All Things Alex Illikainen Recruitment Thread: UPDATED 11/12/18: Illikainen leaves UW

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GameDay said:
Ahhhhhhh, if only it were that easy. :D
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Why not? Rich, Ben, Kimoni and company have given us a small preview of what is to become. Championships! Now let's get this practice facility built!!!

Our AD was born to make this happen. Fate.
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/GT500_Sota">@GT500_Sota</a> Alex could wait till late fall but Gophs will be there and I think they get him</p>— Ryan James (@RyanJamesMN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanJamesMN/statuses/492128361943035904">July 24, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 






Sid's "close personal friend" network extends into northern Minnesota. Impressive.
 


Hopefully Sid's Starkey hearing aids were not malfunctioning. and "Sources in Grand Rapids" could mean anything.
 



Well AI, you might as well commit to MN right now because Sid cannot be wrong this time, can he?
 

per Sid:

• Alex Illikainen, the 6-9 basketball player from Grand Rapids, Minn., who will play his senior season at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire and Jarvis Johnson, the highly recruited DeLaSalle guard, will make their official visits to Minnesota this September, and the chances are good that both will commit to the Gophers eventually.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/270621001.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue

Go Gophers!!
 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Alex Illikainen (Brewster Prep/Howard Pulley) will visit Iowa the weekend of August 30th, Oregon the weekend of Sept 13, Minnesota in works</p>— Ryan James (@RyanJamesMN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanJamesMN/statuses/501490349550759936">August 18, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 

Amelia on Gophers chances with Illikainen:

Right now, I think Minnesota has as good a chance as any program. Illikainen is still working on setting up an official at the university, which is certainly always a good sign. And all other signs point to the fact that he genuinely likes Pitino and his system, which he's essentially built for.

http://live.startribune.com/Event/G...Chat_with_Amelia_Rayno_at_noon_Tuesday?Page=0

Go Gophers!!
 



<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Alex Illikainen was offered by Wisconsin tonight</p>— Ryan James (@RyanJamesMN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanJamesMN/statuses/502650509485178881">August 22, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Like I need ANOTHER reason to curse Bo.
 

WindyCityGopher said:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Alex Illikainen was offered by Wisconsin tonight</p>— Ryan James (@RyanJamesMN) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanJamesMN/statuses/502650509485178881">August 22, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Like I need ANOTHER reason to curse Bo.
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Honestly, what took Bo so long to offer??? I'm glad he waited so long though. If AI or Jarvis end up in Madison, I'll be pissed.
 

I believe I speak for everyone here when I say...

Bo can shove it.
 

This tells me they aren't too confident in getting Sharma, Ellenson, or Stone.
 

mplarson7 said:
I believe I speak for everyone here when I say...

Bo can shove it.
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Wisconsin isn't the type of program that can swoop in at the last minute and charm the pants off someone. I'm not too worried about them.
 

Bad Gopher said:
Wisconsin isn't the type of program that can swoop in at the last minute and charm the pants off someone. I'm not too worried about them.
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I wasn't saying it in regards to the recruiting stuff, just in general.
 

Bad Gopher said:
Wisconsin isn't the type of program that can swoop in at the last minute and charm the pants off someone. I'm not too worried about them.
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"Hey, do you want to come to the final four?"
 

MadtownGopher said:
This tells me they aren't too confident in getting Sharma, Ellenson, or Stone.
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This is most likely:

Ellenson is all but gone for Bo. I've heard his top three are Marquette, Duke, and Northwestern.

Stone is still unlikely although the Badgers have done better recruiting him than I would have expected. Bo typically doesn't gain traction with inner-city Milwaukee kids. Still think he ends up at Kentucky, though.

Sharma is their best shot although at this point it's a 50/50 tossup with Stanford.

From all accounts, Bo's plan was to take two big men in this class so it's about time he starts to make more offers. Illkainen was the logical place to start.
 



Jon said:
I wonder if Alex will commit before Jonathan Nwankwo visits on the Sept 4th... Might have more players wanting to be gophers than we have scholarships...

Alex's interest is now listed as warmer before I thought he was just warm...

http://minnesota.247sports.com/Season/2015-Basketball/Targets

Does Alex manage that indicator? Is it like updating your status in facebook?



Jonathan Nwankwo visits on the Sept 4th
http://247sports.com/Player/Jonathan-Nwankwo-59810
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247 measures of interest and preictification methods have proven to mean absolutely jack chit. Source: Dupree and Dorsey
 

Winasota Gopher said:
247 measures of interest and preictification methods have proven to mean absolutely jack chit. Source: Dupree and Dorsey
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I am not sure if you know how Crystal Balls work, but they can predict the future.
 


Golden_Sloth said:
That's not very pollyanna of you...
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You are right, I repent! POLLYANNA!!!

Not saying we wont get him, just saying quoting the crystal ball and the recruit status of a recruiting website have proven to be not so reliable. Citing Alex's recent change in status on the website likely has little to no correlation to the actual movement of Alex's feelings but more to do with the nerd behind the desk that change the code in the website.

Ya feel me?
 

Winasota Gopher said:
You are right, I repent! POLLYANNA!!!
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I stopped reading here. :clap:

I know what you're saying though, I don't put too much stock into the crystal ball since Reid, Dorsey, McBrayer etc. etc.

I do think we'll get Alex though. It's just a perfect situation for him now, with two talented guards on board in his class. He has the chance to be a star here on a very successful team, and I think he'll take it.
 

Big Ten Recruiting Roundtable: Week of 8/18
"
Robert - Minnesota had the busiest week of my teams, landing three-star shooting guard Dupree McBrayer, adding to an already solid 2015 class consisting of four-star point guard Kevin Dorsey. If they can land four-star power forward Alex Illikainen, the Gophers should have a Top 15 class for 2015.
"
http://www.btpowerhouse.com/2014/8/25/6065981/big-ten-recruiting-roundtable-week-of-8-18
 

Jon said:
Big Ten Recruiting Roundtable: Week of 8/18
"
Robert - Minnesota had the busiest week of my teams, landing three-star shooting guard Dupree McBrayer, adding to an already solid 2015 class consisting of four-star point guard Kevin Dorsey. If they can land four-star power forward Alex Illikainen, the Gophers should have a Top 15 class for 2015.
"
http://www.btpowerhouse.com/2014/8/25/6065981/big-ten-recruiting-roundtable-week-of-8-18
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