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

Donate To GopherHole
I think the one sentiment that can be passed along (especially if Alex reads this board) is that all of us as Gopher fans want nothing more than to have him here at Minnesota as a hometown hero and Golden Gopher. I'm still holding out hope that it can happen.
 

Slim Tubby said:
I think the one sentiment that can be passed along (especially if Alex reads this board) is that all of us as Gopher fans want nothing more than to have him here at Minnesota as a hometown hero and Golden Gopher. I'm still holding out hope that it can happen.
Click to expand...

He's probably not going to wait until Spring to sign- but if he does- our scholarship situation will be clarified and he will still have a ton of options- perhaps all of the same options he has today considering the rapid fire transferring we see in college buckets today. So- if it is his dream to play for the Gophers, chances are that's still a possibility if he has the patience for it and it is his dream to do so.
 

bga1 said:
So- if it is his dream to play for the Gophers, chances are that's still a possibility if he has the patience for it and it is his dream to do so.
Click to expand...

He's had a scholarship offer from Minnesota since April 2012, which was re-extended by Pitino last year, meaning if playing for the Gophers was really his dream he's had two and a half years to make it happen. He either miscalculated and dragged his feet or simply doesn't want to play for Minnesota. Let's accept that and move on with the exciting class we have.
 

Jon said:
Below from zagsblog
"
Alex Illikainen, a 6-9 power forward from Brewster (N.H.) Academy, is down to Iowa and Wisconsin, Brewster coach Jason Smith told SNY.tv.

He has visited Iowa and will trip to Wisconsin next weekend.

“He’s pretty much down to those two,” Smith told SNY.tv. “Alex has said he’s said pretty content with those two schools. He’s perfectly content with the two schools remaining.”

One source — not Smith — told SNY.tv they expect Illikainen to land at Wisconsin.
"

http://zagsblog.com/brewster-academy/brewster-power-forward-illikainen-down-to-iowa-wisconsin/

Below from buckys5thquarter

"Is there reason for renewed hope in Bo Ryan's 2015 recruiting class after all? The Badgers appear to be in the driver's seat for a nice "stretch-4" prospect."

http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/wis...uiting-alex-illikainen-decision-timeline-iowa
Click to expand...

Hah, I wonder if the "perfectly content" comment is straight from AI's mouth. I was perfectly content getting socks for Christmas when I was six years old.
 

MinneStoa said:
Hah, I wonder if the "perfectly content" comment is straight from AI's mouth. I was perfectly content getting socks for Christmas when I was six years old.
Click to expand...

"...pretty much down to those two"

Good question. It's not like he has known this coach for years.
 


WindyCityGopher said:
He's had a scholarship offer from Minnesota since April 2012, which was re-extended by Pitino last year, meaning if playing for the Gophers was really his dream he's had two and a half years to make it happen. He either miscalculated and dragged his feet or simply doesn't want to play for Minnesota. Let's accept that and move on with the exciting class we have.
Click to expand...

+1
 

WindyCityGopher said:
He's had a scholarship offer from Minnesota since April 2012, which was re-extended by Pitino last year, meaning if playing for the Gophers was really his dream he's had two and a half years to make it happen. He either miscalculated and dragged his feet or simply doesn't want to play for Minnesota. Let's accept that and move on with the exciting class we have.
Click to expand...

Until he signs on the dotted line with someone else, there is hope. Even if it is homer-inflated, message board hope. Telling us to move on is like fanning the flames. :)
 

Slim Tubby said:
I think the one sentiment that can be passed along (especially if Alex reads this board) is that all of us as Gopher fans want nothing more than to have him here at Minnesota as a hometown hero and Golden Gopher. I'm still holding out hope that it can happen.
Click to expand...

+1
 

BarnBoy said:
Until he signs on the dotted line with someone else, there is hope. Even if it is homer-inflated, message board hope. Telling us to move on is like fanning the flames. :)
Click to expand...

POLLYANNA!!! :rockon:
 



Illikainen has options

I really hope Alex goes where he wants to go to school and the coaches he wants to play and not settle for Wisconsin or Iowa just because we don't have a scholarship.

By Spring, Bo Ryan could retire or a player from the Gophers could have a career ending injury, get caught smoking grass or transfer. History tells us that happens quite frequently at most schools.

He shouldn't settle if he wants to be a Gopher. Worst case scenario is he plays year one without a scholarship and gets his final three years paid for.

We need a shooter and he fits that void.

Hope he still ends up being a Gopher if he wants to????
 

Can we stop with the walk on pipe dream already? If he wanted to be a Gopher that bad he would have been our first commit.
 


MadtownGopher said:
Can we stop with the walk on pipe dream already? If he wanted to be a Gopher that bad he would have been our first commit.
Click to expand...

Settle down. It's September. This is why message boards exist. No one is forcing you to click on this thread. If you think he's gone already than nothing in this ALL THINGS ALEX thread should interest you. When he commits, you'll find out.

One scenario: AAU coaches, parents, friends and others have been chirping in his ears for years to "take this decision seriously and do your homework" so he takes trips and looks around. Maybe he actually does want to be a Gopher but has a few doubts, or wants other information to make his decision, or waited too long. Not everyone is foaming maroon and gold at the mouth like us.

If everyone wanted "to be a Gopher that bad" on day one, we would fill up our scholly's an hour after they were offered. The idea that he may have anxiety about the most important decision of his life, or not be 100% confident, or just wanted to take his time is a real possibility. Did it bite him in the arse? Maybe, or maybe not.

This is in no way, shape, or form a prediction that he'll be a Gopher. It's just a perspective that you might not be considering.
 



BarnBoy said:
Settle down. It's September. This is why message boards exist. No one is forcing you to click on this thread. If you think he's gone already than nothing in this ALL THINGS ALEX thread should interest you. When he commits, you'll find out.

One scenario: AAU coaches, parents, friends and others have been chirping in his ears for years to "take this decision seriously and do your homework" so he takes trips and looks around. Maybe he actually does want to be a Gopher but has a few doubts, or wants other information to make his decision, or waited too long. Not everyone is foaming maroon and gold at the mouth like us.

If everyone wanted "to be a Gopher that bad" on day one, we would fill up our scholly's an hour after they were offered. The idea that he may have anxiety about the most important decision of his life, or not be 100% confident, or just wanted to take his time is a real possibility. Did it bite him in the arse? Maybe, or maybe not.

This is in no way, shape, or form a prediction that he'll be a Gopher. It's just a perspective that you might not be considering.
Click to expand...

While I understand your sentiment, Madtown is right. If he wanted to be a Gopher so bad that he would be willing to walk on for a year he wouldn't have taken this long to make a decision. That's not to say that he couldn't still end up here if something with the scholarship situation changes (though I really doubt it, I think he's either Wisky or Iowa bound) but the notion that he might walk on for a year is pretty asinine.
 


Big Ten Championship said:
We need a shooter and he fits that void.
Click to expand...

I don't see why everyone thinks Alex is some great shooter. From the games I've seen him play he hasn't shown anything special. My view is he is an average shooter, nothing great or even above average. From the games I've watched this summer Sacar Anim has proven to be a better shooter than Illikainen. And everyone on this board says Anim is a terrible shooter.
 

PTalberg said:
I don't see why everyone thinks Alex is some great shooter. From the games I've seen him play he hasn't shown anything special. My view is he is an average shooter, nothing great or even above average. From the games I've watched this summer Sacar Anim has proven to be a better shooter than Illikainen. And everyone on this board says Anim is a terrible shooter.
Click to expand...
Seeing Illikainen some during the high school season he is a good shooting 4. He developed his 3 point shot and it proved effective when he used it but he still looked more comfortable inside the arc.
 

PTalberg said:
I don't see why everyone thinks Alex is some great shooter. From the games I've seen him play he hasn't shown anything special. My view is he is an average shooter, nothing great or even above average. From the games I've watched this summer Sacar Anim has proven to be a better shooter than Illikainen. And everyone on this board says Anim is a terrible shooter.
Click to expand...

29/67 in 2014 EYBL games. 43% is damn good for anyone, and especially good for a big man.
 

Somebody tell me why in the hell they think a guy like Illikainen would be willing to walk-on here when he has a scholarship offer from a Final Four team and another several tournament teams.
 

GameDay said:
Somebody tell me why in the hell they think a guy like Illikainen would be willing to walk-on here when he has a scholarship offer from a Final Four team and another several tournament teams.
Click to expand...

Exactly.
 

GameDay said:
Somebody tell me why in the hell they think a guy like Illikainen would be willing to walk-on here when he has a scholarship offer from a Final Four team and another several tournament teams.
Click to expand...

Because it is so much fun speculating the impossible.
 

GameDay said:
Somebody tell me why in the hell they think a guy like Illikainen would be willing to walk-on here when he has a scholarship offer from a Final Four team and another several tournament teams.
Click to expand...

A Final Four is great, but it isn't one of the only two national champions at the end of the year.
 



Look, we failed to make the dance. So we did the best with what we had. And I am proud of Coach Pitino and our Gophers for achieving the NIT title. Congratulations to them.
 






You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom