So let's see, Ayo's twitter banner smacks of feeling "picked over" by a blue blood like KY and ostensibly others in that class. But who did in fact offer Ayo?
Here they are per 24/7:
WF
Illinois
USC
Butler
B.C.
Cincy
UConn
Creighton
F$U
Ga Tech
UI-Chitown
Iowa ST
Kansas
Marquette
Memphis
Mizzou
NCSU
N'western
ToSU
Okie St
St Johns
SMU
TA&M
UNLV
UTEP
X
So he throws out the actual hometown school(s), but supposedly wants to play close to home. Other than KU, there is no other traditional blue blood on that list. Not even a traditional top school in the B!G unless you include ToSU, and Wisky never offered. So I guess you could say that he wants to stay in-state and lead UI back to its rightful place among the B!G Eleventeen powerhouses, thumbing his nose at Izzo, Beilein et al for not showing interest. But won't wins and notoriety be harder to come by if Illinois still needs another year (yes Mark Smith will be very good, but the 2017 class hasn't played a minute yet and they are thin up front)?
And aren't there more blue bloods to prove yourself to by playing Dook, UNC, ND, UVa, Cuse etc?? ACC TV exposure is as good as any (if not better as the ACC bias is real with more NCAA picks than they probably deserve most years) and Danny knows how to put guys in the league. Not to mention Chilldress would make a perfect guard mentor for his talents at a University with a nice little rep for excellent NBA guards over the last 3 decades. And lest we forget all the new state of the art facilities, an upgraded arena and a team that has all the other pieces needed and already assembled for a serious deep run in the NCAA Tourney.
Other than the relationship of his family with Chin Coleman, and a much larger array of female co-eds, not sure I see why Illinois should be such a sure thing. Why you wouldn't choose the plug-and-play option of WFU for a quick springboard to the NBA is beyond me, but I can see the desire to let your family enjoy your meteoric rise and emergence as a pre-eminent BB force in the B!G Twelve North.
This is such a strange juxtaposition of choices straight up. This would make a lot more sense to me had he cut his list to 4, taken an OV at ToSU and USC, then tickled everyone's hopeful fancies, before running into the arms of the adoring orange & blue spattered overalls of the University of Urbana-Corn Champaign.
I just hope Ayo's best interests and wishes are in fact at the top of the decision-making pyramid because he will surely thrive in Danny's system, playing alongside studs like Hoard, Sarr, Zeke and Chaundeac et al. Underwood seems like a very good coach, but it's still only his 2nd year. Danny & company are now entering their 4th and things are falling into place. Wake seems like the safer choice, but when you're young, supremely talented, and very confident, I suppose it doesn't matter where you go. But then why even consider Wake? Why not Ohio State or N'western, who is in a similar place -- program development wise -- to Wake, or slightly ahead under Chris Collins?
opcorn:
