with it being a little slow around the board, I thought I would throw out a few thoughts to consider about the future for Illinois and some thoughts on recruiting itself:
1) I think the transfer of Jalen Coleman-Lands could be a good thing for the recruitment of Ayo Dosunmo....the Illini will likely start the Marks Brothers (Smith and Alstork) at the wing this year and they should be really good in Underwood's offense.......with Alstork leaving at the end of the year, JCL would have likely stepped into the his wing spot for 2018 but with JCL gone, Dosunmo will likely realize that he could potentially come in and start right away......
2)I never understood the Charlie Moore chatter to Illinois.....I know he wanted to be closer to home and mentioned he would consider the Illini but if he had transferred to Illinois, he would have entered the 2018 season as sophomore with Trent Frazier also a sophomore and Te'Jon Lucas as a junior......total log jam that makes no sense.....the Illini are stacked at point guard especially considering they have those two for the next 3-4 years and also considering the fact that Smith and Williams can also play the point if needed....he'll sit out this year at KU and then when Devonte Graham graduates at the end of the year, he'll start for the next three seasons for a team that contends for the Final Four every year.......
3)This leads to the biggest worry going on at Illinos.......the need for size......this team currently has a 6-11 jr (Finke) and a 6-7 jr (Black) that at this point would start in 2017 unless they start Nichols at the 4-spot.....what no one has considered is the fact that we have a new coach and that if for whatever reason they don't enjoy themselves this year, they BOTH have the ability to graduate and move on as a grad-transfer......now I don't think that will likely happen because my guess is that they will play A LOT this year (due to the obvious shortage of big men) and stick around for their final season but what if Tim Finke picks Notre Dame and Michael decides he wants to play his final season with his brother in South Bend??....we would be returning Black and some kid named Eboigbodin who could be a steal or who could be packing his bags in a year (if he even ends up on our team)
4)So my question to Brad and anyone else, do you think Illinois would turn to recruiting one or two JC post players?.....I know the school is not big on JC's but Groce went hard after Shakur Juiston and my point is that besides George Conditt, I don't know of many 2018 post players in Illinois that could have a big impact any time soon.....I know this is why the staff is recruiting post players nationally but none are showing any MAJOR interest in Illinois at the moment if you read their quotes (some not even mentioning the Illni).....usually it wouldn't be that big of a deal but beside our two junior big men, we have NONE......one or both could potentially leave after this season and then it would be time to hunt grad transfers again.....certainly not a guaranteed option as we're finding out....so if the staff landed one stud JC this summer/fall, I think it might bring some stability for the future up front.....who in reality do you think we have a chance of landing up front from the class of 2018 nationally??.....not finishing second like Groce always did but actually landing........
5)2019 seems like a good year for post players in Illinois so if we can land a few studs this year, we should have a nice group to choose from to replace Black and Finke (if they stay).....so Brad, could you give your thoughts on some of them:
A)Francis Okoro......do you think we have a realistic chance against the national powers?
B)E.J. Liddell.....will this come down to Missouri vs. Illinois for him?
Reading a lot about the following.....have you seen any of them and what are your thoughts?
Aidan Shore (Sterling-6-8)......hear him and T.J. Wicks (Kankakee 6-8) are really developing as raw but very solid post players....are we looking at or communicating with either or do you feel they are too far away from being considered Big Ten players?
Have heard a lot about New Trier's Ciaran Brayboy (6-9)......is the new staff recruiting him?
What do you know about 6-9 Taeyon Neal from Providence St.Mel......would love to have another Lowell Hamilton to cheer for wearing Orange and Blue....or is he not good enough?
Also Brad, what do you know about 6-10 Davion Bradford from St.Louis and 6-7 Shon Robinson from Markam from the class of 2020??
1) I think the transfer of Jalen Coleman-Lands could be a good thing for the recruitment of Ayo Dosunmo....the Illini will likely start the Marks Brothers (Smith and Alstork) at the wing this year and they should be really good in Underwood's offense.......with Alstork leaving at the end of the year, JCL would have likely stepped into the his wing spot for 2018 but with JCL gone, Dosunmo will likely realize that he could potentially come in and start right away......
2)I never understood the Charlie Moore chatter to Illinois.....I know he wanted to be closer to home and mentioned he would consider the Illini but if he had transferred to Illinois, he would have entered the 2018 season as sophomore with Trent Frazier also a sophomore and Te'Jon Lucas as a junior......total log jam that makes no sense.....the Illini are stacked at point guard especially considering they have those two for the next 3-4 years and also considering the fact that Smith and Williams can also play the point if needed....he'll sit out this year at KU and then when Devonte Graham graduates at the end of the year, he'll start for the next three seasons for a team that contends for the Final Four every year.......
3)This leads to the biggest worry going on at Illinos.......the need for size......this team currently has a 6-11 jr (Finke) and a 6-7 jr (Black) that at this point would start in 2017 unless they start Nichols at the 4-spot.....what no one has considered is the fact that we have a new coach and that if for whatever reason they don't enjoy themselves this year, they BOTH have the ability to graduate and move on as a grad-transfer......now I don't think that will likely happen because my guess is that they will play A LOT this year (due to the obvious shortage of big men) and stick around for their final season but what if Tim Finke picks Notre Dame and Michael decides he wants to play his final season with his brother in South Bend??....we would be returning Black and some kid named Eboigbodin who could be a steal or who could be packing his bags in a year (if he even ends up on our team)
4)So my question to Brad and anyone else, do you think Illinois would turn to recruiting one or two JC post players?.....I know the school is not big on JC's but Groce went hard after Shakur Juiston and my point is that besides George Conditt, I don't know of many 2018 post players in Illinois that could have a big impact any time soon.....I know this is why the staff is recruiting post players nationally but none are showing any MAJOR interest in Illinois at the moment if you read their quotes (some not even mentioning the Illni).....usually it wouldn't be that big of a deal but beside our two junior big men, we have NONE......one or both could potentially leave after this season and then it would be time to hunt grad transfers again.....certainly not a guaranteed option as we're finding out....so if the staff landed one stud JC this summer/fall, I think it might bring some stability for the future up front.....who in reality do you think we have a chance of landing up front from the class of 2018 nationally??.....not finishing second like Groce always did but actually landing........
5)2019 seems like a good year for post players in Illinois so if we can land a few studs this year, we should have a nice group to choose from to replace Black and Finke (if they stay).....so Brad, could you give your thoughts on some of them:
A)Francis Okoro......do you think we have a realistic chance against the national powers?
B)E.J. Liddell.....will this come down to Missouri vs. Illinois for him?
Reading a lot about the following.....have you seen any of them and what are your thoughts?
Aidan Shore (Sterling-6-8)......hear him and T.J. Wicks (Kankakee 6-8) are really developing as raw but very solid post players....are we looking at or communicating with either or do you feel they are too far away from being considered Big Ten players?
Have heard a lot about New Trier's Ciaran Brayboy (6-9)......is the new staff recruiting him?
What do you know about 6-9 Taeyon Neal from Providence St.Mel......would love to have another Lowell Hamilton to cheer for wearing Orange and Blue....or is he not good enough?
Also Brad, what do you know about 6-10 Davion Bradford from St.Louis and 6-7 Shon Robinson from Markam from the class of 2020??
