Listen to Paul Klee talk about Mike Shaw's visit to Illinois on Wednesday's Sports Talk with Steve Kelly

WHAT'S HAPPENING
-Before he departs for an overseas basketball tour, BRANDON PAUL already knows his position. The UI sophomore is expected to play mainly at point guard - in part because the roster doesn't include one and because Illinois would like the 6-3 guard to work on his decision-making and ballhandling.

"It will broaden my game and put some more aspects in there. At the next level I'll be a 1 or a 2 because of my size," said Paul, who plays on the wing for the Illini. "So I'll need to work on my point guard skills and my ballhandling skills. I handled it a little bit last year and I wanted to be able to do more of that this year."

-Paul and TYLER GRIFFEY represent the Illini on a 10-player roster that will play five games in Europe - two in Germany, three in Belgium - from Aug. 12-20. The tour also includes a sightseeing trip in England.

"I've never been to Europe," Paul said. "It should be exciting."

-Both players have seen their gains in the weighroom pay off on the court. Last year at this time Paul did eight reps of 185 pounds on the bench press. On Tuesday he did 12 reps.

"Last year I had to do too many double-pump-type shots," he said. "This year I'm going to the basket strong."

-Meanwhile, Griffey tied MEYERS LEONARD for a team-high 15 reps at 185 pounds. Griffey said he weighed in at 232 pounds. "I say I'm 6-8," he added.

"It's all about strength in the low post," Griffey said. "You can tell the difference."

-An avid blogger, Griffey said he plans to write a blog during his time overseas. He also plans to post updates through his Twitter account.

-But the St. Louis-area product has another goal on his most recent trip to Europe.

"I've made a basket in 26 states," Griffey said. "I've done five countries. I'd like to get as many as I can. I think the thing I'm most looking forward to is adding three more countries - England, Germany and Belgium."

The Global Sports Academy team isn't scheduled to play in England.

"But I'm going to try to find a basket and make a shot real quick," Griffey said.

-While working on his jumpshot, Griffey in the past used "The Gun," which fires the ball back to the shooter after a shot attempt.

"It's broken now," Griffey said. "The frame's busted."

No worries - the resourceful sophomore found a willing substitute.

"I bring my girlfriend up here now to rebound for me," he said.

-UI assistant JERRANCE HOWARD recently had expressed interest in the head coaching opening at UIC - but he no longer is pursuing the position. It's unclear whether UIC had expressed interest in Howard.

"After talking to coach (BRUCE) WEBER and my family, the best situation for me, as a young coach, is to focus on what we're doing here," Howard, 30, said today. "Then at some point when the time's right, hopefully I can put myself in position to become a head coach, (because) that's what I want to be."

-MIKE SHAW's unofficial visit to the UI campus on Wednesday underlined the importance of having player-recruiters on the Illinois roster.

Over the past few years Illinois has added players that take it upon themselves to actively recruit prospects interested in Illinois. D.J. RICHARDSON and JEREME RICHMOND - with their longtime Illini ties - are two of their better player-recruiters, but others chip in as well.

"We need that competitiveness on the court. But off the court that's just as important," Richmond said Tuesday after a workout, speaking in general terms. "We're getting back to that real Illini family feeling. I think we'll be okay."