Illinois basketball fans

[wang4three]

I don't but I sure would like to know what he did to not play in the most important game of the last 5 years. Hopefully we'll find out.

There's some awful rumors going around that I won't circulate, but essentially he got into two altercations last week which forced him to be benched these last two games. I'm ok with discipline.

[IlliniFan]

This is old news, but hasn't been discussed here. Illinois is going to get 5th year senior transfer PG Sam Maniscalco and he will be available to play immediately. This is huge for next year's team because our only pg would have been Abrams. He was an all conference player at Bradley and reports are that he's hard nosed and a good leader. His presence will really take pressure off Abrams and allow him to settle in before taking over his sophomore year. With Sam, I think our depth chart at the beginning of the year will look like this:

PG: Sam M/Abrams
SG: Dj Richardson/ C. Head
SF: Brandon Paul/M. Henry
PF: Jereme Richmond/Griffey/Shaw
C: Meyers Leonard/ N. Egwu

[bootsy]

This is old news, but hasn't been discussed here. Illinois is going to get 5th year senior transfer PG Sam Maniscalco and he will be available to play immediately. This is huge for next year's team because our only pg would have been Abrams. He was an all conference player at Bradley and reports are that he's hard nosed and a good leader. His presence will really take pressure off Abrams and allow him to settle in before taking over his sophomore year. With Sam, I think our depth chart at the beginning of the year will look like this:

PG: Sam M/Abrams
SG: Dj Richardson/ C. Head
SF: Brandon Paul/M. Henry
PF: Jereme Richmond/Griffey/Shaw
C: Meyers Leonard/ N. Egwu

Yep this is good news because as you said it gives us an experience PG. I t will allow Paul, DJ, Head to play off the ball and out on the wings. I think the real key next year is the development of Leonard. i think his progression is key for next year. To have a big man like that is very rare in college basketball. Having a big man who can play big is even more rare. So I hope to see him improve a lot next season.

[wang4three]

Not basketball related, but I'm sure most of you heard about the big fire on Green St. that burned down Za's and Zorba's. While I didn't frequent either that much, it's still crazy to think that they are no longer there. A senior in engineering made this website to document the disaster. Makes me feel nostalgic, almost:

http://savezorbas.com/?page_id=27

[wang4three]

Some basketball news:

Jereme Richmond is expected to stay.

Mike Davis is going to play at an All-Star game at the Final Four in Houston.

Great news all around.

[wang4three]

Jereme Richmond declares for the draft... What a bad move:

http://www.dailyillini.com/sports/ba...2011-nba-draft

[IlliniFan]

Will he go in the first round? I doubt it. He's too small to play the 4 and doesn't have the quickness to play the 3, not to mention his jumper is non existent. If he had stayed in school, he really had a chance to improve his ball handling and jumper to help his chances at the next level. I agree, this is an absolutely terrible decision. Something tells me it wasn't 100% his though. Been reading rumors that his grades were not up to par.

I appreciate what he did for the program after the whole Gordon fiasco, getting our recruiting back on track, and I'm definitely rooting for him to make it, but any team drafting him would be based on pure potential.

[wang4three]

Yeah, I don't think he's ready either. He can dribble and pass some and incredibly athletic, but he's not ready for the pros. He's at poor man's Brandon Rush level right now and Brandon's having a hard time getting minutes on the mediocre Pacers.

His goal may just be to make it overseas or int he D-League.

Whatever happens, I really hope he succeeds. He's got all the talent in the world and if he gets his head on straight..what a frightful player.

[ILLsmak]

Yeah, I don't think he's ready either. He can dribble and pass some and incredibly athletic, but he's not ready for the pros. He's at poor man's Brandon Rush level right now and Brandon's having a hard time getting minutes on the mediocre Pacers.

His goal may just be to make it overseas or int he D-League.

Whatever happens, I really hope he succeeds. He's got all the talent in the world and if he gets his head on straight..what a frightful player.

Surprising but he's definitely an NBA player... you don't have to be overly quick to play the 3, I don't think. I dunno if he's like Rush or not... but Rush was a top prospect, remember?

He's bigger than Rush, arguably smarter than Rush, and a pretty good athlete, too.

He really is a smart basketball player. Is he a one and done? Not with everyone else... but I think he'll be in the league soon. I'd take a chance on him. He's not even touched the potential of his body, either.

But he does need a better J. But that'll come if he works at it.

-Smak

[ILLsmak]

But what I wanted to say is I was looking at the next year top 25... and we aren't on it. Obviously that doesn't mean anything, but our team is stacked next year even without Richmond so dude is sleeping on our squad....

I think I like Shaw better than Richmond already, but Richmond really has an incredible bball IQ. Not that he's a genius, but for an athlete he understands how it works well and he's not scared of anyone. Nobody is going to mentally out-tough him and those are the type of guys that can make it to the league as 2nd round picks.

-Smak

[bootsy]

But what I wanted to say is I was looking at the next year top 25... and we aren't on it. Obviously that doesn't mean anything, but our team is stacked next year even without Richmond so dude is sleeping on our squad....

I think I like Shaw better than Richmond already, but Richmond really has an incredible bball IQ. Not that he's a genius, but for an athlete he understands how it works well and he's not scared of anyone. Nobody is going to mentally out-tough him and those are the type of guys that can make it to the league as 2nd round picks.

-Smak

I think this team may be better it depends on how this team comes together in the offseason and so on. I look at that roster on UConn and I am still mystified at how they won the championship. That roster looks somewhat similar to our current one. Lots of freshman, sophs, juniors and a team that was coming off being in the NIT and unranked at the beginning of the season. Then Walker makes the big leap from 14 ppg to 23-24 ppg and they take off. I say why can't that be us next year. Paul or Richardson or both made a significant improvement in scoring and the rest of the team falls in line plays good defense, rebounds well, etc.

I also look at some of these top 25 teams for next year and am very unimpressed. UK, NC will be powerhouses but the rest of those teams have some huge question marks some more than us IMO. I don't know we'll see.

[wang4three]

Surprising but he's definitely an NBA player... you don't have to be overly quick to play the 3, I don't think. I dunno if he's like Rush or not... but Rush was a top prospect, remember?

He's bigger than Rush, arguably smarter than Rush, and a pretty good athlete, too.

He really is a smart basketball player. Is he a one and done? Not with everyone else... but I think he'll be in the league soon. I'd take a chance on him. He's not even touched the potential of his body, either.

But he does need a better J. But that'll come if he works at it.

-Smak

I don't question that he has the talent to be an NBA player eventually, but right now? I just don't see it. He benefits that it's a weaker draft (especially if Sullinger and Barnes are staying), but he still has a ton of work. He didn't show the ability to create his own shot, to make a jumpshot, or play on the perimeter. Must of his buckets came from under the basket, and he won't be allowed to do the same in the pros. He needs to get bigger and stronger, and solidify his handles.

Is he bigger than Rush? According to draft measurements, they seem pretty similar. Only Rush stayed for 3 years in college and refined his game to be a solid contributer. Worked on his jumpshot, his handles, and can play little defense. Jereme may be the better athlete, but in terms of basketball skills, not really seeing it.

I wish him the best though! The fans on twitter are way too nasty and need to realize this is just a 19 year old kid.

[ILLsmak]

I don't question that he has the talent to be an NBA player eventually, but right now? I just don't see it. He benefits that it's a weaker draft (especially if Sullinger and Barnes are staying), but he still has a ton of work. He didn't show the ability to create his own shot, to make a jumpshot, or play on the perimeter. Must of his buckets came from under the basket, and he won't be allowed to do the same in the pros. He needs to get bigger and stronger, and solidify his handles.

Is he bigger than Rush? According to draft measurements, they seem pretty similar. Only Rush stayed for 3 years in college and refined his game to be a solid contributer. Worked on his jumpshot, his handles, and can play little defense. Jereme may be the better athlete, but in terms of basketball skills, not really seeing it.

I wish him the best though! The fans on twitter are way too nasty and need to realize this is just a 19 year old kid.

I dunno I think Jereme might be a little taller. Rush is a freak, though...

and if I remember correctly Rush got injured and that's really the only reason he didn't come out. He was a top prospect and who is to even say that that injury didn't change him forever. If Jereme is comparable to him in any way, that's good.

I think they play differently.

Jereme can get his shot at any time... he just can't make it. And you might say "lol" but that's an important distinction. Once he refines his game and form he'll be able to. He can post up, he needs to work on his feet set 3, and he can hit the pull up midrange/long post midrange... but he is inconsistent.

The thing is, I don't agree with his decision to leave at all. He's not ready right now, but I don't think he's not going to make it just because he chose to go early.

So, if he makes it eventually or gets drafted at all, then I guess it's good for him.

-Smak

[Nastradamus]

Remember when Illinois fans trolled up the U-Mich thread and went nuts when the suggestion was made that UM could be better than Illinois potentially. Yah, that was fun. University of Michigan, your 2011-12 Big10 champs!

[bootsy]

Remember when Illinois fans trolled up the U-Mich thread and went nuts when the suggestion was made that UM could be better than Illinois potentially. Yah, that was fun. University of Michigan, your 2011-12 Big10 champs!

One little minor spurt at the end of the season and Michigan fan thinks they are back. Still a lot to prove especially when you won't be sneaking up on teams anymore. Don't get too excited by the little that you accomplished last season.