Matt O’Neal spent the last few weeks of summer playing basketball at the Ubben. The other participants were all members of the Illini basketball team. Matt was hoping to spend his senior year as a walk-on, but when the official practices started in mid-October, he learned that the team wouldn’t be taking walk-ons.
I asked readers what questions they’d like to ask Matt about his experience.
1. Were you offered scholarships out of HS, and why did you choose to come to Illinois?
I was recruited by a number of division III programs in the Chicago area, and a couple of division II schools as well. I never played AAU ball over the summer, so I never got the exposure you need to play D1. I was on the verge of going to play at North Central College in Naperville, Ill., but when I had the chance to go to Illinois, I decided to give up basketball. Illinois was the one school that I had always dreamed of attending, and when I got in I had to jump at the chance.
2. Did you play a lot with Alex (Legion) at the ARC?
Not very often. More so in the first month of every school year before the team has started official practice. They have more time off then, and thats when they typically go up to ARC.
3. Is Alex a friend of yours? Do you hang out with the team/some players? Do they all hang out together or is it more like small groups. (One guy guessed if Alex is a loner and doesn’t hang out with the rest of the team.)
I didn’t know Alex very well before he asked me to come to open gym. But, I did get to know him and the rest of the guys much better throughout the process, and I do consider them friends now. There were a few guys I talked to more than others (Alex, Bubba having gone thorough the walk on process), but they are a great group and do get along well, and all hang out often outside the gym. Alex, along with the freshman, being new to campus, have fit in very well and are all liked by the older guys.
4. Who was the hardest guy to defend?
I mainly guarded big men, and of them, Mike Davis, no question. His length and speed together made him very tough, plus his shot is so high thats is nearly impossible to block.
5. What kind of training is involved in summer workouts?
The coaches were not allowed to be present during open gyms, but I did have the chance to speak with them. I spoke most often with Coach Howard, and just after a few conversations with him, its easy to see why he is so well liked and why he is having such success with recruiting. He’s extremely easy to talk to, down to earth, and after meeting him just once it feels like you are talking to someone you’ve known since childhood.
7. Is DJ (Richardson) the real deal?
All of the freshman are the real deal. They are highly touted, and people are expecting big things from them, and they should be. Of the four of them, what stands out the most is their raw athleticism and overall basketball IQ, two things that can’t be taught, and that’s what makes them so special. Not to mention they all compliment each other well, and each bring something different to the table.
8. Was there any reason they didn’t take you? Did coach say?
I was not told why. Being a senior was the determining factor, in my opinion, and the already surplus of big men with similar games on the team.
9. Where are the best pick-up games cuz I need some competition.
Try ARC on Friday afternoons during basketball season.
10. Did any of the old guys ever stop by and join in — Dee, Deron, Randle, The Rev (Powell), HRF (Frank Williams), Kendall (Gill)?
Deron did play and workout with the team one day, but unfortunately I had class. I did not hear anything about the other guys coming by.
11. Did you know that Nick Smith was the tallest player in Illini history?
Yes, I’ve also heard Mike Tisdale eats 9,000 calories a day.
12. Who will take care of rebounds this year?
All of the guys are going to have to rebound for their to be improvement upon last year, including the guards. From what I saw Demitri has shown that he is no longer afraid to hit the glass, and Brandon Paul isn’t afraid to go inside and rise up with the big guys to pull down a rebound.
13. What’s in your future?
I have a friend who manages the womens Illini basketball team, and was asked to help practice with the team every morning. So I will be doing that to stay in shape along with working out up until graduation. I’ve worked summers at a country club for the past three years, and one of the members is an NBA owner, so I got to know him very well and he was promised me a job after graduation. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.