There’s been an absence of good news for sports fans in Champaign for quite awhile Welcome to national signing day for college hoops. Illini basketball has recruited a national top-15 class, checking in at No. 8 by 247Sports, No. 11 by Scout and No. 12 by Rivals. This is Groce’s second top-25 class in his three seasons in charge of the Illini program.
Obviously, these rankings are highly subjective and very fluid. With so many prospects still uncommitted and quite a few waiting until the spring, all of the rankings will move up and down. Also, I don’t have to tell you that when it comes to Illini basketball recruiting, anything goes and anything can happen. Still let’s look at this STELLAR Illini basketball recruiting class that John Groce landed.
He’s got Illinois moving in the right direction
Right now Illinois and Ohio State are the cream of the crop when it comes to recruiting in this class. Here’s a little more on the Illini basketball class of 2014 signees
JALEN COLEMAN-LANDS
Guard, 6-3, 180
Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.
High School/Coach: La Lumiere/Shane Heirman
AAU Program/Coach: All-Ohio Red/Marcus Gill
Consensus national top-40 recruit (No. 34 on rscihoops.com) … Ranked No. 27 nationally by 247Sports, No. 34 by ESPN, No. 35 by Scout and No. 38 by Rivals
Wing, 6-7, 205
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
High School/Coach: Simeon/Rob Smith
AAU Program/Coach: MeanStreets/Tai Streets
Consensus national top-65 recruit (No. 62 on rscihoops.com) … Ranked No. 50 nationally by ESPN, No. 55 by Scout and No. 62 by Rivals
Williams joins the tradition of Simeon to Illinois, including Illini all-time leading scorer, Deon Thomas, his future teammates at Illinois Kendrick Nunn, Jaylon Tate, Nick Anderson, Ervin Small, Bryant Notree and Calvin Brock. D.J. Williams turned down Florida and DePaul to come to the Illini basketball program. Groce has re-opened the Illini pipeline with Simeon. Bruce Weber failed when it came to recruiting the Chicago Public League, and Simeon in particular. Here’s much more on Williams, the earliest commit in Simeon history.
Guard, 6-5, 190
Hometown: Plainfield, Ill.
High School/Coach: Plainfield East/Branden Adkins
AAU Program/Coach: Illinois Stars/Troy Johnson, Mike Ciepierski
Ranked No. 85 nationally by Rivals and No. 86 by 247Sports
John Groce still has the Illini basketball program in the “final four” for Carlton Bragg, ranked #14 in the nation by Rivals. Right now Kentucky and Kansas seem to be ahead of Illinois and UCLA, who are still in the mix. Aaron Jordan is a consistent, high-level perimeter shooter in a 6-4 frame. He can create his own shot, and his shooting stroke is pretty and efficient. Here’s much more on Jordan.
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