NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates 
[ad_1]
CHAMPAIGN — The 2025 NCAA men’s basketball Final Four is being called by some the best in recent memory.
But Illinois fans beg to differ.
Sure, the field includes all four No. 1 seeds, two past champions and two looking for their first title.
The problem for the I-L-L I-N-I set is the particulars. There are legitimate beefs with three of them.
Start with the team most of the country expects to win: Duke.
Last time Illinois saw the Blue Devils on the court was at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Feb. 22. Duke won by 43, the largest loss for Illinois ever. Rough night at the word’s most famous arena.
Difficult to imagine Illinois fans embracing that team.
But there are other reason for Illinois to not support the Dukies. Like the guy in charge of the team.
Jon Scheyer, an Illinois native, played for Duke and was part of a national title team under Mike Krzyzewski. But the two-time News-Gazette All-State Player of the Year could have just as easily ended up at Illinois. His coach at Glenbrook North was the brother of then-Illinois coach Bruce Weber. No guarantees your brother will deliver you his best player, but it seemed to be more likely than not.
Had Scheyer played at Illinois, perhaps he would have replaced Weber as coach after a couple of national titles and a successful two-decade run.
Ahh, what could have been, but rarely is.
Hard to fault Scheyer for his college choice. If Duke under Coach K recruited you, the potential and tradition was too strong to resist.
Remember, Scheyer was a superstar player with NBA dreams — like current Duke great Cooper Flagg. Though Illinois moved players to the NBA, it was not at close to the same volume as Duke.
Maybe Scheyer considered coaching part of his future when he went to Durham, N.C., but a longtime playing career was the more likely goal.
So, my guess is the answer on Duke for Illinois fans is a…
[ad_2]Source link : https://www.news-gazette.com/newsletter/bob-asmussen-for-illinois-fans-nothing-fantastic-about-these-four/article_c01a5971-29ef-4c8e-b10d-fb181ebe62bb.html
Author :
Publish date : 2025-04-02 14:47:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
