|
Post by UICJohn on Mar 12, 2023 17:08:12 GMT -6
Ahamad Bynum is a Freshman at DePaul who entered the portal today. Played in only 11 games and averaged 3.8 PPG and 1.8 RPG Was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school (Simeon).
This is the kind of guy see should have already called now. Stayed local. Didn’t get much playing time at DePaul. Come and star for UIC from day one.
Maybe? Maybe another big program will still come and offer based on potential but this is the kind of player and situation that we need to hit on.
|
|
|
Post by bigsaltine on Mar 12, 2023 17:44:50 GMT -6
100%. Gives him the opportunity to stay around and the chance to really thrive at a pretty good level of basketball in the MVC. This is exactly who we should be targeting, and selfishly it makes it harder for them to transfer again if they do blow up here.
All of us want the program to get better, and there are many ways to improve it, but at the end of the day all that is going to matter is money and resources poured in. I don’t know what UIC’s budget is, but whatever we dedicate to men’s basketball, double it-hell triple it (if we have the money). Why not spend at the top of the conference? Build a really nice mid major gym, build really nice facilities. If Yak doesn’t work out, hire as a big a name as possible. Put the coach in a place to get good recruits, and to keep them. If you throw money at the problem, it’ll get fixed. If we’re winning 18-20 games per year in a nice arena fans will show up. We just need a chancellor who sees MBB as an opportunity to raise UIC’s profile.
|
|
|
Post by flames1106 on Mar 12, 2023 18:56:10 GMT -6
I totally agree! It’s all about commitment from the top. If the top administration does make a total commitment including providing the needed recourses we’ll struggle the way we have for another couple of decades. One problem may be internal politics within the U if I System. Champaign has all the clout and they receive the bulk of the systems resources.I’ve heard that they work to ensure that UIC always remains a non-competitor to Champaign for these resources. Essentially that they work within the U of I system to keep UIC as a non-factor athletically. Maybe someone else has better insight into this.
|
|
manre
New Recruit
Posts: 52
|
Post by manre on Mar 12, 2023 18:56:12 GMT -6
Well, I think if Yak played his bench we would have won more games. Them freshmen are ballers, and out did upper players in practices I'm still unbelieving that he didn't play Clay as much. I believe every 2 yrs Yak will be getting a new roster. Because he just can't coach. If Jace, Tre wasn't hurt JJack wouldn't have had a chance to show his skills when he showed out. I was hoping Clay could have been allowed to do so. But didn't. Hopefully, Yak will see the game differently in the fall. He will lose more players going forward probably Christian and Clay.
|
|
|
Post by goveybaseball on Mar 13, 2023 10:24:37 GMT -6
You guys see the teams interested in Jalen Jackson? Southern Indiana? Valpo? The only legit program is SIU. Why the heck would he make a lateral move? To me that's coaching sorry he clearly wasn't a fan of Yak.
|
|
|
Post by uiclaflame on Mar 13, 2023 10:30:17 GMT -6
You guys see the teams interested in Jalen Jackson? Southern Indiana? Valpo? The only legit program is SIU. Why the heck would he make a lateral move? To me that's coaching sorry he clearly wasn't a fan of Yak. He has 2 sisters that committed to play at Valpo next season - so I could see him commiting to Valpo to make it a full family situation there
|
|
|
Post by Big D on Mar 13, 2023 10:32:33 GMT -6
Yeah, if he’s not happy with Yak, he better stay away from Valpo. Lottich basically destroyed that program and may also be on his way out. Maybe just wants to be in Indiana with sisters?
|
|
|
Post by UICJohn on Mar 13, 2023 11:12:05 GMT -6
"UIC transfer Jalen Jackson tells me that he’s heard from Illinois St, Bellarmine, Southern Indiana, Purdue-Fort Wayne, U of Albany, SIU, SIE, Ball State, Indiana State, & Valpo since entering the transfer portal. Add NIU to that list as of today."
This depresses me more than Jace even. I read that he has heard from Louisville and Minnesota. I expect him to go P6 although probably not a high P6. But Jalen is hearing from teams of other midmajor conferences. That makes me worry more that there are major issues with the program or coaching staff.
|
|
|
Post by uiclaflame on Mar 13, 2023 11:30:44 GMT -6
Jalen is announcing his commitment at noon tomorrow - gotta be an Indiana school.
And from the amount of portal entrances we've seen, hard to attribute our portal movement too heavily on coaching - it's happening with so many teams/players (have seem some brand it as 'Portal Kombat' lol). These are young men who want to experience a lot and have growing tastes/needs - and if given the opportunity to transfer with minimal consequence, I cant blame em! And let's face it - while there will be some loyalists, UIC is seen as a stepping stone program.
Also I have said this many time now - but do think Dee leaving was a big culture hit. A lot of the saying I've seen put on UIC hoops facilities walls were from him - and it's telling that many people from the UIC staff followed him to Roosevelt.
|
|
|
Post by UICJohn on Mar 13, 2023 12:48:07 GMT -6
It is just hard because these are two important pieces that are leaving and they did so immediately.
Interesting to see this news - makes me think that this had to be something in the works a while back. Maybe even an MVC coach talking to him after we played them or something.
|
|
|
Post by Big D on Mar 13, 2023 15:16:51 GMT -6
It is just hard because these are two important pieces that are leaving and they did so immediately. Interesting to see this news - makes me think that this had to be something in the works a while back. Maybe even an MVC coach talking to him after we played them or something. Yeah, how do you go from announcing transfer to 100% committed two days later? Obviously was talking during the season. Hope it’s not another Valley team doing that. Ft Wayne is his home town…maybe going back there? Though he’d be dropping a level. So can’t imagine he’d go there. Valpo? Sisters are there but that is about as lateral a basketball move as you can get. Too much uncertainty with Lottich. Indiana State? I’d hate to see it happen, and wouldn’t that mean they were definitely talking during the season? College athletics is so slimy.
|
|
|
Post by UICJohn on Mar 13, 2023 15:26:11 GMT -6
The 'slimy' part is so true. Whoever it is, I just really hope it isn't a MVC team (if it is Valpo, I guess that would bother me less with the family connection). That would just not sit well with me.
I know that these athletes are young and can choose what they want. I get it. But I also think that this has just opened up another level of taking advantage. I couldn't imagine being a college student and jumping around that much - I feel it would be detrimental to me. And then to add on a huge commitment like playing a sport.
|
|
|
Post by Big D on Mar 13, 2023 20:26:07 GMT -6
Maybe he’ll end up at Ball St. They have a chiropractic program there and I think he’s set on that for his major.
|
|
|
Post by UICJohn on Mar 13, 2023 21:22:28 GMT -6
I hope that we can soon start discussing guys that are coming INTO our program and not those leaving it.
I will say this - and maybe it's me reading too much into it because not much else going on - but both Jace and Jalen still have their UIC pictures on their social media accounts. Just saying maybe it wasn't this overly negative, contentious breakup. Maybe a positive to it all?
|
|
UIC96
Starter
We don't need to get any better, we just need everyone to get a little worse...
Posts: 408
|
Post by UIC96 on Mar 14, 2023 0:11:27 GMT -6
I think the only way a mid-major can win in this environment is to win with a handful of kids who can play together, but none of them is good enough to warrant issue from bigger programs. It has to be a team, not 1-2 individuals, because we know that any standouts will leave, given the current environment.
|
|