2014 Recruiting Thread

[IlliniM1ke]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

Cliff Alexander, Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor all announcing Friday...

I'm hoping Jones and Okafor pick Duke and Alexander Illinois, but it wouldn't surprise me if Self somehow got all 3.

Yeah it would seem to be a pretty douche move by Okafor announcing at that exact time when Cliff said he was going to announce then a couple weeks ago.

The only way it doesn't seem that way is if all 3 are Kansas bound which is what I think is going to happen.

[BunnyHardaway]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

I think the announcement times were set up by ESPN for their signing day special...I know they usually have a bunch of recruits announce on air a few minutes apart.

I'm nervous as all hell about Okafor, but I cannot see Duke missing out on Tyus Jones.

[IlliniM1ke]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

I think the announcement times were set up by ESPN for their signing day special...I know they usually have a bunch of recruits announce on air a few minutes apart.

I'm nervous as all hell about Okafor, but I cannot see Duke missing out on Tyus Jones.

Ah yeah that was a brainfart completely forgot signing day is going on this week.

Yeah then in that case hopefully it's just me being paranoid, I just have a feeling it's not gonna be Illinois for Cliff, good things like this just don't happen for Illinois but if it's ever going to change Groce is the guy to make it happen.

With or without Cliff he's got us on the right track but landing Cliff would take us to another level.

[BunnyHardaway]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

Reading that the chances of Okafor and Alexander going to the same school are about zero....and a rumor that Justise Winslow may commit on Friday as well.

This is either going to be one of the best days or one of the worst days in the history of my Duke fandom.

[DamnYanks2]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

Reading that the chances of Okafor and Alexander going to the same school are about zero....and a rumor that Justise Winslow may commit on Friday as well.

This is either going to be one of the best days or one of the worst days in the history of my Duke fandom.

I have a real good feeling, FWIW, ya'll are gonna get Tyus and Okafor, Kansas will get Cliff.

[dansaint]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

From everything I'm reading and hearing...Kansas is OUT for Alexander. It's down to DePaul and Illinois and Illinois looks like solid leader from a few of the people i've talked to.

Not counting my chickens yet...but it looks good for Big Cliff to the orange and blue.

[redsrule]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

Stanley Johnson is now committing Friday as well. He was originally going to be a Spring decision, but now I think he will commit to Arizona.

[canesfins]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

I'm just happy with my team not getting one and dones and having a roster built on one and dones. I actually enjoy watching my teams players for 4 years. Sure it might not result in as many wins. Wish they made the rule at least 2 years.

[Mo]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

From everything I'm reading and hearing...Kansas is OUT for Alexander. It's down to DePaul and Illinois and Illinois looks like solid leader from a few of the people i've talked to.

Not counting my chickens yet...but it looks good for Big Cliff to the orange and blue.

While I want to believe that, I doubt anything out there these days is true. Hell I'm sure Cliff doesnt even know, much less folks on the interwebz

[IlliniM1ke]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

While I want to believe that, I doubt anything out there these days is true. Hell I'm sure Cliff doesnt even know, much less folks on the interwebz

I'm just used to getting punched in the nuts when it comes to Illinois basketball recruiting elite players.

Two of the biggest examples, obviously Eric Gordon, it was great to see Weber finally land a star only to lose him late.

Then the biggest (and it didn't even matter because he never played in college), but Shaun Livingston coming out of Peoria Illinois which is an area known for pretty much sending ALL their players to Illinois. It comes down to Duke and Illinois, obviously I expected to lose that all the way but the day before his announcement he goes to school wearing a Brian Cook Illinois jersey, obviously at that point it has to be a sign, no way this kid from an area known for loving Illinois is going to wear a jersey the day before his announcement and not pick Illinois. Wrong, he picked Duke as I expected until that false glimmer of hope.

Until Illinois wins one of these battles I expect to lose them, obviously I feel a lot (and I mean A LOT) better about our chances with John Groce selling the program than I did with Weber.

I think Nick Smith said it best when he described the difference between Bill Self and Bruce Weber, paraphrasing because this is from about 10 years ago and I can't find the quote but he basically said Self gets it, he can relate to guys and then there's Weber where it feels like you're talking to your math teacher. You can tell Groce gets it.

[IlliniM1ke]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

So it sounds like Quentin Snider never signed his LOI yesterday and there is some speculation he is reconsidering Louisville and it seems like Kansas is picking up the latest buzz for Cliff Alexander.

Typical Illinois basketball luck.

[Mo]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

So it sounds like Quentin Snider never signed his LOI yesterday and there is some speculation he is reconsidering Louisville and it seems like Kansas is picking up the latest buzz for Cliff Alexander.

Typical Illinois basketball luck.

I'm not worried about it. I trust Groce to get the job done.

Dont put too much stock on these interwebz "sources"

[BunnyHardaway]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

FWIW, Duke insiders (the actual trusted ones) are extremely confident. I honestly can't remember the last time they were this sure we were going to land somebody.

Personally I'm not buying it until they're both wearing Duke hats, but it's nice to read.

[Mo]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

Fudge, got Eric Gordon'd

[IlliniM1ke]

Re: 2014 Recruiting Thread

Fudge, got Eric Gordon'd

Honestly as bad as the Gordon thing was I'd say this is worse. At least Gordon had the decency to de-commit (granted he waited longer than he should have but at least he did it) as opposed to Snider letting the Illinois staff think he wasn't wavering at all only to surprise them come signing day that he didn't send in his LOI. Then to let them find out he was reaching out to Louisville again.

While the Gordon deal sucked at least he gave Weber time to find a replacement, Groce is short on options now for 2014 since many guys who he could've pursued are now signed.

Gordon felt worse because of Weber's recruiting problems, to finally land that star player after his horrible recruiting to that point only to lose him felt like a program killer.

We'll recover from this easier due to Groce but Snider handled this worse than Gordon did and that's saying something.

But like I said I've been an Illinois fan long enough, I knew with things seeming to be going as great as they were it was just a matter of time before something went wrong and sure enough.

Cliff sounds like a done deal for Kansas also so I don't anticipate good news coming later either. (Well I suppose this depends who you're listening to but I'll be shocked if it isn't Kansas, the most buzz seems to be going that way)