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Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell has officially ended up where he was likely going all along, to the Duke Blue Devils rather than the Illinois Fighting Illini, with the senior guard making his announcement yesterday.
Days after Illinois was eliminated from the Final Four against UCONN, momentum began building that Blackwell would be transferring within the Big Ten to the Illini. Blackwell's father Glynn played for the Illini from 1984-1988. Apparently, both father and son were at the Final Four donning Illini gear.
When entering the portal, Blackwell announced his desire to play for a program with national championship aspirations. Given the Illini family ties and recent trip to the Final Four, many Illinois fans were dreaming of Blackwell occupying a backcourt slot vacated by either Kylan Boswell or Keaton Wagler. As weeks went by, those dreams seemed less and less likely.
Ultimately, Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood made retention of his roster, specifically David Mirkovic, Andrej Stojakovic, Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic, and Jake Davis his top priority. The Illini quickly identified Providence guard Stefan Vaaks in the portal, with the sophomore committing to the Illini on Sunday, April 12. The Illini previously secured the commitment of highly-regarded prep guard Quentin Coleman on the Friday prior to the Final Four.
Still, Blackwell's possible addition loomed in the background, with many Illinois fans thinking he would be the final piece to the Illini being a preseason #1 team. Personally, I thought that if Blackwell did not commit immediately to Illinois, more based on his desire to be here than secure the most money, it was likely not going to happen. In other words, the longer this dragged out, the less likely it would happen. When Blackwell revealed that he would be making his decision by May 4th, that was a tell that Illinois was not necessarily his top choice and that his recruitment was essentially free agency.
As Blackwell met with other schools like Duke, UCLA and Louisville, it became apparent his motivations were not just winning but financial, which you cannot blame the kid, family or agent. While Illinois could pony up a lucrative offer, it just didn't make sense to do so and possibly alienate an undecided player like Stojakovic, who announced last Friday he was returning, effectively ending the possibility of Blackwell wearing an Illini jersey. If getting Blackwell meant losing Stojakovic and/or another player, that was a hard pass for me. I'd rather go to the dance with the guys who just got me there, given the talent is relatively equal.
While Blackwell is a very good player who would have made the Illinois roster look even more loaded on paper, he always seemed to be a questionable fit. Blackwell can be a ball-dominant player, and there is only one basketball to go around. Mirkovic, Stojakovic and Tomi Ivisic are all going to need and get more shots next season. Adding Blackwell would have been one more mouth to feed. In theory, that is a good problem to have. In reality, that can be a quite tricky proposition. There is nothing worse than when offenses devolve into one player trying to get his shots, then the next player doing the same, etc., not that that would have been the case with Blackwell on the Illini.
Additionally, this returning Illinois core has such unique chemistry that it would be risky to add another player who might be looking to be the guy and show out for the next level. There is no evidence that Blackwell would have been a bad addition to Illinois culture, though Vaaks and Coleman seem to be the better fits in this regard, players who can start right away yet still find their niche.
Ultimately, Blackwell chose the program he was always going to, Duke, which is the most uninspiring choice of least resistance. Duke's backcourt looks jammed next year so it will be interesting to see if Blackwell actually gets to have the ball more in his hands. At the very least Blackwell will be compensated quite well by the Blue Devils. While it always stinks to lose a player to Duke, my philosophy is to add players who truly want to be in Champaign. With Blackwell, that seemed questionable beyond the connection to his father.
On the positive side, Blackwell at Duke means he is out of the Big Ten and that I will no longer have to watch him get away with his patented, extended-forearm push off every time he drove into the lane. How Blackwell never got called for offensive fouls on that play while at Wisconsin would always blow my mind. If Blackwell came to Illinois, I was preparing for a long season of turning a blind eye to that staple of his game.
At the end of the day, Blackwell coming to the Illini was an intriguing but unlikely story. Illinois has chosen to run it back with five players who took it to the Final Four while adding a wildcard in Vaaks and promising freshmen in Coleman, Lucas Morillo, Ethan Brown, Landon Davis and Zavier Zens.
While I can't blame the Illini for taking this approach, it would be prudent to add one more depth piece, possibly a backup guard or power forward. Don't be surprised if that player turns out to be an international kid courtesy of agent Misko Raznatovic, possibly come summer time.
Even without Blackwell, Illinois has more than enough talent to compete for a Big Ten title and make another deep run in March.
Days after Illinois was eliminated from the Final Four against UCONN, momentum began building that Blackwell would be transferring within the Big Ten to the Illini. Blackwell's father Glynn played for the Illini from 1984-1988. Apparently, both father and son were at the Final Four donning Illini gear.
When entering the portal, Blackwell announced his desire to play for a program with national championship aspirations. Given the Illini family ties and recent trip to the Final Four, many Illinois fans were dreaming of Blackwell occupying a backcourt slot vacated by either Kylan Boswell or Keaton Wagler. As weeks went by, those dreams seemed less and less likely.
Ultimately, Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood made retention of his roster, specifically David Mirkovic, Andrej Stojakovic, Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic, and Jake Davis his top priority. The Illini quickly identified Providence guard Stefan Vaaks in the portal, with the sophomore committing to the Illini on Sunday, April 12. The Illini previously secured the commitment of highly-regarded prep guard Quentin Coleman on the Friday prior to the Final Four.
Still, Blackwell's possible addition loomed in the background, with many Illinois fans thinking he would be the final piece to the Illini being a preseason #1 team. Personally, I thought that if Blackwell did not commit immediately to Illinois, more based on his desire to be here than secure the most money, it was likely not going to happen. In other words, the longer this dragged out, the less likely it would happen. When Blackwell revealed that he would be making his decision by May 4th, that was a tell that Illinois was not necessarily his top choice and that his recruitment was essentially free agency.
As Blackwell met with other schools like Duke, UCLA and Louisville, it became apparent his motivations were not just winning but financial, which you cannot blame the kid, family or agent. While Illinois could pony up a lucrative offer, it just didn't make sense to do so and possibly alienate an undecided player like Stojakovic, who announced last Friday he was returning, effectively ending the possibility of Blackwell wearing an Illini jersey. If getting Blackwell meant losing Stojakovic and/or another player, that was a hard pass for me. I'd rather go to the dance with the guys who just got me there, given the talent is relatively equal.
While Blackwell is a very good player who would have made the Illinois roster look even more loaded on paper, he always seemed to be a questionable fit. Blackwell can be a ball-dominant player, and there is only one basketball to go around. Mirkovic, Stojakovic and Tomi Ivisic are all going to need and get more shots next season. Adding Blackwell would have been one more mouth to feed. In theory, that is a good problem to have. In reality, that can be a quite tricky proposition. There is nothing worse than when offenses devolve into one player trying to get his shots, then the next player doing the same, etc., not that that would have been the case with Blackwell on the Illini.
Additionally, this returning Illinois core has such unique chemistry that it would be risky to add another player who might be looking to be the guy and show out for the next level. There is no evidence that Blackwell would have been a bad addition to Illinois culture, though Vaaks and Coleman seem to be the better fits in this regard, players who can start right away yet still find their niche.
Ultimately, Blackwell chose the program he was always going to, Duke, which is the most uninspiring choice of least resistance. Duke's backcourt looks jammed next year so it will be interesting to see if Blackwell actually gets to have the ball more in his hands. At the very least Blackwell will be compensated quite well by the Blue Devils. While it always stinks to lose a player to Duke, my philosophy is to add players who truly want to be in Champaign. With Blackwell, that seemed questionable beyond the connection to his father.
On the positive side, Blackwell at Duke means he is out of the Big Ten and that I will no longer have to watch him get away with his patented, extended-forearm push off every time he drove into the lane. How Blackwell never got called for offensive fouls on that play while at Wisconsin would always blow my mind. If Blackwell came to Illinois, I was preparing for a long season of turning a blind eye to that staple of his game.
At the end of the day, Blackwell coming to the Illini was an intriguing but unlikely story. Illinois has chosen to run it back with five players who took it to the Final Four while adding a wildcard in Vaaks and promising freshmen in Coleman, Lucas Morillo, Ethan Brown, Landon Davis and Zavier Zens.
While I can't blame the Illini for taking this approach, it would be prudent to add one more depth piece, possibly a backup guard or power forward. Don't be surprised if that player turns out to be an international kid courtesy of agent Misko Raznatovic, possibly come summer time.
Even without Blackwell, Illinois has more than enough talent to compete for a Big Ten title and make another deep run in March.
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