FaIllinois Basketball Coaching Search Thread

[FirstTimer]

I'm talking about the elite Chicago talent. Obviously a school like Illinois could recruit marginal Chicago talent that probably should be at a lower level D1 school, but these are your role players. When I guy like Jabari Parker (who is the best player in highschool basketball) stays in Illinois is when things will turn. However, I really don't see the elite Chicago talent wanting to go to Illinois or DePaul for obvious reasons.

Jabari Parker I think would have stayed if Shaka comes in.

 

[Sportsbuck]

Your comment could be true for any program. However, when you're not one of the elite programs (Duke, UNC, Kentucky, etc) that recruit nationally you have to be able to recruit your region first. To build a successful program you have to start with your region and branch out. This is recruiting 101.

Great post, this can't be stated enough. This is basically how Thad Matta was able to take Ohio State to where it is today.

 

[ralaw]

Jabari Parker I think would have stayed if Shaka comes in.

Doubtful. Parker will more than likely end up at UNC or Kentucky. Shaka is a good coach, but as I said earlier he needs to work on some things and he knows it. Parker wouldn't go to Illinois right now because Smart would be too much of an unknown as far as developing talent, sending kids to the pros and getting into the tournament at a new school. Parker is a 1 and done player, so he's going to go to a more established program with a coach with more credibility.

 

[FirstTimer]

I'm talking about the elite Chicago talent..

Every guy from Chicago on Illinois' roster is a 4* recruit except for a walk on. Richardson is a 4* from Peoria. Leonard is a 4* in state kid. Weber did well enough in state to compete IMO.

Jereme Richmond, although a head case, was a really sought after kid from the Chicago area too that Weber landed but couldn't control.

His issue was just awful player usage and development.

Bill Cole was a slick mid post/center from Peoria. 3* kid. Offers from a couple other Big 10 schools. He gets to campus and Weber tries to turn him into a 3pt specialist. WHAT?

Brian Randle was a pretty highly regarded player from Peoria. 4* kid. Really talented. Was getting looks from Duke early heading into his senior year. Gets to campus and never really develops skills wise.

Demetri McCamey. Another 4* Chicago Kid. Nice offer list. Stayed in state to play for Weber. Never really got better. Maxed out as a sophomore and that was it.

Weber has had some really nice kids come through the pipeline onto his team and they just never do anything. If it were one or two I'd chalk it up to recruiting randomness. But To see it happen over and over with so many players. It's coaching.

Illinois fans that think they are a Top 5 type team/program are fooling themselves but they should be a perennial Top 20 team and in the Big 10 title hunt on an annual basis. Basically every coach but Weber has had them in the conversation for that over the course of the last 20 years.

 

[FirstTimer]

Doubtful. Parker will more than likely end up at UNC or Kentucky. Shaka is a good coach, but as I said earlier he needs to work on some things and he knows it. Parker wouldn't go to Illinois right now because Smart would be too much of an unknown as far as developing talent, sending kids to the pros and getting into the tournament at a new school. Parker is a 1 and done player, so he's going to go to a more established program with a coach with more credibility.

I think rivals has Washington as the only "high" interest team for Parker right now.

:lol:

 

[ralaw]

Weber just stayed too long and the program has become stale because of it. He also isn't that great at developing talent. However, I still say the guys you mentioned aren't elite level talents either.

BTW, between all of the Chicago Bulls talk and Illinois sports talk I'm tired of talking Illinois sports....you , Senser and Fedex get on my nerves.

:dtrain:

 

[FirstTimer]

Weber just stayed too long and the program has become stale because of it. He also isn't that great at developing talent. However, I still say the guys you mentioned aren't elite level talents either.

BTW, between all of the Chicago Bulls talk and Illinois sports talk I'm tired of talking Illinois sports....you , Senser and Fedex get on my nerves.

:dtrain:

Well when was the last time Illinois consistantly pulled elite in state talent? Ever?

Weber had Eric Gordon committed at one point, then he left for (at the time) poop dick Indiana.

Dee Brown was a 5* kid.

...?

 

[Senser81]

I'm talking about the elite Chicago talent. Obviously a school like Illinois could recruit marginal Chicago talent that probably should be at a lower level D1 school, but these are your role players. When I guy like Jabari Parker (who is the best player in highschool basketball) stays in Illinois is when things will turn. However, I really don't see the elite Chicago talent wanting to go to Illinois or DePaul for obvious reasons.

I don't know how much of that elite Chicago talent can get into a Big10 school. No way Derrick Rose gets in to Illinois. I remember a few years back DePaul tried to go the "inner-city" route under Jerry Wainwright, and it was a total mess.

Illinois is in a tough position because they still have to maintain academic standards, which obviously isn't the case at schools like Memphis and Kentucky. That said, there is no reason for Illinois not to contend for the Big10 title every year.

 

[spiker]

Come on. You're talking about U of I like its Notre Dame, Northwestern, Stanford, or an Ivy League school. U of I makes exceptions for its athletes.

 

[FirstTimer]

That said, there is no reason for Illinois not to contend for the Big10 title every year.

Exactly.

Come on. You're talking about U of I like its Notre Dame, Northwestern, Stanford, or an Ivy League school. U of I makes exceptions for its athletes.

So do those schools too. Especially ND, however I don't even think Illinois was a finalist for Rose or even chasing him that hard because they knew he couldn't qualify. Illinois draws a line a lot sooner than most other schools. Especially the SEC.

To me the issue with Illinois is never "talent" on the roster. They usually have some really solid pieces to work with at worst. If there is a competant/good coach they will be better than they were with Weber. If they get a great coach I think they could be either comparable to or just below what MSU is under Izzo or Motta is at OSU.

Right or wrong Illinois is a great job. Loyal fan base, fertile recruiting area, great school/financial support. There aren't a ton of better jobs nationwide from a "Big school" perspective. IMO it could make an argument for being a Top 20ish job in CBB. Illinois has everything needed from a logistical standpoint to be a perennial Top 20 school ranking wise and Sweet 16 quality team with some deeper runs here and there

 

[spiker]

Outside of Vandy, the SEC has standards to speak of? I'm pretty sure you can major in finger painting at Kentucky.

 

[FirstTimer]

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/coll...ntact-with-illinois-for-coaching-vacancy.html

 

[FirstTimer]

:yao: @ Mike Thomas.

Was going to contact Frank Martin.....was trying to hold off uSC.......ends up not being able to do so and Martin takes the uSC job.

:fail:

 

[Senser81]

:yao: @ Mike Thomas.

Was going to contact Frank Martin.....was trying to hold off uSC.......ends up not being able to do so and Martin takes the uSC job.

:fail:

Its kind of a multi-step problem. First, a lot of money was committed to Zook and Weber, who are no longer with the program. The article mentioned that money may be a concern, which is frightening. Second, the hiring of Mike Thomas as AD might be a huge problem. Its odd to hire an AD with no contacts to either a head football coach candidate or a head basketball coach candidate, and then within his first year you have the AD replacing both positions.

Based on past history, I thought Illinois could make a good basketball hire since they had been able to lure quality coaches like Lon Kruger and Bill Self (and even Weber to an extent...he was supposed to be Purdue's next coach). I guess I was wrong. It will be a shock if they can get a quality coach, like a Majerus.

 

[Sportsbuck]

John Groce is the talk right now... while not the minority candidate they are looking for, he's a great coach and would be an excellent hire IMO.

 

[FirstTimer]

Groce isn't a *pop* hire which IMO is what Illinois needed.

Mike Thomas may be the worst AD I can think of.

 

[Mogriffjr]

Supposedly people are not happy with this potential hire of groce...