How Illinois is studying the NBA for its Pro Ready offense

In basketball, like in any other field, you have to learn from the best if you want to be the best. During Illinois men’s basketball media day on campus last week, The Champaign Room spoke with members of the Illinois coaching staff to discuss NBA offenses and how Illinois follows trends at the highest level of basketball.

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A few months ago, while evaluating his offseason additions, Illinois men’s basketball head coach Brad Underwood was excited about the combination of size and shooting ability they offered.

Ben Humrichous and Carey Booth are two players he described as elite shooters. They’re both just under six feet tall and are expected to play a big role on a team that’s spread across multiple minutes.

“Carey is an elite shot blocker. Ben is a potential position player who can guard multiple positions due to his great feet. “Tomislav is a proven rim protector and rebounder, and he gives us something different too,” Underwood said. “I love the versatility of our forecourt.”

He also named an NBA team that many Illini fans are sure to follow this winter.

“I like the versatility of it. It’s kind of a Minnesota Timberwolves-style lineup with spacing, and each of them gives us something different on the defensive side,” he said earlier this year.

For the record, Underwood said this before Terrence Shannon Jr. was drafted to Minnesota.

During local media day last week, TCR caught up with Underwood and asked about NBA offenses his team could take inspiration from this season.

“There are three or four,” Underwood said. “We are a team that plays a bit like the Pacers with our speed. They were one of the fastest teams in the league. Similar to Oklahoma City. They play five, they shuffle Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander]they took him to a lot of different places.”

The Celtics, the reigning NBA champions, have also been boosted by Underwood, but he says that at the end of the day, putting the ball in the basket is what matters most.

“We also spent quite a bit of time studying Boston, but it’s all about shooting, it’s all about spacing, it’s about doing some things with a rim runner like Morez [Johnson]” said Underwood. “[We’re] He does things with Tomi, he’s a very, very good three-point shooter. So we have the luxury of going big, we have the luxury of going big if we want to, but [there’s] There are a lot of variations.”

When TCR spoke with SB Nation’s basketball editor Ricky O’Donnell Before the NBA Draft, he said that Underwood’s offense is paving the way for the NBA hopefuls Illini.

“I think Illinois’ offense resembled a pro offense last year,” O’Donnell said. “They were a five-out team for the most part. They sacrificed their inner toughness by starting [Coleman] Hawkins in the middle to maximize the distance. And part of the benefit of maximizing their spacing was that when Terrence was in space, you could beat basically anyone off the dribble.”

One of the masterminds behind Illinois’ offense last season was assistant coach Tyler Underwood. He says there are elements when studying NBA offenses that they want to apply to this year’s Illinois team.

“One of the things you’re seeing in the NBA game right now is people are putting their five defensive guys in the slot,” he told TCR. “That’s something we’ve really been tinkering with and hoping to implement, and I think it’s something you’ll see a lot more of from us on offense.”

Underwood also said his open five-out style of play was a big advantage for him in recruiting. This year, freshmen Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley are considered one-time players.

“I think there’s a reason they want to come here,” Underwood said of recruits eyeing the NBA. “We were one of the most efficient teams in the country offensively and we were second in scoring. We play fast, without post. The style of play becomes a big part of our selling point.”

Kwa Jones, the team’s former recruiting and scouting director, was praised by Underwood for his work in the NBA. He was promoted this offseason following the departure of Tim Anderson and previously worked with the Sacramento Kings.

“As you can see, we have a lot of professionals,” Jones said, pointing to a group of players standing about fifty feet away. “A lot of people come in and that’s the level they want to reach. Because of my experience there, I know what that looks like. It’s a very easy transition for me to apply what I learned there to training.”

TCR also spoke to assistant coach Geoff Anderson to get an idea of ​​the senior offenses, but he said his sights were set on teams across the pond, mentioning Real Madrid, Barcelona and Olympiakos.

“I think they’re top players offensively when it comes to the way they move,” Anderson said. “The way they share the ball is a different game. . . We are different than 99.9 percent of college offensive teams. We play differently and that’s something [the players] are attracted. The way we spread the floor, the paint is open, the way our fives can shoot the ball.”

Illinois will debut its offense (and defense, let’s remember) in its preseason matchup against Ole Miss on October 27th on SEC Network, but their season ends November 4th at home against Eastern Illinois. The game against the Panthers will be Big Ten Plus.