Talk with Illinois men's basketball beat writer Paul Klee
Paul Klee (moderator) — 10:59 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Good afternoon everyone. Thanks for coming by for another Illinois basketball chat.
Praying for good weather tomorrow. You might remember the ice/sideways snow storm at last year's Braggin' Rights game. Everyone from the Illinois band to Stephen Bardo to Meyers Leonard had rough travel to St. Louis and got there right at tipoff or a few minutes late. Should be a very interesting matchup, though. It's a big one for both teams.
I'll be here for one hour. Fire away.
Klee
Jason from Pekin, IL — 11:00 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Weight is one thing, but strenght is another. The Georgia game made it obvious that Tisdale and Davis are not gaining or maintaining the strength needed to compete down low. What will the Strength and Conditioning Coach do to get these guys strong enough to compete down low? They shoot well, but we need a true inside presence!
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:01 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Jason- Some body types can add weight, others can
Tom from Springfield, IL — 11:02 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
It will be rough for Richardson and Paul during conference play. Legion is going to contribute more than you think in conference play. Do you think Richardson and Paul hit the freshman wall yet? I think they are going to struggle. Weber need to stop being stubborn and play some of those other players.(Legion, Jordan)
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:03 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Tom- In the past, most folks wanted Bruce Weber to play the younger guys. Tough to have it both ways. Jeff Jordan is averaging over 17 minutes per game, which is the most among the non-starters.
Klee
Andrew from Milwaukee, WI — 11:04 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
In all the years as a head coach, has Bruce Weber ever recruited someone who has been drafted in the NBA?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:04 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Andrew- Not that I
Festus from Pumpkin Capital, Illinoise — 11:05 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Georgia scored 17 layups. If we play more big bodies do you think BAM should insert T Griffey and play a zone?
From limited observations, it appears he has more strength/bulk than other options and can battle around the hoop.
Do you agree?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:11 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Festus- No, to your second question. Tyler isn't that type of player - at this point. He's more comfortable outside the paint right now.
But Tyler Griffey, who is from the St. Louis area, is looking forward to the Braggin' Rights game more than most. He told me yesterday his family purchased 30-something tickets. He has attended the last five Illinois-Missouri games.
Tim from Edwardsville, IL — 11:11 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
What's your prediction for the game tomorrow night? I say 78-74 Illini! Let's make it 10 in a row.
GO ILLINI!!!
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:13 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Tim- Prediction coming in Wednesday's News-Gazette. The Illini's practice sessions on Sunday and Monday tell me that Illinois wins - but it won't be easy.
Klee
Peter from Daytona Beach, FL — 11:14 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Illini look like they have a huge handicap defending in the low post. What do they do to match up with opponents that have athletes who are muscled and bulked up and also play with much more toughness and intensity than Tisdale and Davis? Outside shooting against skilled, physical teams isn't enough is it?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:18 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Peter- Not when you run into a Western Kentucky or a Bradley or a Georgia that plays with more passion. I'm in the minority here, but I don
J-Ran from Champaign, Illinois — 11:20 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Pauly Dangerously, love the chats! Hey, which end-of-career situation is sadder: Allen Iverson's or Shaq's? Both are pretty embarrassing, if you ask me. The Cavs are actually worse this year than they were last year without Kazaam.
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:26 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
J-Ran: You probably know how I feel about Allen Iverson's career. I've enjoyed his career more than any other player, going back to his Georgetown days. His 2000-01 MVP campaign was one of the finest seasons that's ever been played. So I'm not the guy to ask on this one. I'm admittedly biased. He's the toughest athlete I've seen, playing through injuries on a nightly basis throughout his career. The Shaq trade didn't fix Cleveland's issue, which is the need for a power forward that can shoot. To answer, I think the NBA is a more fascinating place with guys like Iverson and Shaq. So I hope they stick around for a while longer.
Klee
Dan from Urbana, IL — 11:28 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Klee,
can this team improve its defense and toughness enough to win in the Big 10? I know we can score much easier this season, but the Big 10 games are won with defense.
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:32 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Dan- Don't know if anyone can answer that question to this point. It hasn't made defense a priority. I think it will. The toughness issue is another matter. Bruce Weber made an interesting point yesterday, when asked if you can develop toughness.
Dumbkoff from Lost in a cornfield, Il — 11:33 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Do you thiink Mike Davis will ever learn to take more than 1 bribble towards the hoop?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:33 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Yes.
Danimal from Champaign, Il — 11:33 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Paul,
I had seen a comment from Weber about our lack of toughness. Didn't he recruit all of these players? Seems to me he should have recruited some big bangers too. Stop blaming the kids and look in the mirror Bruce. They are who we thought they were!
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:34 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Yes, he did.
Steve Nestor from Kennesaw , Georgia — 11:34 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Can Bruce Weber trade Alex Legion for a future draft chjoice?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:34 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
No.
Rough crowd today.
Pete Rock from Tupelo, MS — 11:34 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Is Wayne Blackshear now considered the odds-on favorite to win Mr. Basketball at the end of the season? I think he wins the award because he's putting up some pretty gaudy numbers, plays in front of the Chicago media; and a large contingent of the statewide media doesn't really care for Blackshears' primary challenger for the crown, Jereme Richmond, because of his attitude.
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:41 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Pete- He's a favorite, yes. His numbers are extraordinary. And what about Centennial's Rayvonte Rice? He's averaging 26.4 points. Twice he's gone over 40. He's shooting 57.7 percent on twos and 35.7 percent on threes. And - one of the most important factors in choosing the News-Gazette's State Player of the Year - he's clutch with the game on the line. Rayvonte excelled in late-game situation in the state playoffs last year. Plus, Centennial is 10-0 and is ranked No. 1 in Class 3A. He should be a candidate.
Klee
LO from Kazoo, MI — 11:43 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
I read that after the Western Michigan game, the Illini & Bronco coaches swapped scouting reports. Do you know what the Western report said about how to attack the Illini?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:45 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
LO- WMU coach Steve Hawkins was more concerned with the Illinois starters. He was aware of McCamey and the freshmen guards. (The word is out on Richardson and Paul, and it's clear things won't come as easy from here on out.) But what surprised Hawkins was the bench scoring from Illinois. Illinois reserves outscored Western Michigan reserves 40-10.
"The games that they
Marshall from Champaign, il — 11:46 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Who is a better player, Richmond or Harrison Barnes?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:46 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Marshall- Harrison Barnes is the better player. I thought the difference was exaggerated in the ESPN game, though, because he also has more help around him. Jereme misses a capable wingman like Colin Nickerson. I don't think the gap is as wide as it's made out to be.
Klee
scott from minneapolis, mn — 11:47 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
We are in this situation with lack of rebounding and size because Weber put us there. He keeps recruiting tall skinny kids that can't bang. (Tisdale, Cole, Leonard, etc.) There are guys out there like Pruitt or Gee that are big bangers. They might be deficient offensively, but they are out there. Why has Weber not addressed this in recruiting over the last few years? We're suffering now...
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:52 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Scott- Here's the short answer, because there's a ton of more questions to get to.
One, Weber has recruited a few guys like that, from Brian Carlwell to C.J. Jackson to Richard Semrau. They just didn't make a big impact at Illinois. Two, Weber said yesterday, "I don't know where they are." He said he has looked for them. A lot of coaches have.
"I
Andrew from Milwaukee, WI — 11:55 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Everyone on the current staff is roughly 6' and shorter. Bruce and Jay Price never played collegiate basketball. Would it make sense to bring in someone to work with the big guys on legitimate post moves (a la Kansas with Danny Manning) so we can establish an inside game rather than just having our 4 and 5's shoot 15 footers? Between Warren Carter, Nick Smith, Jack Ingram, Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale, it seems like there is very little development of a legitimate inside scoring threat which is so beneficial come tournament time when points are difficult. Shaun Pruitt seems the only one who had a few moves, but that seemed to be born out of his abhorrent outside shooting more than anything.
Paul Klee (moderator) — 11:57 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Andrew- That might help, sure. But there's not an opening on the staff at the moment. Illinois needs to do a better job of tossing entry passes. The Mikes don't do a great job of posting up, but when they do, the guards need to get them the ball. That was a glaring weakness in the Georgia game. Thanks for the question. Klee
Jerome from Chicago, IL — 11:59 AM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Paul, I agree that it is an attitude problem as much or more so than physical bulk when it comes to defending the post, rebounding and boxing out. The other team when they win just seem to want it more. Is it a coaching problem or poor recruiting when Illinois keeps ending up with low motivation players?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 12:03 PM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Jerome- I think you mistook what I said. These guys don't have an attitude problem. There just isn't an attitude. The best example I can think of is when Memphis whipped Michigan State in the 2008 NCAA tournament. Derrick Rose's group had an I'm-going-to-beat-you-by-50 mentality. And that's an extreme example, of course. Western Kentucky had that edge last year in Portland. Penn State seems to have it for every matchup with Illinois. Those are other examples.
Here's something that Wayne McClain told me the other day, when I asked him about the Illinois team that won the 2003-04 Big Ten title. I asked him what made that group special, besides the obvious.
"There was not ever a night when I would come out of a scout at 2 a.m., and Dee, Deron and Luther would be in the gym playing," McClain said. "It would be on a Sunday and Roger Powell would be in the gym with somebody rebounding for him. And it was a Sunday afternoon when the team was off. They got hungrier and hungrier as it went on.
Paul Klee (moderator) — 12:10 PM on Tue, 12/22/2009
Yesterday I talked to Kim English, Missouri's leading scorer and a Baltimore native. He worked out with Chester Frazier in the offseason so he knows plenty about the Illini. He said Missouri is aware of the UI freshmen and that Chester was particularly high on Brandon Paul, so the Tigers won't take the rookies lightly.
Good afternoon everyone. Thanks for coming by for another Illinois basketball chat.
Praying for good weather tomorrow. You might remember the ice/sideways snow storm at last year's Braggin' Rights game. Everyone from the Illinois band to Stephen Bardo to Meyers Leonard had rough travel to St. Louis and got there right at tipoff or a few minutes late. Should be a very interesting matchup, though. It's a big one for both teams.
I'll be here for one hour. Fire away.
Klee
Weight is one thing, but strenght is another. The Georgia game made it obvious that Tisdale and Davis are not gaining or maintaining the strength needed to compete down low. What will the Strength and Conditioning Coach do to get these guys strong enough to compete down low? They shoot well, but we need a true inside presence!
Jason- Some body types can add weight, others can
It will be rough for Richardson and Paul during conference play. Legion is going to contribute more than you think in conference play. Do you think Richardson and Paul hit the freshman wall yet? I think they are going to struggle. Weber need to stop being stubborn and play some of those other players.(Legion, Jordan)
Tom- In the past, most folks wanted Bruce Weber to play the younger guys. Tough to have it both ways. Jeff Jordan is averaging over 17 minutes per game, which is the most among the non-starters.
Klee
In all the years as a head coach, has Bruce Weber ever recruited someone who has been drafted in the NBA?
Andrew- Not that I
Georgia scored 17 layups. If we play more big bodies do you think BAM should insert T Griffey and play a zone?
From limited observations, it appears he has more strength/bulk than other options and can battle around the hoop.
Do you agree?
Festus- No, to your second question. Tyler isn't that type of player - at this point. He's more comfortable outside the paint right now.
But Tyler Griffey, who is from the St. Louis area, is looking forward to the Braggin' Rights game more than most. He told me yesterday his family purchased 30-something tickets. He has attended the last five Illinois-Missouri games.
What's your prediction for the game tomorrow night? I say 78-74 Illini! Let's make it 10 in a row.
GO ILLINI!!!
Tim- Prediction coming in Wednesday's News-Gazette. The Illini's practice sessions on Sunday and Monday tell me that Illinois wins - but it won't be easy.
Klee
Illini look like they have a huge handicap defending in the low post. What do they do to match up with opponents that have athletes who are muscled and bulked up and also play with much more toughness and intensity than Tisdale and Davis? Outside shooting against skilled, physical teams isn't enough is it?
Peter- Not when you run into a Western Kentucky or a Bradley or a Georgia that plays with more passion. I'm in the minority here, but I don
Pauly Dangerously, love the chats! Hey, which end-of-career situation is sadder: Allen Iverson's or Shaq's? Both are pretty embarrassing, if you ask me. The Cavs are actually worse this year than they were last year without Kazaam.
J-Ran: You probably know how I feel about Allen Iverson's career. I've enjoyed his career more than any other player, going back to his Georgetown days. His 2000-01 MVP campaign was one of the finest seasons that's ever been played. So I'm not the guy to ask on this one. I'm admittedly biased. He's the toughest athlete I've seen, playing through injuries on a nightly basis throughout his career. The Shaq trade didn't fix Cleveland's issue, which is the need for a power forward that can shoot. To answer, I think the NBA is a more fascinating place with guys like Iverson and Shaq. So I hope they stick around for a while longer.
Klee
Klee,
can this team improve its defense and toughness enough to win in the Big 10? I know we can score much easier this season, but the Big 10 games are won with defense.
Dan- Don't know if anyone can answer that question to this point. It hasn't made defense a priority. I think it will. The toughness issue is another matter. Bruce Weber made an interesting point yesterday, when asked if you can develop toughness.
Do you thiink Mike Davis will ever learn to take more than 1 bribble towards the hoop?
Yes.
Paul,
I had seen a comment from Weber about our lack of toughness. Didn't he recruit all of these players? Seems to me he should have recruited some big bangers too. Stop blaming the kids and look in the mirror Bruce. They are who we thought they were!
Yes, he did.
Can Bruce Weber trade Alex Legion for a future draft chjoice?
No.
Rough crowd today.
Is Wayne Blackshear now considered the odds-on favorite to win Mr. Basketball at the end of the season? I think he wins the award because he's putting up some pretty gaudy numbers, plays in front of the Chicago media; and a large contingent of the statewide media doesn't really care for Blackshears' primary challenger for the crown, Jereme Richmond, because of his attitude.
Pete- He's a favorite, yes. His numbers are extraordinary. And what about Centennial's Rayvonte Rice? He's averaging 26.4 points. Twice he's gone over 40. He's shooting 57.7 percent on twos and 35.7 percent on threes. And - one of the most important factors in choosing the News-Gazette's State Player of the Year - he's clutch with the game on the line. Rayvonte excelled in late-game situation in the state playoffs last year. Plus, Centennial is 10-0 and is ranked No. 1 in Class 3A. He should be a candidate.
Klee
I read that after the Western Michigan game, the Illini & Bronco coaches swapped scouting reports. Do you know what the Western report said about how to attack the Illini?
LO- WMU coach Steve Hawkins was more concerned with the Illinois starters. He was aware of McCamey and the freshmen guards. (The word is out on Richardson and Paul, and it's clear things won't come as easy from here on out.) But what surprised Hawkins was the bench scoring from Illinois. Illinois reserves outscored Western Michigan reserves 40-10.
"The games that they
Who is a better player, Richmond or Harrison Barnes?
Marshall- Harrison Barnes is the better player. I thought the difference was exaggerated in the ESPN game, though, because he also has more help around him. Jereme misses a capable wingman like Colin Nickerson. I don't think the gap is as wide as it's made out to be.
Klee
We are in this situation with lack of rebounding and size because Weber put us there. He keeps recruiting tall skinny kids that can't bang. (Tisdale, Cole, Leonard, etc.) There are guys out there like Pruitt or Gee that are big bangers. They might be deficient offensively, but they are out there. Why has Weber not addressed this in recruiting over the last few years? We're suffering now...
Scott- Here's the short answer, because there's a ton of more questions to get to.
One, Weber has recruited a few guys like that, from Brian Carlwell to C.J. Jackson to Richard Semrau. They just didn't make a big impact at Illinois. Two, Weber said yesterday, "I don't know where they are." He said he has looked for them. A lot of coaches have.
"I
Everyone on the current staff is roughly 6' and shorter. Bruce and Jay Price never played collegiate basketball. Would it make sense to bring in someone to work with the big guys on legitimate post moves (a la Kansas with Danny Manning) so we can establish an inside game rather than just having our 4 and 5's shoot 15 footers? Between Warren Carter, Nick Smith, Jack Ingram, Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale, it seems like there is very little development of a legitimate inside scoring threat which is so beneficial come tournament time when points are difficult. Shaun Pruitt seems the only one who had a few moves, but that seemed to be born out of his abhorrent outside shooting more than anything.
Andrew- That might help, sure. But there's not an opening on the staff at the moment. Illinois needs to do a better job of tossing entry passes. The Mikes don't do a great job of posting up, but when they do, the guards need to get them the ball. That was a glaring weakness in the Georgia game. Thanks for the question. Klee
Paul, I agree that it is an attitude problem as much or more so than physical bulk when it comes to defending the post, rebounding and boxing out. The other team when they win just seem to want it more. Is it a coaching problem or poor recruiting when Illinois keeps ending up with low motivation players?
Jerome- I think you mistook what I said. These guys don't have an attitude problem. There just isn't an attitude. The best example I can think of is when Memphis whipped Michigan State in the 2008 NCAA tournament. Derrick Rose's group had an I'm-going-to-beat-you-by-50 mentality. And that's an extreme example, of course. Western Kentucky had that edge last year in Portland. Penn State seems to have it for every matchup with Illinois. Those are other examples.
Here's something that Wayne McClain told me the other day, when I asked him about the Illinois team that won the 2003-04 Big Ten title. I asked him what made that group special, besides the obvious.
"There was not ever a night when I would come out of a scout at 2 a.m., and Dee, Deron and Luther would be in the gym playing," McClain said. "It would be on a Sunday and Roger Powell would be in the gym with somebody rebounding for him. And it was a Sunday afternoon when the team was off. They got hungrier and hungrier as it went on.
Yesterday I talked to Kim English, Missouri's leading scorer and a Baltimore native. He worked out with Chester Frazier in the offseason so he knows plenty about the Illini. He said Missouri is aware of the UI freshmen and that Chester was particularly high on Brandon Paul, so the Tigers won't take the rookies lightly.