posting if it happened to us.
Not a fan of what happened here, but on the flip side, these staffs across the country have to deal with kids that will leave over a nickel and won't think twice before doing it.
It goes both ways and circumstances ($$$) change by the second.
sacraig
- The desert
Competence from the captain of the ship helps immensely.
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foby
- Bonnaroo Land
IMHO, smart folks never say never.
This is Michael Finke erasure.Imagine this during the Groce years …
Oh wait … We can’t … We never got a player of Fears caliber …
…
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
If we want to be mature about it, JCL was basically exactly what Fears is.
Groce brought a lot of talent to Champaign, not as much as he should have and he couldn't do anything with the talent he had, but it was there.
In the day and age we are in, absolutely NOTHING is far-fetched.
But all reclassifications are not the same. Isn't Riley going back with his age-appropriate class from an American perspective whereas Jeremiah is still only 17?
OrangeKrush2010
- Aurora, IL
NIL/Money is a much more limiting factor in the current major basketball landscape then scholarships.
robertgoulet
IL Board Resident Crooner
- Austin, TX
Correct and mature talent at lead guard is more important to winning than at SG/SF where Riley will play as well.
madillini4
Ozamataz Buckshank
- Millywaukee
Meh. Jalen Coleman lands was more of a wannabe point guard than actual point guard. Groce didn’t bring in any bonafide point guards.
Any thoughts on where he ends up?Regarding Fears …
This has been the thought all along that he wanted to reclassify … It was not a secret … The NIL opportunity is too great to sit in HS for him and his family and I can respect that …
They also can read and hear that we have 5 stars coming to visit us … Jasper, Thomas and others …
This is simply a case of he wanted to re class and we got better players than him right now and he wouldn’t have a role … They offered him to enroll at mid year and get NIL and redshirt the spring like I reported here months ago and why Brad kept one scholarship open …
The family ultimately decided with how talented our roster is right now as well as how talented it’ll be next year … Jeremiah wouldn’t have the role they thought he once would … So they’ve decided to re class, get paid and get him to a better spot where his path to shots and a starting spot is a lot easier …
Wish the kid and family nothing but the best …
But we’ll be just fine …
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Jeremiah Fears is not his brother, he's not a PG either.
Jeremiah and JCL are very similar prospects. That was true 24 hours ago and it's true now, take whatever connotation from it you like.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
And most reports here have said we have plenty of NIL compared to your average program.
All day, every day, twice on Sunday
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