2025 and beyond recruits

[bradleyfan124]

I wish more kids like Dainja would realize that and "settle" for a mid-major destination. IMO, getting more playing time would help them develop into better players and possibly improve their prospects of playing professionally. He would immediately be a starter and 30-35 minute per game player on every MVC team.

Dainja started 3 of 38 games and only averaged a little over 10 minutes per game and 6 points per game for the season. But we saw what he is capable of in a couple of Illinois' postseason games when he looked almost unstoppable. He had 18 points (7-10 shooting) and 8 rebounds in just 20 minutes against Ohio State in Illinois' Big Ten Tournament win. And he had a season-high 21 points (9-9 shooting) and 8 rebounds in 23 minutes against Morehead State in the NCAA Tournament.

Goes along with the old saying, "Do you want to be a little fish in a big pond or a big fish in a little pond"

[Da Coach]

Illinois center Dain Dainja hits the portal. Likely wouldn't happen, but if Bradley could convince him to come to the Valley, he'd have strong odds at being 1st team MVC. His game is perfect at the MM level, but I'm sure he will stay P5.

I wish more kids like Dainja would realize that and "settle" for a mid-major destination. IMO, getting more playing time would help them develop into better players and possibly improve their prospects of playing professionally. He would immediately be a starter and 30-35 minute per game player on every MVC team.

Dainja started 3 of 38 games and only averaged a little over 10 minutes per game and 6 points per game for the season. But we saw what he is capable of in a couple of Illinois' postseason games when he looked almost unstoppable. He had 18 points (7-10 shooting) and 8 rebounds in just 20 minutes against Ohio State in Illinois' Big Ten Tournament win. And he had a season-high 21 points (9-9 shooting) and 8 rebounds in 23 minutes against Morehead State in the NCAA Tournament.

[egib52]

Illinois center Dain Dainja hits the portal. Likely wouldn't happen, but if Bradley could convince him to come to the Valley, he'd have strong odds at being 1st team MVC. His game is perfect at the MM level, but I'm sure he will stay P5.

[Da Coach]

They do need a perimeter shooter or two with Shannon and Domask being done, Goode will be in his final year (if he stays), and Hawkins says he's not coming back. So if Davis can shoot as well as he did at Mercer, and defend a little, he'll get decent playing time, even if it's off the bench.

[egib52]

Must be willing to play off the bench there.

[Afreck2430]

More about Jake Davis - https://twitter.com/PDTScouting/stat...60713719988344

Jake Davis commits to U of I

[Da Coach]

Portal recruit-
Alec Millender- 6'3" guard at Division II Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska. He just finished his 3rd season of play there, and he also redshirted the 2022-23 season due to injury. He averaged 13.2 ppg, 3.2 apg, and shot 36.4% from three in 2023-24.
He is originally from Chicago. He has 2 more years of eligibility, including a Covid year.
Bio- https://wscwildcats.com/sports/mens-...millender/6190
Stats- https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/s...3/pdf/cume.pdf
Video- https://twitter.com/babyrondo20/stat...11637583208575
Has offers from IUPUI and Eastern Illinois- https://verbalcommits.com/players/alec-millender

[egib52]

You are right. I am sure there will be many more new players from the portal, but so far, there have only been 3 new players who have committed to the MVC- one to UNI and two to Belmont
Here are the 3 new MVC commitments-
Northern Iowa commitment- 6'4" sophomore Max Weisbrod- averaged 17.2 ppg, 4.4 apg, 39.1% from three at D2 Northern Michigan; 2 seasons of eligibility left. His numbers are the best of the tree, but it was at the D2 level.
Stats- https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/s...3/pdf/cume.pdf

Belmont commitment- 6'2" junior guard Brody Peebles - averaged 10.7 ppg, shot 33.6%; started 3 of 32 games at Liberty; 1 season of eligibility left
Stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba.../brody-peebles

Belmont commitment- 6'3" guard Carter Whitt - Started 15 of 33 games as a senior at Furman, averaged 7.9 ppg; shot 27.0% from three; 1 season of eligibility left for Covid year
Stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...9/carter-whitt

Looking into these three that have committed to MVC teams, I'm not sure I see any guaranteed difference-makers.
Do they even come close to replacing what those teams lost to the portal?

I agree with DC's point. The kids that have the potential to be difference makers or were productive at their last stops are going to take their time and find the right situations, and possibly the most money. I don't want some kid that couldn't Crack the starting lineup in the OVC just because we want a commitment.

[Da Coach]

Hope you are right because other schools are getting portal players, we just need to find good ones without making the same mistakes that we did last season. I think the staff learned not to recruit players from bigger schools that did not play much last season.

You are right. I am sure there will be many more new players from the portal, but so far, there have only been 3 new players who have committed to the MVC- one to UNI and two to Belmont
Here are the 3 new MVC commitments-
Northern Iowa commitment- 6'4" sophomore Max Weisbrod- averaged 17.2 ppg, 4.4 apg, 39.1% from three at D2 Northern Michigan; 2 seasons of eligibility left. His numbers are the best of the tree, but it was at the D2 level.
Stats- https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/s...3/pdf/cume.pdf

Belmont commitment- 6'2" junior guard Brody Peebles - averaged 10.7 ppg, shot 33.6%; started 3 of 32 games at Liberty; 1 season of eligibility left
Stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba.../brody-peebles

Belmont commitment- 6'3" guard Carter Whitt - Started 15 of 33 games as a senior at Furman, averaged 7.9 ppg; shot 27.0% from three; 1 season of eligibility left for Covid year
Stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...9/carter-whitt

Looking into these three that have committed to MVC teams, I'm not sure I see any guaranteed difference-makers.
Do they even come close to replacing what those teams lost to the portal?

[bradleyfan124]

With the level of player that is going to come to the MVC, it is more of a crapshoot. They best bet is they have connections with the staff. Otherwise you have to just hope they workout. It is not like we are going to get proven commodities like and Illinois will. We are either getting role players looking for a bigger role, guys that were injured, or productive lower level guys. I would love to see us tap into the JUCO market again because I think with all of the transfers, that could be beneficial plan. The P5s would rather steal from us than go D2 or Juco.

Yes hit the Juco route plus get talented high school kids . Have them come here and hope they like the school so in a year or 2 they dont transfer because they enjoy Bradley and all the people rooting for them

[egib52]

Hope you are right because other schools are getting portal players, we just need to find good ones without making the same mistakes that we did last season. I think the staff learned not to recruit players from bigger schools that did not play much last season.

With the level of player that is going to come to the MVC, it is more of a crapshoot. They best bet is they have connections with the staff. Otherwise you have to just hope they workout. It is not like we are going to get proven commodities like and Illinois will. We are either getting role players looking for a bigger role, guys that were injured, or productive lower level guys. I would love to see us tap into the JUCO market again because I think with all of the transfers, that could be beneficial plan. The P5s would rather steal from us than go D2 or Juco.

[tomahawk chop]

I think it might take longer. It's probably going to go like baseball free agent signings. They start off real slow, then pick up a little at a time until the better scholarship slots start to dwindle. Then suddenly there are a bunch of commitments as kids grab the best remaining available offers.

Last year, Kyle Thomas and Trey Pettigrew committed about April 15, and Emarion Ellis on about April 20. So I'd guess Bradley might get one or two commitments in the next week or so, but it could be another few weeks until all 5 open scholarships are filled.

Hope you are right because other schools are getting portal players, we just need to find good ones without making the same mistakes that we did last season. I think the staff learned not to recruit players from bigger schools that did not play much last season.

[Da Coach]

There will be 31 days left to go on Monday. I am hoping to hear commitments by the end of this weekend.

I think it might take longer. It's probably going to go like baseball free agent signings. They start off real slow, then pick up a little at a time until the better scholarship slots start to dwindle. Then suddenly there are a bunch of commitments as kids grab the best remaining available offers.

Last year, Kyle Thomas and Trey Pettigrew committed about April 15, and Emarion Ellis on about April 20. So I'd guess Bradley might get one or two commitments in the next week or so, but it could be another few weeks until all 5 open scholarships are filled.

[tomahawk chop]

I don't think there is any reason to panic. The tournaments are still going on. Most of the commitments so far have been guys with connections to their new programs. I'm sure most have been told it's first come, first served.

There will be 31 days left to go on Monday. I am hoping to hear commitments by the end of this weekend.

[egib52]

I think the staff has to tell recruits to make a decision by the weekend or they move on to the next choices. Teams are getting commitments so you do not want to wait around for the music to stop. Sell the program.

I don't think there is any reason to panic. The tournaments are still going on. Most of the commitments so far have been guys with connections to their new programs. I'm sure most have been told it's first come, first served.