Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

[IllinoisssssssVarsity]

Dude, always love the knowledge bombs you drop, both offensive and defensive. Wish you'd post more often

Thanks man. My HS team was lucky to play well into March this year, so I only really had time to watch Illini games and move on.

The HS season, plus March madness starting, and then the Illini playing a regional in Houston was a pretty nice combo for me.

Hope to overanalyze 1 minute summer clips and underwood hyperbolic press conferences just like everyone else in the next few months

 

[MULEDOG35]

I usually put pepper on my cottage cheese. Am I the only one?

 

[IlliniNash]

How is this guy employed by the conference? This level of Twitter ragebaiting for a guy that sometimes sits next to Bruce Weber on national television.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2045276474496692477

Spoken like a true Purdon’t alum

 

[AnnoyedWithGarza]

If Illinois does add anyone, it would almost assuredly be after the portal window closes.

Don’t want to upset the apple cart - which is why the message right now is “we’re set”, as has been repeated dutifully in the media.

Could they just be waiting to add Blackwell until the portal closes?

 

[PleaseMakeABowlGame]

LVille did say:

Losing Lee should push the staff over the hump to make an add. IMO, it would lead to a more profitable roster.

 

[bschulte1978]

We weren’t a tier below UConn. We just picked a bad day to have a bad day.

Twice in the same year, unfortunately. Something like 22% from three in both games against those guys. Irritates me something fierce.

 

[Ryllini]

I usually put pepper on my cottage cheese. Am I the only one?

Everything bagel seasoning and you can thank me later.

 

[FloorGeneral]

Agree completely that Z has the most untapped potential. How he has not developed some effective post moves before now? OA should be opening his bag of tricks for Z to learn. Hi-low feeds from T to Z should be a nightmare matchup against 99+% of opponents. Of course he has to have the will to mix it up in the low post, too. Fletch adding 20-25 pounds of muscle to his frame would be game changing.

Mirk ought to be the other player with the most dynamic improvement. Fletch should work wonders with improving his quickness and explosiveness over the course of the next 6 months. ( He totally missed this last year). Keyton’s jumping improved 3” while gaining 12+ pounds. David should be getting leaner and lighter, so would expect at least that much improvement. His rebounding, shot blocking and ability to get off his shot inside would all be better. Scary good!

Not sure if most people realize how difficult it is to start doing something you haven't ever done against elite competition. It's easy to say "1 offseason of shooting jumpers or developing a post game, etc is all it takes" However, translating it into a full-speed game is very different. I'm sure we've seen those summer runs where NBA players who never shoot 3's can't seem to miss but come an actual NBA game, they don't even look to take the shot. It's a combination of mental practice + physical practice. There's levels to this and it's easier said than done.

 

[Grandpa]

We weren’t a tier below UConn. We just lost to them every time we played, like Wisconsin.

FIFY

 

[LuckyIllini]

So who on this roster can prevent a Jeremy Fears type from cooking this defense like last year?

 

[illinifan1987]

 

[iLL 89ers]

Lmfao...anyone here that actually.....really.......honestly, believes that a Final Four team returning 65-70% of it's production from the most efficient offense in CBB history....THAT ALSO ADDED a Top 5 portal guard AND 2 top 10 (position) freshman SG's AND Wisconsin Mr. Basketball AND a top 25 (position) combo guard....isn't competing for a NC......needs to take the weekend off of this board.

Sure, I get it's your "opinion", but it's really dumb.

I'll bet all of my Loyalty Beach houses and a gallon of your favorite cottage cheese we will receive pre season #1 votes.

This....100% .SAY IT LOUD AND PROUD....Agree to fullest....Awesome POTD!

 

[SescIllini]

Attended the Portsmouth Invitational, a player out of Georgia Tech Kowacie Reeves looks like the portal type that might still be out there. 6-7 jumper, shooter, athletic...possibly under the radar. He was playing against AJ Storr, today looked to be the better NBA prospect. Never heard of him, is McLain out of NC State similar? I think we can move Andrej to shooting guard if Vaaks is the PG, add a good athletic shooting wing.

 

[MoCoMdIllini]

Lol , I don't eat cottage cheese but my wife gets a kick out of my suggestions on how she should try it certain ways. Never ending knowledge to be had here

The name checks out.

 

[NarrowJ]

Since early Friday:

Gabe Dynes (C, USC) enters the portal

Ty'Reek Coleman (G, Illinois St) commits to Iowa
Andrew McKeever (C, St Marys) commits to Iowa
D.J. Wagner (G, Arkansas) commits to Maryland
Maban Jabriel (F, Queens University) commits to Maryland
Kyan Evans (G, North Carolina) commits to Minnesota
Winters Grady (G/F, Michigan) commits to Minnesota
Malick Kordel (C, Michigan) commits to Minnesota
Boden Kapke (C, Boston College) commits to Nebraska
L.A. Pratt (G, Northeastern) commits to Northwestern
Jimmie Williams (G, Duquesne) commits to Ohio State
Jasper Johnson (G, Kentucky) commits to Oregon
Christian Gurdak (C, Virginia Tech) commits to Rutgers
Azavier Robinson (G, Butler) commits to UCLA
Victory Onuetu (F, Hofstra) commits to Wisconsin

Zavier Zens (G/F, HS) commits to Illinois

B1G Roster Tracker

docs.google.com

 

[BBlock24]

Lmfao...anyone here that actually.....really.......honestly, believes that a Final Four team returning 65-70% of it's production from the most efficient offense in CBB history....THAT ALSO ADDED a Top 5 portal guard AND 2 top 10 (position) freshman SG's AND Wisconsin Mr. Basketball AND a top 25 (position) combo guard....isn't competing for a NC......needs to take the weekend off of this board.

Sure, I get it's your "opinion", but it's really dumb.

I'll bet all of my Loyalty Beach houses and a gallon of your favorite cottage cheese we will receive pre season #1 votes.

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

I put onion salt.

nothing but berries or cut up fruit for me

 

[CCTX Illini]

 

[WeWillWhen]

I usually put pepper on my cottage cheese. Am I the only one?

Toast + cottage cheese + cinnamon

 

[CoalCity]

Time for my first Kool Aid post. Zero reasons to doubt @LvilleILL1, @Indy Illini Fan - their record speaks for itself.

But as an “outsider” for some reason I’m still (foolishly?) holding out hope that we land Blackwell. Things don’t seem to add up. If our read on Blackwell is true (i.e. he wants to win)…..

1. Contention: haven’t heard he’s canceled the IL visit yet. Staff, players, his Dad, the Flyin’ Illini, can push in all remaining chips on this final piece and sell the vision.

2. Usage: Louisville/Duke/etc. aren’t exactly short on talent either — not sure those situations are dramatically cleaner for his camp.

3. Bag: sounds like were competitive. And who knows… a legacy who catapults his Dad’s Alma Mater to a prohibitive preseason favorite? Extra NIL?

4. Winning: of the finalists, Illinois offers Blackwell the most predictable path to a natty

To be clear — the current roster is already . What a time to be an Illini fan: already set up to be elite and hoping to push into that “inevitable” tier.

It ain’t over till it’s over.

You left out

5. Chemistry: does this guy who seems to want to maximize himself for the NBA as well as get the alpha worthy bag after 3 years of not being an alpha on an ok team alter the balance in the locker room?

 

[logjam]

nothing but berries or cut up fruit for me

Diced ham sometimes too...large curd or small...?

 

[Scoregasm]

Lol , I don't eat cottage cheese but my wife gets a kick out of my suggestions on how she should try it certain ways. Never ending knowledge to be had here

With sprinkles, the sweetness blends nicely with cottage cheese.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

View attachment 49937

I guess ultimately where this will probably end up is Duke (for Blackwell).

 

[March2TheArch]

Twice in the same year, unfortunately. Something like 22% from three in both games against those guys. Irritates me something fierce.

Their defense > our offense. Freshman Mirk vs. a double-champ Karaban. I’m optimistic Mirk works on his face-up game and explosiveness.

 

[CoalCity]

I see the continued commentary that he pushes us up the ladder. When I see a guy that removes his interest because he's not going to shine enough, visions of Matt Mayer comes into my head. We were so excited to get him, but ultimately, it was a terrible marriage because he wanted to get shots up. He wanted his and if he didn't get it, he wouldn't get back on defense. Anyone else remember that?

I'm not saying that this would be remotely the same situation, but it does look like wherever he ends up, he's going to want his shots and he's going to obviously want to be featured and not be part of a shared ball, winning cures all approach.

Hey, he sees his dream and money at the end of the rainbow so close that he can smell it and wants that spotlight. I can totally understand that line of thinking. Can't fault a guy for that.

However, if you're Illinois and you already have a bunch of mouths to feed.....you need to be careful to keep that balance in your locker room. Part of what made last year's team special was that there were no me first guys. Drej could have definitely been that way, but he put the team first and came off the bench. Something tells me, he got some assurances that won't be the case again, which might be where the bottleneck is? I'd hate to be a coach trying to manage all of this and putting together a team that fits vs a team that has resentment towards the guy at the locker next time him.

There are a lot of teams out there with a really, really good roster, but they just don't mix. That's not us thankfully and BU needs to make sure that stays the case.

Totally agree with this assessment