POINT #1: So much has been made of the recruiting of Illinois and coach Bruce Weber-- or depending on who you talk with, lack of recruiting. But several points have been missed when this debate rages on among Illini fans and those that follow recruiting.
Sure, losing the likes of an Eric Gordon to Indiana, Julian Wright to Kansas and Jon Scheyer to Duke were big blows when that kind of talent escapes the state. And there are plenty of other "big name" recruits that also went elsewhere, including out-of-state players like Brandon Rush. The biggest issue is the fact Illinois and its staff have not been able to capitalize on what was the greatest and most magical season a coach and program could ever imagine. During the run to the national title game Illinois was the "it" program in college basketball, with the celebrated Dee Brown, future Lottery Pick Deron Williams and a bevy of national media exposure never seen before in Champaign. And Illinois just wasn't able to cash in.
Don't get me wrong, freshman Brian Carlwell out of Proviso East, I believe, is going to be a monster in the Big Ten down the road. I also feel Demetri McCamey out of St. Joseph is going to a lot better than many people believe he will. But Jereme Richmond out of North Shore Country Day in Winnetka changes all that. Richmond is the real deal, the next great player out of this state. The hype, praise and expectations can be difficult for a phenom that is only 14 years old, but there are just some players that come along that you just know stardom awaits. Shaun Livingston was one. Derrick Rose is another.
Richmond was an absolute blessing for Weber and his staff and the commitment couldn't have come at a better time. The only downside is no one will see him play in Assembly Hall for four more years.
POINT #2: If you've been a subscriber of the City/Suburban Hoops Report hard copy over the years, you know how I feel about the expansion to four classes in high school basketball. To put it bluntly, I believe it's the single worst thing to happen to the greatest, most recognized, high school sport in this state. Now that it's a done deal, enjoy this season, the last time we'll see the best collection of individual and team talent squaring off against one another in March.
POINT #3: Yes, I know it's early, definitely too early to start tearing apart the preseason Top 25 rankings the Hoops Report just put out two weeks ago. However, the early vote for the most overrated team in the Hoops Report preseason Top 25? Hales Franciscan. This is a young team, led by juniors Matt Humphrey and 6-8 Josh Crittle, that should get better over the course of the season. Hales, though, is far from being a top 10 team in the Chicago area.
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