OT: Illinois and Brad Underwood- Recruiting

[BigEastPhil]

What the heck is Brad Underwood selling?

He just got a verbal from Adam Miller - top 30 PG recruit - picking Illini over Louisville and Arizona

Last year he got Kofi Cockburn who looks like a lottery pick.

Illonois is a dangerous squad this year and the way Underwood is recruiting it appears sustainable.

Miller is from Chicago and if Underwood can recruit there he ll have a pipeline of talent to choose from.

 

[Russ Wood]

Yay, another correct FutureCast pick.

It's not Underwood's first high profile Chicago recruit. He landed Ayo Dosunmu out of Morgan Park HS in the 2018 class.

When he got the Illinois job someone in Maryland told me that was a great hire and Illinois was going to get good fairly quickly.

 

[RU-ROCS]

Underwood’s recruiting successes only highlights Pike’s disappointing class this year and shows how much harder it will be for RU to climb up the conference ladder.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

It's a good pickup, but Curbelo is the signature pickup to me. Miller as a 1 and done, could be good, but if the player is there for just 1 year, it's not the same as someone like Curbelo who could be there for 3 to 4 years.

Indiana landed Romeo Langford and he was in and out of the program so fast, that it meant nothing to their standings or winning. Curbelo is a player that is probably just good enough to be an All B1G player, but not good enough to launch to the NBA.

Recruiting is very hard to predict how it impacts winning in these hoops scenarios of the 1 and done era. Unless you're a Kentucky Duke etc, it's hard to keep cycling in freshman, and having 1 make a huge impact.

 

[Mr Magoo]

Underwood is a good coach and recruiter. He had that SF Austin team that we played Wednesday at an entirely different level when he was there...and they didn’t even play overly aggressive the way his Illinois teams do. He seems to adapt his style based on his team. He’s the real deal.

It wasn’t all that long ago that Illinois was a force. There are expectations there. Groce wasn’t doing a bad job before him and he had a very good class coming in that was lost when he was fired. He would have been adored here and yet he got fired there.

 

[bowlgoal]

The guy can sell and he can coach. He plays at a frantic pace and wins. Illinois will be a great program for years.

 

[Mr_Twister]

Illini assistant Ron Coleman has strong AAU ties, and another assistant Orlando Antigua knows the outer boundaries of pulling together a roster.

 

[Mr Magoo]

Illini assistant Ron Coleman has strong AAU ties, and another assistant Orlando Antigua knows the outer boundaries of pulling together a roster.

yes, good old Orlando Antigua, who almost played at RU before signing with Pitt.

 

[Russ Wood]

The guy can sell and he can coach. He plays at a frantic pace and wins. Illinois will be a great program for years.

To be fair, Illinois has been a great program for years. Top-20 all-time wins, quite a five B1G regular season titles, a couple of B1G Tournament titles, a slew of NCAA Tournament appearances and a couple of elite eight appearances this century. Look at some of the coaches that program has had: Bill Self, Bruce Weber, Lon Kruger, Lou Henson

Underwood is just on a path to elevate the program to where it once was.

 

[soundcrib]

Steve can't close.

 

[BKIn118]

Steve can't close.

More like Steve won't pay, don't you think?

 

[soundcrib]

More like Steve won't pay, don't you think?

Is every recruiting battle we’ve lost because of a brown paper bag?

 

[koleszar]

More like Steve won't pay, don't you think?

He might want to start considering that option. Because right now, things aren't going great.

 

[RutgHoops]

Underwood’s recruiting successes only highlights Pike’s disappointing class this year and shows how much harder it will be for RU to climb up the conference ladder.

Which Pikiell class don't you like? Geo/Myles/Duke? Harper/Mathis/McConnell? Mulcahy?

Underwood has had recruiting success at UI. I believe he is 30-40 as Illinois HC.

 

[DennisHajekRC84]

Is every recruiting battle we’ve lost because of a brown paper bag?

Clearly no. Exhibit 1 was the Frosh. White center who played 1 season up route 22. (?)...Rutgers said they didn't have a scollie and Brad came in , saw him, offered, and got him.

Iirc..Rutgers had a scollie.

 

[RU-ROCS]

Which Pikiell class don't you like? Geo/Myles/Duke? Harper/Mathis/McConnell? Mulcahy?

Underwood has had recruiting success at UI. I believe he is 30-40 as Illinois HC.

Pike’s first 3 classes are quality. But this year’s three-man class is a big step back. Just look at their other offers (or lack thereof). They are all hopeful “diamonds in the rough.” I just expected more in year 4 especially with a great new facility.

 

[Vegas pj]

Some might say they're sleepers ready to awaken the sleeping giant.

 

[blockm2]

Illinois has usually been a good program and it is the biggest name in a talent rich state. They have had not the best relationship with Chicago (CPL) coaches over the years, but plenty of talent has flowed through there.

I think Underwood is a good coach, but not quite elite. I suspect he will have Illinois as a top 25 ish program.

 

[knights1212]

I don't trust Antigua. He worked for Calipari at Memphis and at Kentucky. He and his brother were together at USF and I believe had a problem with the NCAA when they got let go at USF. He coached the Dominican Republic team and I think his brother got Delgado to go to SHU. He might be a straight arrow but I am not sure.

 

[combes]

I don't trust Antigua. He worked for Calipari at Memphis and at Kentucky. He and his brother were together at USF and I believe had a problem with the NCAA when they got let go at USF. He coached the Dominican Republic team and I think his brother got Delgado to go to SHU. He might be a straight arrow but I am not sure.

Antigua did not have an issue. His brother did. Never an NCAA issue with Orlando. I know him. Great guy and very personable. I hope this isn’t a case where a rival fan is saying that another school’s assistant cheats but ours are clean. That is pretty lame without proof. Antigua is known for developing big men. At Illinois, it has been Giorgi and now manchild Kofi Cockburn (pronounced Coburn, by the way).

A couple of factors at work for Illinois’ great recruiting class this year.

Adam Miller is originally from Peoria and is close friends with DaMonte Williams (all time Illinois great Frank Williams is his father and all from Peoria). Adam’s mom wanted him to stay close to home. She is a single mom. Adam grew up an Illinois fan. Mom had to move to Chicago for work and Adam ended up at Morgan Park. Ayo is from Morgan Park and Chin Coleman has always recruited well there. Getting Ayo was a breakthrough for the program.

Andre Curbelo (my favorite recruit) is originally from Puerto Rico. His father played professionally with Antigua. Antigua was the first coach to recruit him and the family ties helped a lot.

Coleman Hawkins has family in Chicago. His dad is one of 9 and all of them live in the Chicago area.

As a basketball program, Illinois is ranked 11th all time. As a public academic institution, Illinois is ranked 8th (3rd in BT). Illinois has a rabid fan base that draws well even in down years. Not surprising that Illinois can get recruits with a good coach.

 

[Scangg]

$$$

 

[RU-ROCS]

Some might say they're sleepers ready to awaken the sleeping giant.

Fred Hill, is that you?

 

[Russ Wood]

I don't trust Antigua. He worked for Calipari at Memphis and at Kentucky. He and his brother were together at USF and I believe had a problem with the NCAA when they got let go at USF. He coached the Dominican Republic team and I think his brother got Delgado to go to SHU. He might be a straight arrow but I am not sure.

The NCAA cleared Orlando in the USF issues. His brother, on the other hand, broke rules and didn't exactly tell NCAA investigators the truth initially but did later.

Orlando, who I like (just being transparent here) just wasn't ready to run a program. Imo he also tried a quick fix at USF instead of trying to rebuild the program and it did not go well. Orlando is a really good recruiter and big man coach.

 

[rucoe89]

Pike’s first 3 classes are quality. But this year’s three-man class is a big step back. Just look at their other offers (or lack thereof). They are all hopeful “diamonds in the rough.” I just expected more in year 4 especially with a great new facility.

This years class defines “underwhelming” so far. Omeruyi could change that.