Too early 2018-19 predictions

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

From what is being said i guess he has a good shot and range so to develop a better skillset i think he needs to focus on his inside game which means bulking up. At 6'9" in college he will be asked to handle so post but that's not really his game and i hope they don't ever count on him to be the five unless injury. He's more of a four. good news is good things being said about the other 6'9" freshman Idowu. He has a "college ready body" and is holding his own. Good thing because they need a second five so Bruniga becomes the third and not the second and Tinsley can fly in there, too. Fun season ahead.

[Rambler63]

Illinois State ranked #66 in College Sports Madness Top 144.

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/men ... 4-previews

[VUGrad1314]

Something tells me they may have been considerably higher prior to the Clarence and N'Diaye news.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Something tells me they may have been considerably higher prior to the Clarence and N'Diaye news.

Doubtful. Clarence and Ndaiye we're 8th and 9th. I doubt it moved the mark more than 5 spots. I don't know why you keep thinking these freshman and guy who wasn't good last year would make that much different. Yes, they both have great upside but haven't proved it. I highly doubtful the rankings assumed they were going to be stars.

[Mikovio]

I don't know why you keep thinking these freshman and guy who wasn't good last year would make that much different.

I think he could be forgiven in light of the unrelenting Blono hype machine. Just from the first page on this RBF thread after Clarence put up 28 points on the Sweden U20 team:

http://forum.redbirdfan.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=874

You see those video game numbers EC is putting up in international ball? That is a DIRECT RESULT of what Muller and his team plus D-1 minutes taught him. The kid went from playing a video game set on "JV" in high school to playing "All Madden" overnight and then had to learn the game at that speed during Valley league play. He is now playing the game at the second to hardest level over in Europe and it is coming MUCH easier to him.

I expect there to be some rust on him to start the year and a little ramp up time to get immediately back to D1 speed, but these numbers are VERY promising. If you have EC playing potentially MVC Honorable Mention ball this season, you have an absolutely incredible team with him, Evans, Copeland, Fayne, MY plus a host of guys on the bench who very seriously could be starting other places in the country (and even in the conference).

If he can break out this year it makes us a completely different team.

Roy Herald is probably crying in his Salmiakki Koskenkorva. Sounds like his scoring is coming along.

One shouldn't discount the impact of a freshman being injured for months before he can even go through official practice with the team has on development.

Is this the same Elijah?

Great post, fully agree he could be a very important piece for us.

Sounds like the best of the bunch, it's great that he's getting playing time, just wish it was with the birds instead.

Anybody remember how well Kaza/Mikyle did on the Canadian Junior national team?

Elijah reminds me of Key in terms of growth.

I expect big things.

I also looked up how Mikyle and Kaza did a few years back playing for Canada and Canada's basketball website only goes back to 2015. If I remember correctly, neither put up anywhere close to the type of numbers Elijah has so far.

.... then he goes pro and is a schmuck, wasn't going to make a difference anyway lol.

[IWokeUpLikeThis]

Jsnhbe1Birds on 7/30:

I think he could average 13 next season and 19 by 2019-20. That'll get him to be a first rounder as a 6-4 kid that can drive at will.

Jsnhbe1Birds on 9/3:

I don't know why you keep thinking these freshman and guy who wasn't good last year would make that much difference.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

I do think clarance has the ability to turn into a draftee but he isn't there yet and was only going to the fourth point guard on the birds this season
(that includes Yarbrough since he handles the ball - evans, Yarbrough, Jefferson, would have been clarance). sure, he might have broken out but I'm sure the rankings don't assume an obscure mid major player breaking out or a 200 pound 6'9" guy breaking out as a freshman. 66 is right about where they should be. I guessed 62nd a couple of weeks ago. a lot of homers on our site were guessing up to low 30's. They might be a top 25 team and they might be the 100th team. Nobody knows until they prove it and the "experts" see an 18-15 team last season largely returning the same team. No way they rank us in the top 50 because our players haven't proved it. I'm sure they didn't assume this team was going to go from 18 wins to 28 wins. They may but nobody in their right mind would assume that considering it basically the same team.

[BirdsEyeView]

These posts are funny.

[Redbirdgrad]

Hard not to get excited by a guy who looks like things are starting to click for him above the high school level.

Also not hard to get too demoralized by him leaving when we look at our roster and then look at the rest of the Valley rosters.

ISU is going to be ok.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Exactly. Nhe has more upside than everyone but maybe Malik. He's just not there yet. And, until then would be buried.