What they said

"When I get done eating, I'm sweating."

Mike Tisdale, Illinois sophomore on a 6,000-calorie daily diet that includes protein bars in between pickup games

What I'm thinking

Random thoughts

– I'm thinking it's only 91 days until Illinois officially can open practice on Oct. 17.

– I'm thinking it's intriguing that DERON WILLIAMS and CHRIS PAUL, forever linked as point guards selected No. 3 and No. 4 in the 2005 NBA draft, could be linked again, this time on the free agent market. Both passed on five-year contract extensions with the Jazz and Hornets, instead choosing three-year agreements, with an option for a fourth.

– I'm thinking that means arguably the two best point guards in the world – at that time – could become free agents at the conclusion of the 2011-2012 season. The natural rivalry would continue: Who gets the bigger contract when these deals expire? Who goes to the NBA title-ready team?

– I'm thinking Williams' decision to sign a 3-plus-1 contract is a change from his plans just weeks ago. Representatives from his agency, McClaren Sports, made it sound to me like he would pursue a five-year deal worth close to $80 million. That he signed a shorter deal makes it look like he's not convinced Utah is where he will retire.

– I'm thinking the best training for ALEX LEGION are daily workouts defending scorer JAMAR SMITH – and vice versa. "If you can check a guy like Jamar, you can check anybody in the country," Legion said.

– I'm thinking Legion's gradual improvement in pickup games hints at a big season for Illinois – in 2009-10. The first few months of Legion's transition were a challenge for the Kentucky transfer. He's been consistently effective more recently.

– That means I'm thinking the Illini are a ways from becoming an NCAA tournament team this season, but in the following season they could compete for the Big Ten title.

– And I'm thinking it's far too early to be making these types of predictions.

What I'm reading

Headlines, deadlines and the best lines

CRANDALL HEAD, JEREMY HEAD and JOHNNY ROLAND (the three younger brothers of current Houston Rocket and former Illinois star LUTHER HEAD) announced on Thursday that they will all attend Crane, slightly altering their original plan to attend three different Red-West schools.

Chicago Sun-Times

All is good again at Gonzaga after star sophomore forward AUSTIN DAYE was told Thursday morning that he doesn't have a torn ACL that will require surgery and jeopardize his status for the upcoming season.

ESPN.com

For CBS' BILLY PACKER, last season's NCAA Final Four was his 34th consecutive as the event's lead TV analyst – and his final Final Four.

USA Today

What I'm hearing

In this corner, we believe everything we hear

– Nine months after he committed to Illinois, Peoria Central senior D.J. RICHARDSON said he is firmly with the Illini. "I don't care who offered me right now – North Carolina, Tennessee, whoever offered me. I'm not going to decommit on Illinois," he said. "I'm going to be with the Illini. I got my room all (decked) out in Illinois. Got an Illinois blanket, an Illinois lamp."

– Showing a sense of humor, Richardson added, "I'm not going to do my room over."

– Richardson said the recruiting letters from other schools stopped about two months after his October commitment. "I haven't had a phone call since I committed to Illinois last year," he said.

– To improve his academic standing, Richardson took summer school classes that concluded Thursday. "I got two A's," said Richardson, who would be a senior at Peoria Central in the fall. "I took care of business. A's and B's in summer school help you boost your GPA from the school year."

– Next up: prep work for the ACT. "I'm getting tutored for the ACT right now," he said. The family viewed prep school as a possibility, though "I'm pretty sure I'm going to be here (at Peoria Central)" for his senior year, Richardson said.

– Richardson planned to compete this weekend in a tournament at Peoria Central. "I'm really looking forward to playing in front of the hometown fans," he said prior to the event. Then it's off to events in Orlando and outside Kansas City with Illinois Warriors and coach LARRY BUTLER.

– Prior to the Nike Peach Jam, Richardson's cell phone rang. "JEREME (RICHMOND) called me on the Friday before they came out with the schedule," he said. "We didn't know if we were going to play each other; we were just calling to say good luck."

– Several Peach Jam observers pointed not to Richardson's scoring output – he averaged 20-plus points – but to his willingness to defend for 94 feet.

– With Illinois Warriors, "I play on the wing and some point (guard)," Richardson said. "At Illinois I think I'll be a combo guard."

– That CRANDALL HEAD is transferring to the Chicago Public League (Crane) comes as no surprise. The Illinois recruit said several times last season he missed the city environment while at Rich South.

– Crandall was leaning toward another CPL school before it was decided his two younger brothers wanted to attend Crane. For several weeks, the Illinois staff has been in contact with the Crane staff and coach TIM ANDERSON, a former teammate of CPL star WILL BYNUM.

– DERON WILLIAMS could be a central figure in a TV advertising campaign for USA Basketball leading up to the Beijing Games.

– Former Illini FRANK WILLIAMS left the New Orleans Hornets summer league team due to knee soreness, an unfortunate development that indicates his NBA prospects have hit a permanent roadblock and he likely will return to Europe.

What's happining?

Cleaning out the notebook

– The buzz in coaching circles concerns the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) suggestion that coaches should refrain from offering scholarships to prospects that haven't entered their junior year of high school.

– Illinois coach BRUCE WEBER's response? Good luck with that. "I'm not sure how they're going to enforce it (if it becomes an NCAA rule)," he said.

– Illinois recruiting has flourished since it began offering younger prospects such as JEREME RICHMOND and CRANDALL HEAD. Weber said the NABC's proposal won't stop Illinois from pursuing a younger prospect, mainly because it won't stop other coaches from doing the same.

– Weber said: "We can't be left standing and lose a player because of that (mandate)," Weber said. "Especially (with) in-state recruiting. If you can get a kid committed and get him on campus early, it's going to be hard to pass him up."

– It took too long for the work ethic apparent in Illinois' 2005 Final Four collective to carry over into the current Illini, but Weber believes the players' approach has improved.

– On the current summer habits, Weber said: "I get texts from them at midnight, 'Coach we're just leaving the gym.' That's good to hear, that they're doing that on their own. We always go back to Deron, Dee, Luther. I'm sure they're sick of hearing the comparisons. But those guys came in and worked at it. I'd come back from a recruiting trip at 1:30, 2 in the morning, and Luther would have 10 guys in here playing 5-on-5. I think we have more of that than we've had in the last few years."

– Coaching has been an aspiration of Illinois senior CHESTER FRAZIER for some time, and the point guard is trying to get a head start. "I do a little bit on my own right now, just thinking of ways we can get better, especially offensively," Frazier said. "I'll talk to Coach (Weber) about a few things when he gets back (from the recruiting period). It's a natural instinct, as a player, that you want to coach."

– Still, Frazier wants to pursue a professional playing career – perhaps overseas – before he pursues a coaching career. "Hopefully I still have a few years left," he said.

– Illinois sophomore MIKE TISDALE said the team's 16-19 record last season might have had more to do with attitude than X's and O's. "You can't take anything for granted," he said. "We get a lot of (free) things here, a lot of the gear and everything like that. Sometimes I think we took it for granted and it took our eye off what we really needed to work on. Hopefully we can just keep our eye on the ball."

– Former Illini Luther Head was named to the 10-player USA Basketball men's select team that will practice with the U.S. Olympics roster from Monday to Wednesday. Head will be reunited with Deron Williams, a member of the Olympics roster.

– Entering his fourth season in the NBA, Head's long-term future with the Rockets is relatively cloudy. "He's in a contract year, and he didn't have maybe the finish that he would like to (last season)," Weber said. "Now it's a chance for him to play against some of the best in the world (with the select team) and maybe get the attention of the Rockets or some other team. Hopefully it gives him some longevity in the NBA."

– And what better locale for the three-guard reunion than Las Vegas? Deron, Luther and Dee Brown (who's in town for the NBA summer league) were joined by UI assistant JERRANCE HOWARD in Vegas on Saturday night.

– Weber and Howard will be in Vegas for recruiting showcases, as well. The head coach said he'll be in attendance for USA Basketball's practice Monday.

– ESPN announced the game times for the 11th ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Illinois will host Clemson on Dec. 2, a Tuesday, at 6:30 on ESPN2.

– Illinois junior JAMAR SMITH has "pretty much met" his school and legal obligations to allow for a return to the court next season, Weber said. "Once he comes back it still will not be easy," Weber said. "Just getting back in the game, not playing for a year and a half. Then going on the road will be another issue. He's come a long way but he still has a lot of bridges to cross."

What's on tap?

Monday-Thursday: USA Basketball training sessions (Deron Williams), Las Vegas.

Tuesday-July 31: Second leg, July evaluation period for coaches and prospects.

Aug. 4-7: Brian Cook Basketball Camp, Champaign (www.briancookcamps.com).

Sept. 12: Illini Hoops Legends, Palmer House, Chicago (www.deronwilliams.net).

The list

The NBA summer league is underway in Las Vegas and features a number of ex-Big Ten standouts. Some of their numbers, as of Friday:

PLAYER, TEAM COMMENT

1. Roger Powell Jr., Spurs In four appearances, averaging seven points and 17.4 minutes

2. Shaun Pruitt, Hornets Center has played in three games, with a high of 10 minutes

3. Dee Brown, Wizards In two games, averaged 28.5 minutes but had nine turnovers

4. Drew Neitzel, Timberwolves Playing the point, averaging 5.3 points in 15 minutes

5. Eric Gordon, Clippers In two games, averaging 19 points on 32 percent shooting

THE NUMBER

1 - True freshman on the Illinois roster, Stan Simpson, down from six last season, leading Bruce Weber to say, "I've really encouraged to our guys to remember what it's like being a freshman" and help the rookie as he transitions to college life