The contrast between the way Izzo talks about this stuff and the way Martelli was talking about it when I heard him on the radio a couple months ago is night and day. Martelli basically acknowledged that the landscape is completely different but was also well aware that it’s not going back. He talked about how the Michigan staff’s focus has shifted from building a program to building a team- with all the movement every year you can never take it for granted that anyone will be on your team next year so you have to adapt.
I thought Izzo was done once before and then Winston turned on God mode and MSU was elite again. I think he’s done for good this time. He won’t sniff a Final Four again.
I think that’s a completely rational expectation. This, however, is our rival, so it’s rational to be a bit irrational about it and to expect that he’s probably got one more good run in him. Probably with a team just like this one, where the sum of the parts doesn’t add up to very much but the whole turns out to be somehow very impressive.
But I remain extremely pleased that here he is going full Get Off My Lawn about it.
Yeah, it is clear Izzo is in that cranky, late career, old coach mode. But I’m not going to count him out until he misses the tournament. Given how messy the conference looks this year and how experienced his top 4-6 guys are he’s probably going to make it again.
I’m a believer in Hawkins breaking out in a substantial way. In the first three games of last season, when Kofi Cockburn missed games because of a suspension, Hawkins was absolutely terrific, averaging 14 points and nine rebounds while being willing to put up 3-pointers and flying high for big dunks. With Cockburn back, he didn’t quite have the same impact without free rein or space to make plays. Now that Cockburn is gone, the interior will be Hawkins’ and he should be able to fly around and make plays. I’m expecting something like 15 points and 10 rebounds per game in this offense that absolutely will use the big man and hit him when he gets open. He’s also going to be a highlight machine with his athleticism.
The Hawkins hype continues. Those early games were borderline disastrous for Illinois in a lot of ways on a team level, which is a fascinating subplot to all this.
Can’t wait to see what Illinois looks like this year.
In the rest of Sam’s series, he has Kris Murray #12 in wings. With Sandfort mentioned as a breakout and Jett and Sensabaugh listed as freshman to watch.
For guards, Hepburn mentioned as potential breakout, while JHS and Thornton were freshman to watch
The 2 B1G games that Kofi missed, they beat MSU at home by 1 and lost by 26 @ Maryland. Hawkins scored 5 total points in 25 minutes. 2 TOs, 2 REB, 0 assists
That’s the thing about this Hawkins hype. I think he has potential and might have a good season…but there is very little data to suggest it is going to happen in a way that makes him a top-20 “big” in the country. First off, I think he’s a stretch-4 and will struggle to play defense at the 5 in the B10.
I keep getting this Brandon Johns vibe from this…people clinging to a couple of good games, overall skill potential, and the thought that he’ll put it together as an upper classmen. We’ll see…
To add to just some general Illinois skepticism, Underwood’s 3 Illinois teams that finished within the top 70 on Torvik were the 3 with Kofi. Obviously his first couple rosters weren’t nearly as talented roster wise which is probably just as important, and no one is expecting a massive drop back. Underwood has also shown to be better than most coaches at adjusting his play style as needed.
But, it also makes it so much easier to win when you have the biggest, strongest player on the court most nights who can prevent attempts at the rim just with his presence alone, and also dominate most teams on the inside offensively while freeing up shooters on the outside. I won’t be shocked by any means if Underwood figures out exactly how to make this roster work out very well. But he also never get his teams with Ayo/Kofi to the 2nd weekend and only won a share of a B1G title because Wisconsin couldn’t beat Nebraska. So until he shows how us how an Illinois team sans Kofi will succeed, I’ll have my doubts. Because Hawkins is nowhere close to Kofi.
I think they have an interesting team of athletes who might be fun to watch as they run and gun on both ends. I’m not sure who their “alpha” is or who they turn to when they need a big bucket. Working in their favor is that there aren’t a lot of other powers in the league and everyone has flaws.
He’s a lot better than Brandon IMO. I don’t think there was really anything to base the BJJ hype on. Coleman has the ability, he just needs the game to slow down and make better decisions… so possible.
Looking into PSU a bit while listening to The Moving Screen. They have a transfer from Denver named Michael Henn. He’s a stretch 4, solid shooter, decently efficient in the arc. Doesn’t get fouled. Probably a sieve on D, his team was 322nd in the country in AdjD. He is one of only 2 players above 6’6 though so he might even play Center! Probably will be bad at best, most likely horrific.
But that’s not what caught my eye. What caught my eye is he’s playing for his 5th school in his 7th year! All on the West Coast, all in different conferences. He graduated HS the same year as Xavier Simpson. I do not know how he made his way to PSU but I’m sure it will be a fun year for him
16-17 - UC Davis
17-18 - Sit out transfer at Cal Baptist
18-19 - Played at Cal Baptist
19-20 - Injured - medical RS at Cal Baptist
20-21 - Transfers to Portland as grad transfer but a Jr eligibility wise, COVID so doesn’t lose a year and acts as 3rd RS year
21-22 - Transfers to Denver with free transfer
22-23 - Transfers to PSU with second(?) free transfer
To me, the Joey Hauser hype reminds me of Johns more than Hawkins, where everyone keeps talking about his potential until suddenly his eligiblity is gone and he never actually played well.
Hawkins, I agree with all the doubting, but I will say that when you watch him play, he will uncork a play here or there where you sit and up and go “oh…WOW”.
And then he spends the next 6 minutes taking shots he shouldn’t and diming up the popcorn guy in the 4th row. I think if he’s receptive to coaching, and he receives good coaching (I think Underwood is a good coach, but that doesn’t mean they work well together) there is definitely something there.
