Many, if not most Illini basketball fans have already started looking ahead to 2017-18. Can’t I say blame them either as this team could be at .500 by tomorrow night, and that’s a very embarrassing position for a high major program to be in during November. You saw the results in the preseason NIT, and at home versus Winthrop.
Those results speak for themselves. The main Illini basketball storyline now revolves around University of Illinois head coach John Groce’s future. Whether or not he’s back is something only Athletic Director Josh Whitman knows for sure. We do know that Groce’s approval ratings, if such things were measured, would almost certainly be at their all time low right now.
Illini basketball fans in general are very excited about the incoming recruiting class, the best to be headed to Champaign in a very long time, and ranked 8th nationally and #1 in the B1G.
Illini basketball fans in general are NOT very excited about the idea of Groce coaching this collection of blue chip talent. They have little to no faith that Groce can coach these guys up to their full potential. Other than “the great recruits could leave,” I don’t know if there is any strong case for retaining Groce, and that debate point is rather negated by the fact that the team is regressing each year, despite Groce having great recruits right now.
Those highly rated recruits aren’t developing, so why should we believe next year will be different?
Again can’t say I blame Illinois fans for being ye of little faith right now.
Leron Black (#38 by Rivals, consensus top 50 recruit), Jalen Coleman-Lands (#34 nationally by ESPNU, 24/7 Sports), D.J. Williams (#46 by Scout, #64 by ESPN) and Aaron Jordan (ranked #95 nationally by Rivals) are four players who have not produced at Illinois on a level anywhere close to what one would or could expect given their lofty recruiting rankings.
Sure, some of them don’t play all that much or could play more, but why doesn’t Groce go younger with his lineups?
It’s not like the status quo this season or las season has been anything worthwhile. Last year set a school record for losses, and I would not be surprised to see this team go from Nov 18th versus Detroit to December 6th versus IUPUI without a victory.
Maybe the recruiting rankings are inaccurate, or maybe Groce really needs to go, but that’s up to Whitman to decide. If and when Groce is dismissed you would then have a serious quandary about whether or not the talented class that he landed will stay in Champaign.
Again though, that’s a debate and a discussion for another time and space. This is all about the Illini basketball incoming recruiting class which checks in at No. 8 by Scout, No. 9 by ESPN and No. 10 by 247Sports.
It also is ranked by every service as the top class in the Big Ten.
It all starts with five-star center:
JEREMIAH TILMON
Center, 6-10, 245
Hometown: East St. Louis, Ill.
High School / Coach: East St. Louis Senior / Phillip Gilbert
AAU Program / Coach: St. Louis Eagles / Corey Frazier
Tilmon is a consensus national top-25 recruit, ranked No. 19 by Scout and No. 25 by both Rivals and 247Sports composite. Tilmon’s waiting to the last possible day to sign was a stroke of brilliance, if his aim was to garner as much attention as possible on his signing ceremony. Tilmon is the highest-rated recruit of the Groce regime and the first five-star player to pick Illinois since Jereme Richmond seven years ago in 2010.
As the results of the most stunning upset in U.S. Presidential election history were rolling in, news leaked that Tilmon wasn’t going to sign with Illinois on National Signing Day, which was the following morning.
If you were a recruit that wanted a lot of publicity for your big moment of signing your NLI, then signing day fell on perhaps the worst day possible for you. Tilmon’s delay in signing caused a lot of hysteria among Illini basketball fans, but when he did sign on the following Wednesday it was in fact a very slow news day and America wasn’t caught up in something else that was bigger than all of us.
It’s a very good thing though because the Tilmon signing ended the Illini basketball getting jilted at the altar by a 5-star streak. The bad memories of Quentin Snider, Cliff Alexander, Eric Gordon et al were all put to rest for good.
It was a glorious day for the Illini basketball community.
TRENT FRAZIER
Guard, 6-2, 170
Hometown: Wellington, Fla.
High School / Coach: Wellington / Matt Colin
AAU Program / Coach: Florida Elite / Conrad Foss
Frazier is a four-star recruit ranked No. 78 by Scout, No. 101 by Rivals and No. 102 by 247Sports composite
Groce on Frazier: “Trent is one of the best offensive guards in the country. He is terrific off of ball screens and in transition, and is an exceptional passer as well.”
As of now, there isn’t a nickname/hash tag for this recruiting class, like Michigan State’s #TheClass of this year’s frosh and Indiana’s “The Movement” of several years ago.
GOOD! Let’s keep it that way. Bestowing an arrogant nickname/hashtag on a recruiting class seems to be like a recipe for disaster thus far. It’s a bit of end zone dancing while you’re still at the 50 yard line. Tis better to stay grounded and humble. There will be plenty of time for showboating later.
With addition of Tilmon, #Illini 2017 recruiting class is ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten & Top-10 in the nation by Scout, ESPN & 247Sports.?? pic.twitter.com/8xrvHdoXdB
— Illini Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 17, 2016
JAVON PICKETT
Guard, 6-4, 180
Hometown: Belleville, Ill.
High School / Coach: Belleville East / Abel Schrader
AAU Program / Coach: Ramey Jets United / Andre McMurray
DA’MONTE WILLIAMS
Guard, 6-3, 185
Hometown: Peoria, Ill.
High School / Coach: Peoria Manual / Derrick Booth
AAU Program / Coach: Mac Irvin Fire / Mike Irvin, Nick Irvin
Notes on Williams: Four-star recruit ranked No. 92 by ESPN, No. 106 by Rivals and No. 107 by 247Sports composite. Son of Illini all-time great point guard Frank Williams, the 2001 Big Ten Player of the Year and two-time All-American.
Groce on Williams: “Da’Monte is an athletic, multi-positional guard. He has the ability to make plays for himself and others, is an elite defender, and with his athleticism can guard multiple positions.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
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