Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

#51      
Cravingschampaign
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armchairillini.com

NEWS: Illinois Basketball lands Elite Shooter in Keaton Wagler

Illinois Basketball lands one of the top shooters in the class of 2025
armchairillini.com armchairillini.com
 
#54      
Indy Illini Fan
The Galloping Ghost said:
Nice to have one committed! Love his size, shooting ability, and pedigree coming from a state-winning program. I hope he makes it to campus.
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Brad & Tyler led the charge here … Brad wanted him BAD … Brad & Tyler pushed HARD on the visit to get him … And got the job done …

Minnesota sent their entire staff after he got back from visiting here to try and close the deal but it was too late …

FWIW - he’s an IKG (Indy’s Kinda Guy) … Think he’s a sleeper in this class … Will need some time with the 🐐 in the weight room but after that he’ll be a problem for Big Ten teams … Really reminds me of Cam Christie (and reminded Minnesota as well clearly) …
 
#55      
NickOfTime
Indy Illini Fan said:
Brad & Tyler led the charge here … Brad wanted him BAD … Brad & Tyler pushed HARD on the visit to get him … And got the job done …

Minnesota sent their entire staff after he got back from visiting here to try and close the deal but it was too late …

FWIW - he’s an IKG (Indy’s Kinda Guy) … Think he’s a sleeper in this class … Will need some time with the 🐐 in the weight room but after that he’ll be a problem for Big Ten teams … Really reminds me of Cam Christie (and reminded Minnesota as well clearly) …
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I love that we can target players so that an entire coaching staff can't pry them away from the 🔶 & 🔷
 
#67      
BalloonsTheElephant
mhuml32 said:
Based on the (lack of) responses here, you might be on to something. Wonder if people's recruiting juice is now going to be 80% portal, 20% elite, elite HS recruits.
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I'm very much in the "I'll get excited when he's on campus" group. Even then it's a project type guy that is probably a coin flip to see him even play here as a sophomore.

Not trying to be Eeyore here, but it's just the way HS recruiting is now. I'm really glad kids can move around and get paid, but it's also really hard to get excited about a team's future when it could be almost an entirely new team every year.

Glad to have Keaton on board and hope to see him make an impact!
 
#72      
Frumundawood
BalloonsTheElephant said:
I'm very much in the "I'll get excited when he's on campus" group. Even then it's a project type guy that is probably a coin flip to see him even play here as a sophomore.

Not trying to be Eeyore here, but it's just the way HS recruiting is now. I'm really glad kids can move around and get paid, but it's also really hard to get excited about a team's future when it could be almost an entirely new team every year.

Glad to have Keaton on board and hope to see him make an impact!
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lol I basically made the exact same comment on another Illini media a bit ago. Glad I’m not in charge of the recruiting matrix in this day and age, and thankfully there’s no reason not to trust the staff at this point.
 
#74      
ColSLU69
It's mentioned in an earlier post that 2025 4-star guard Amari Evans will be taking an Official Visit to Illinois on September 27th-29th. But so far no one has commented on that post.

I've seen Evans listed at 6'4" and 6'5". And his weight at 180 lbs and 200 lbs. And his position as combo guard and forward. He's from Pittsburgh, PA, but is playing for Overtime Elite in Atlanta. I'm assuming that Illinois is very interested in Evans, and that Evans is interested in Illinois, or this OV wouldn't be happening.

I know that Illinois has already offered Class of 2025 shooting guard Brandon Lee, 6'3" 185 lbs, from the Patrick School in New Jersey. At least one insider has stated that a commitment from Lee is more or less a done deal. For any of you recruiting insiders, if the Illini were to get a commitment from Evans, would the Illini still be interested in signing Lee?
 
#75      
So ILL
BalloonsTheElephant said:
I'm very much in the "I'll get excited when he's on campus" group. Even then it's a project type guy that is probably a coin flip to see him even play here as a sophomore.

Not trying to be Eeyore here, but it's just the way HS recruiting is now. I'm really glad kids can move around and get paid, but it's also really hard to get excited about a team's future when it could be almost an entirely new team every year.

Glad to have Keaton on board and hope to see him make an impact!
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Right. Not that I dont like the commitment, but I also liked the Fears and Butler commitment. Which is to say, isnt this the exact type of recruit we got a commitment from only to recruit over them in the portal and watch them leave. Which is to say the same type of upside recruit Chester was landing? My only guess, based on things that were said about previous 2024 recruits is that maybe Wagler is coming in without the same kind of immediate playing time expectations as the other guys and is willing to take the time to build his game and body and compete for playing time. More like a Jakstys? Or even DGL (who I might more excited to see on the court this year than everyone except maybe KJ).

Either way, love the commitment and happy to see Wagler on board!
 
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