<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">INDIANAPOLIS -- Jon Scheyer can't go to Cubs games any more -- not without hearing the derision. Sherron Collins can't go to the mall any more -- not without hearing the desperation. Scheyer and Collins are the best rising seniors in Illinois. For years they've been begged and badgered by Illini fans to attend the University of Illinois, a burden Collins has carried alone since Scheyer committed to Duke in May. "I want to tell Sherron I'm sorry," Scheyer said this week from the Nike All-America Camp. "I'm sorry I've put all the pressure on him." Scheyer was giggling good-naturedly, but this is no laughing matter. After years of watching the state's best players commit elsewhere -- Julian Wright to Kansas, Bobby Frasor to North Carolina, Shaun Livingston to Duke, Shannon Brown to Michigan State -- some have viewed Scheyer and Collins as the tipping point of Illinois recruiting. "So many people are pushing me to go to Illinois," Collins said. "I can't walk through a mall any more (without hearing), 'Blue and Orange!'" Scheyer used to hear the same thing. Now, he hears something else. "I love going to Cubs games, but people are always saying snotty comments," Scheyer said. "People come up to me and go, 'I hate Duke!'" Of all the great players to leave the state, Scheyer's decision might have been the most galling. His coach at Glenbrook North High, Dave Weber, is the brother of the Illinois coach. And Bruce Weber had gone all out for Scheyer, attending more games and events -- by far -- than any other coach. So when Scheyer called to say he had chosen Duke, Bruce Weber was civil but short, then hung up. When Scheyer's father called back shortly thereafter to smooth things over, Weber again was civil but short, and then hung up.</div> Full Story
I don't understand why the Big Ten is not keeping their best players in state anymore. Sean May went out of state, Shane Battier went out of state, Bobby Frasor went out of state, and now Jon Scheyer is going out of state. Even after coming off one of the best seasons in NCAA history, Illinois can't pull in the recruits from their own back yard. They don't have a history of being a big time recruiting school though. Neither Deron Williams nor Luther Head were highly rated recruits out of High School. That's generally what has been the difference between the Big Ten and the ACC lately. We have the better coaches and the tougher players. They have the highly rated High School recruits. While the ACC often gets twice the praise the Big ten does, I think that the Big Ten deserves credit for taking in kids like Deron Williams who are ranked in the 80-100 range and turning them into some of the nation's top players.
