The Illini Get the Ball Rolling for 2011

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After scoring Top 10 recruiting classes in 2009 and 2010 by keeping many of the best Illinois players in state, the Illini are on the board with one of the top recruits in the state for 2011. Tracy Abrams, a point guard at Mount Carmel, verbally committed to UofI today.

Point guard was a high priority position for Bruce Weber's Illini in the 2011 class and Abrams is one of the best in the nation for 2011 at that position.

Abrams is also close with a few of the other top talents in Illinois in De LaSalle forward Mike Shaw, Whitney Young wing Sam Thompson and Curie wing Wayne Blackshear. Together the four of them were rated as the top talents in Chicago in 2011. They all played together on the Mac Irvin Fire during the summer leagues.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Abrams would like to play rainmaker and try to get a few of these other talented players to Illinois to continue the efforts Jereme Richmond and DJ Richardson have made recruiting themselves after verbally committing to Illinois. "I think it's possible two out of those three [could go to Illinois]," Abrams told the Tribune.

The Chicago Sun-Times is also reporting that Abrams may be the key to further 2011 success with the best Chicago recruits. The Sun-Times reported, “Abrams is a Pied Piper type with that group in 2011,” recruiting analyst Joe Henricksen said. “Everyone in that class talks about how they want to play with Tracy Abrams. He’s got the personality, the character and all the intangibles that just make this a huge get for Illinois.”

Check out what Roy and Harv are saying about the Abrams commitment

Here is a little taste Illini fans, fast and athletic on this block:


For a team climbing back into the national limelight this year and ready to storm the rankings next year, this is a nice early Christmas present.